The Cincinnati Art Museum (CAM) and the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) are set to host concurrent presentations of the exhibition “Shahzia Sikander: Collective Behavior” in Ohio. This comprehensive showcase of Sikander’s career spans nearly 100 artworks created over the past 35 years, offering a unique perspective on historical South Asian art reimagined through a contemporary lens.
The exhibition, which previously garnered international acclaim as a Collateral Event during the 60th International Art Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia, will be presented differently at each Ohio location. At CAM, the exhibition takes a thematic approach, exploring Sikander’s recurring ideas and forms throughout her career. This presentation, curated by Ainsley M. Cameron, PhD, is the largest and most comprehensive of the artist’s work to date. It examines Sikander’s multifaceted identity as an American, Pakistani, Muslim, and feminist artist, as well as her role as a global citizen engaging with disrupted historical narratives.
In contrast, the CMA’s presentation, curated by Emily Liebert, PhD, focuses on Sikander’s art in relation to historic South Asian works from the museum’s collection. This approach aims to connect contemporary artistic practice with the rich histories represented in CMA’s renowned South Asian collection.
Sikander, born in Lahore, Pakistan, is widely recognized for her innovative approach to South Asian manuscript painting traditions, which led to the development of the neo-miniature form. Her work addresses themes of gender, body politics, and the female presence in art, religion, and society, often examining these issues through a global feminist perspective.
The artist’s career has been marked by numerous accolades, including the Pollock Prize for Creativity in 2023 and a MacArthur Fellowship in 2006. Sikander’s influence extends beyond her artistic practice; she serves on several prestigious boards and has held teaching positions at Columbia University, Brown University, and the Rhode Island School of Design.
“Collective Behavior” not only showcases Sikander’s artistic innovations but also illustrates her capacity for reinvention and her ability to bring South Asian painting traditions into dialogue with contemporary ideas and aesthetics. The exhibition demonstrates how Sikander’s work reimagines the past for the present moment, proposing new narratives that transcend time and place.
The exhibition will be on view at the Cincinnati Art Museum from February 14 through May 4, 2025, and at the Cleveland Museum of Art from February 14 through June 8, 2025.
