The prize has been instituted by the Imran Mir Art Foundation, a foundation set up to honor and further the artistic legacy and vision of one of the founders of IVS, Mr. Imran Mir, a renowned artist and graphic designer.
The Imran Mir Art Prize was created to be awarded to a person of exceptional artistic talent, passion and skill, a reflection of the artist Imran Mir.
Judging for the award was held on the 2nd of December by a well-regarded jury consisting of:
- Architect Shahid Abdulla – Principle, Arshad Shahid Abdulla and Trustee, IMAF
- Mz. Sameera Raja – Curator, Canvas Art Gallery
- Mrs. Niilofur Farrukh – President, AICA Pakistan
- Mr. Amin Guljee – Artist and Sculptor
- Mr. Khurram Kasim – Art collector
The criteria on which students were judged are the following:
- Independent Thinking - The candidate’s work should reflect independent thinking and original thought processes.
- Creativity and Vision - Imran Mir’s art was about pushing the envelope and the originality and concept should be recognizable in the candidates work.
- Technical and Artistic Skill – Imran Mir could draw a whole sketch without lifting his pencil from the paper. Similarly the candidate’s work should show the artistic skills of the person creating it.
- Clear Concept and Understanding - The candidate should have a clear understanding of the concept they are presenting and the end result should be clearly linked to the concept.
- Passion for the Arts - The candidate should aspire to practice their art with complete honesty, dedication, humility and humanity, which were the cornerstone of Imran Mir's professional and personal life.
Based on this criteria a nominee from The Department of Fine Arts at The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture was selected.
