R.M. Naeem

Born in 1968 in Mirpurkhas (Pakistan)
Lives and works in Lahore (Pakistan)

Upon completing his BFA in 1993 as a distinction student at the National College of Arts, Lahore, R.M. Naeem subsequently held the position of Assistant Professor there. In the past twenty-two years, he has held sixteen solo shows both in Pakistan and abroad and curated various important shows of local and international artists. In addition, his work has been exhibited in numerous important group shows both nationally and internationally, including: The Asian Art Biennale, Bangladesh (2004 and 2006); The International Artists' Biennale, Iran (2006); The Pyeongtack International Art Festival Lake Museum, South Korea (2006 and 2007); Art Expo Malaysia (2010); Slick Art Fair, France (2010); AAF Affordable Art Fair, Singapore (2011); India Art Fair (2014); and Jaipur Art Summit, India (2012 and 2014). Since 1994, he has been promoting art through art education at STUDIO RM in Lahore and In 2008 he initiated the Studio RM (International) Residency program, also in Lahore.

R.M. Naeem states of his practice: “I strongly believe that by using popular social issues or political imagery in painting one cannot resolve these issues…I do not aspire to add to the chaos by portraying these circumstances in my art. What I do is a total reversal, an opposite of what is happening. My subject is that of peace, love and hope; my scenario is a world of harmony, one lost to us that we must struggle to resuscitate.” For KB17 R. M. Naeem has depicted his own children in his painting Connection. He writes: “The work is about the bonding between siblings, where this relationship challenges the norms associated with age. The older one might think that he/she is a grown-up and has a certain authority and maturity, but it is challenged by the younger one constantly…Most of the time the younger one refuses to accept the established norms and demands equality in all matters. While at the same time the love and bonding prevail.”