We’re delighted to share that Porters 2 by Hamra Abbas — a series of nine works — has been acquired by The Ishara Art Foundation and the Prabhakar Collection.
Porters is a series of miniature paintings using homemade lapis lazuli ultramarine pigment from Badakhshan, Afghanistan. The artist, Hamra Abbas, follows a 14th century technique from Italy when ultramarine was the finest and most expensive blue used by Renaissance painters. Abbas creates portraits of the faces of high-altitude porters from the Northern regions of Pakistan, who accompany trekkers and mountaineers on their expeditions. Though these porters (also known as sherpas) are key to mountaineers summitting some of the most challenging peaks in the world, their contributions are almost never publicly acknowledged.
About Ishara Art Foundation
Ishara Art Foundation was founded in 2019 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to presenting contemporary art of South Asia. Located in Dubai, the Foundation supports emerging and established practices that advance critical dialogue and explore global interconnections.
Guided by a research-led approach, Ishara realises its mission through exhibitions, onsite and online programmes, education initiatives and collaborations in the UAE and internationally. The Foundation facilitates exchange between South Asian and international artistic networks that include museums, foundations, institutions, galleries and individuals.
