and yet, Green

Hassan Tahir Latif

‘and yet, Green’ is a solo show by Karim Ahmed Khan that opened at Lahore’s White Wall Gallery on April 25, 2026 and will be on display till May 20, 2026.

Karim Ahmed Khan, a visual artist with an honours degree in Fine Arts from the National College of Arts, Lahore (2015), has had a decade long practice, garnering him recognition and accolades both nationally and internationally. His work has been shown in galleries both home and abroad, and was commissioned by the Lahore Biennale Foundation for LB03 (2024).

Recently, he has been pondering upon the consequences of global warming, particularly the destruction of forests and natural habitats, such as those of the Hunza Valley, where he lives and works. Using charcoal as a primary medium, along with miniature painting techniques like gouache on wasli and paper, Karim’s bare branches with the occasional flowers and leaves, evoke ideas of transformation and regeneration in nature.

When I was asked by the gallery to write an essay for this show’s catalogue, I was delighted, as I have followed Karim’s work for quite some time and find that his latest body of work a compelling conversation for our time. His preoccupation with the disastrous effects of climate change and global warming are concerns that all of us should have.

As I mention in my essay, which you can read on the gallery’s website, what makes Karim’s work compelling is his attunement to Nature’s life cycles: he not only mourns the loss of ecosystems, but rejoices in Nature’s inherent power to heal, survive and propagate. The work shown as part of this solo show, showcases charcoal on paper that depict branches, leaves and twigs in a variety of constellations, but also documents site-specific sculptural installations he made in the forests in Hunza, which were his way of highlighting (quite literally) the precarious threads that hold our world together. His work, then, effectively becomes symbolic of hope, even as it serves as a warning.

In his own words: “Using threads, wire and layers of polyamide hot glue, a delicate structure begins to take form, one that catches and reflects light, almost as if it were suspended in air. As natural light shifts, the work seems to transform throughout the day, echoing the changing landscapes it quietly recalls. Perhaps it draws from the fading presence of glaciers and ice formations, hinting at the fragile state of the environment.

“As temperatures rise and ecosystems continue to shift, what once felt permanent now appears to be slowly slipping away. The illusion of frozen light lingers in this uncertainty, something beautiful, yet fleeting, always on the verge of dissolving.

“Placed within nature, the work seems to hold a quiet pause. It invites a moment of reflection on how climate change reshapes the world around us, sometimes so subtly that it goes unnoticed.”

I highly recommend those who are in Lahore to visit White Wall Gallery in Gulberg to view Karim Ahmed Khan’s urgent and timely show. In the meantime, here are some moments from the show that encapsulate the breadth of the work.

Black Branch and White Sky II |Charcoal and Gouache on Arches Paper |2025-26

What the Ground Remembers | Charcoal and Gouache on Arches Paper | 2025-26

Still Tied | Threads and Glue between Dead Trees| 2025-26

Frozen Lights | Thread, Wires and Glue between Trees | Fine Art Inkjet on Hahnemuehle Photo Rag | 2025-26

All photos courtesy of the gallery.