Shoots of Hope

Although most awards and prizes bestowed upon artists in the creative world focus on financial benefits, one unique accolade is still committed to the present – 30 years after inception.   The Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year award selects, recognises and lends support to upcoming, promising, international talent every year. The award aims to highlight the artistic works of the present day, as well as spreading the creative messages of its artists to the wider public.   The Artist of the Year endowment is positioned as an integral part of the Deutsche Bank art programme. Through Deutsche Bank’s own substantial collection, exhibitions and joint projects with partners, each annual winner presents their work in a solo exhibition. These have so far been held at the Deutsche Guggenheim.   However, for the 2013 edition, the Artist of the Year exhibition will be held for the first time to launch the Deutsche Bank KunstHalle in Berlin. By opening this dedicated exhibition hall, Deutsche Bank has cemented its cultural engagement with this cosmopolitan city.   As a globally-focussed award, the exhibitions will move on from the KunstHalle, Berlin, to other international institutions. The winning artist will publish a comprehensive catalogue of their works and an additional ‘exclusive edition’ (designed by the artist themselves) is also published in line with the solo exhibition dates. A selection of the artist’s works on paper will be acquired for the Deutsche Bank Collection.   Pakistani-based artist Imran Qureshi is the Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year 2013, based on a recommendation of the Deutsche Bank Global Art Advisory Council. The Council comprises internationally-renowned curators Okwui Enwezor, Hou Hanru, Udo Kittelmann and Victoria Noorthoorn. Winning artists are selected for their attention to detail: they address social issues in a unique way and have created a substantial oeuvre. One of these must concentrate on the media of paper and photography – two main focus areas of the Deutsche Bank Collection.   On the cold concrete stairs and ramps of a former dry dock in Sydney Harbour’s Cockatoo Island, red blood runs in rivulets meeting long striped stains of rusty orange metal. Take a closer look, however, and the blood becomes an intricate blossoming of ornamental flowers, weaving their way through the streaked rust stains to the deep waters of the harbour.   The blood and rust run together forming islands and long trails – something the artist terms ‘shoots of hope’. The work is Imran Qureshi’s installation ‘They Shimmer Still’, originally created for the 2012 Sydney Biennial. Qureshi trained in miniature painting and his work is reminiscent of the traditions evoked by the 16th and 17th century Moghul artists who first created these intricate images. He takes tradition and blends it with modernity in one sweep; combining the ideas behind ancient Islamic forms and contemporary abstraction, effortlessly.   It has been said that Qureshi ‘includes his own observations in the reality of today’s Pakistan into his work, while reflecting on the fact that everyday violence is not only a problem in his native country, but in every religion, culture and society worldwide.’   Born in Hyderabad in 1972, Qureshi now lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan. He gained a BA in Fine Arts from the National College of Arts (also in Lahore) and has held three solo exhibitions in London, Oxford and Karachi. Qureshi has been exhibiting his work since 2003 and has showcased his unparalleled creations around the world.   Photography: Supplied