Rashid Rana is awarded Pakistan's Sitara-i-Imtiaz honour

8 April 2022

Rashid Rana has been awarded one of the State of Pakistan's highest honours, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz. President Dr Arif Alvi confirmed the civil awards on Pakistan Day, 23 March, to Pakistani and foreign nationals, in recognition of their services in different fields.

Rana received the award in recognition of his prominence as one of the leading Pakistani artists of his generation. Initially trained as a painter, Rana is now famous for pioneering new media art from Pakistan. In his photography, sculpture and digital printmaking, Rana transposes imagery from one time and place to another, through manipulation, repetition and rearrangement, with a telescope on politics and civilisations.

Rashid Rana says, “I am humbled and grateful for this honour. I strongly believe that creative practitioners have an important role to play in the society. They must be part of larger discourse in the region and beyond. I hope recognitions such as this one given to artists help change the ‘status of artist’ in the society and pave paths for others.”

Rana was selected to design the exterior of the EXPO Dubai 2022 Pakistan Pavilion, which has also recently been awarded the Burj CEO award for the EXPO's Best Exterior Design.