Unspoken Influence: The Legacy of Indus

About this event

Event Date: September 19 to December 11, 2026 (Thursday-Saturday, 11am-6pm)

"I decided to come back to Pakistan and be helpful to those who are more gifted and more talented than me, and to create a climate of work where I could be a sort of guidance and help." — Ali Imam

Ali Imam was one of the six main figures of the Lahore Art Circle collective whose art ushered in the first decade of Pakistan’s independence. This moment in a newly independent nation offered creatives the opportunity to decide what art should be in their time. Iftikhar Dadi’s seminal text, Modernism and the Art of Muslim South Asia, asserted that the depth and diversity of this region’s land and people gave rise to a modernism without a single point of origin. The abundance of artistic styles and attitudes among the wealth of artists who exhibited at Indus Gallery demonstrates active engagement with this idea. The struggle to define contradictions between grand histories and anecdotal experiences left a vacuum that only consistent social engagement with fellow South Asian artists and thinkers could fill. When Ali Imam returned from a decade in Europe, he founded Indus Gallery in 1971, a place that became a hub of creative energy and a free flow of ideas, bringing together artists, collectors, and thinkers.

Unspoken Influence: The Legacy of Indus Gallery celebrates a history of cultivating creative environments for established and emerging South Asian artists. Instead of chronologizing the movement, the exhibition presents a series of relationships built on peer mentorship. Despite receiving little scholarly attention, Indus Gallery’s lasting influence is evident in the work of contemporary artists taught by many of its most frequent visitors. Artmaking is typically seen as a solitary activity rather than a social one. Increasing attention to the disappearance of third spaces calls us to look back on a time when studios were likewise seen as community spaces. Artists in this exhibition display incredible individual talents, and yet, the worlds they painted were shaped by their relationships.

South Asia Institute is open Thursday-Saturday, 11am-6pm.

Exhibition admission is donation-based.

Additional Information:

PARKING

There is free and metered street parking in the vicinity. The closest parking garage is 2101 S Michigan Ave Self Park Garage. Due to Soldier Field street parking closures, parking may be limited. We highly recommend using SpotHero for available spots within a few blocks' distance. The parking lot next door at 1927 S Michigan is not the property of South Asia Institute. However, they do offer SpotHero parking, so please check on the app or online.

We recommend taking public transport options. The nearest “L” stations are Cermak-McCormick Place (Green Line) and Cermak-Chinatown (Red Line). The nearest bus stop is Michigan Ave and Cullerton Street; bus routes 1, 3, and 4 stop there.

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ACCESSIBILITY

South Asia Institute is wheelchair accessible.

The main entrance is at street level, and an elevator provides access to all floors. An accessible, single-user/all-gender restroom is located on the main floor.

For accessibility questions or accommodations, contact: info@saichicago.org

South Asia Institute (1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616)