Triennale oversight

The National College of Arts (NCA) Lahore is currently celebrating its Triennale 2025. According to the information available on the institution’s website, the ongoing celebrations, which commenced in October 2025, include a series of exhibitions, symposia, performances, seminars and a number of other activities. The NCA Triennale was open to applicants from creative disciplines, including visual artists, designers, architects, musicians as well as film, theatre and television professionals. While there was an open call for applications, the event also included a distinguished gathering of international and local dignitaries. Many questions arise in this regard. For a major event, it is unusual to rely on open calls rather than direct invitations from the NCA management. The institution did not invite several prominent Pakistani artists, whereas artists from countries such as Germany and the UK were reportedly invited directly. This inconsistency raises concerns about why celebrated Pakistani artists were overlooked. Moreover, it appears that NCA did not publish any advertisements in newspapers to announce the open call. Those eligible to participate saw no such notices and the updates were limited to the institution’s website alone. Such events are meant to celebrate Pakistani artistry and provide a platform to our country’s voices, yet it seems that the opportunity was gravely missed.
Muhammad Murtaza Zeeshan
Lahore