Bani Abidi

Bani Abidi is a contemporary artist based in Berlin, Germany. Born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1971, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the United States.

Abidi's works often explore the social and political realities of life in Pakistan, India, and other parts of the world, through a variety of mediums including video, photography, and installation. Her works often involve storytelling, humor, and absurdity, and seek to disrupt the dominant narratives surrounding issues such as nationalism, identity, and power structures.

Abidi's notable works include "Reserved" (2006), a series of photographs that explores the militarization of urban spaces in Pakistan; "Shan Pipe Band Learns the Star Spangled Banner" (2004), a video that subverts the Western musical canon through the performance of the US national anthem by a Pakistani military band; and "Funland" (2013), an installation that juxtaposes images of amusement park rides with sounds of violence and unrest.

Abidi's work has been exhibited at major international art institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Venice Biennale, and the Sharjah Biennial. In 2021, she was awarded the Maria Lassnig Prize, which recognizes outstanding artists whose work is characterized by innovative and inspiring approaches to figurative painting.