Asim Waqif

Asim Waqif studied architecture at the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi. After initially working as an art director for film and television, he later began making independent videos and documentaries before dedicating himself to a committed artistic practice. His recent projects attempt to cross architecture, art, and design, with a strong contextual reference to contemporary urban planning (or the lack thereof) and the politics of occupation, intervention, and use of public space. Some of his projects have developed in abandoned city buildings that function as hidden activity spaces for the marginalized.

Ecological and anthropological concerns often intertwine in his work, and he has conducted extensive research on vernacular ecological management systems, particularly concerning water, waste, and architecture. His works often employ manual processes that are deliberately meticulous and labor-intensive, while the products themselves are often temporary and sometimes even designed to decompose.

He has worked in sculpture, site-specific public installation, video, photography, and more recently, large-scale interactive installations that combine traditional technologies and new media.

Waqif has held solo exhibitions at Nature Morte, New Delhi, and Galerie Templon, Paris in 2013, and at Palais Tokyo, Paris in 2012. Selected works include: Durga Puja Pandal in Kolkata (2019), Offsite at Vancouver Art Gallery (2017), 8th Asia-Pacific Triennial (2015); Debris Pavilion at the Marrakech Biennale (2014); Bordel Monstre (2012) at Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Andekhi Jumna (2011); Residency at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, USA (2011).