The geopolitical map of South Asia is defined by a deep cut, a border signifying rupture. But what if art could mend that tear? This is the radical, yet quietly profound, premise of “We Were Always Neighbours”, a special showcase set to captivate visitors at Asia Now 2025, running from October 21 to 26 at the venerable Monnaie de Paris.
Curated by Sahil Arora, the smart Founder and Gallery Director of Method (India), this exhibition is a powerful counter-story. It’s an important cultural gift that brings together fresh, young artists from both India and Pakistan, proving that a shared ground of feeling, history, and creation lasts, pushing back against the separations made by politics.
The Third Space: Mapping Our Inner Worlds
Within the fair’s Third Space section, a dedicated area called “The Corridor” gathers works that are intimate, surreal, and symbolic. These pieces, made by artists from both nations, chart internal geographies. They explore shared themes: feminine spaces, decoration, old stories, and small, quiet acts of resistance.
The artists featured in “The Corridor” create a layered map of shared imaginations: Fatima Kaleem and Shamir Iqtidar from Pakistan; and Shivangi Kalra, Gargi Chandola, Darshika Singh, and Viraj Khanna from India.
Art Beyond the Frame: Action, Memory, and Scale
Going past the main gallery walls, site-specific installations will be shown across the Monnaie de Paris. These works respond to the building’s architecture, material, and size, turning hallways and courtyards into spaces for both surprise and deep thought.
This includes small, personal pieces and large, complex installations:
- Many pieces arrive “folded in” unframed canvases, drawings on paper, and small items that carry the touch of handwork and the clear energy of youth.
- Others are bigger and made specifically for the location, often created with the help of other good spaces, including Rajiv Menon Contemporary (Los Angeles) and Tao Art Gallery (Mumbai).
- Some works won’t last: live gestures, bodies in motion, and rituals of sound that exist only in the moment and leave no trace.
This collaborative approach reflects the heart of Method’s practice, extending the conversation into wide networks of support and shared vision.
All Participating Artists: A Common Kinship
The exhibition features a diverse group of emerging artists, showcasing the wide range of contemporary practice within the region:
| Artist & Country | Exhibition / Theme |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Title | We Were Always Neighbours |
| Curator | Sahil Arora, Gallery Director – Method (India) |
| Venue | Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France |
| Dates | October 21 – 26, 2025 |
| Theme | Cross-border collaboration through shared imagination, resistance, and contemporary practice |
| Participating Artists (India) | Darshika Singh Gargi Chandola Kunel Gaur Mohd. Intiyaz Sajid Wajid Shaikh Sehaj Malik Shivangi Kalra Tarini Sethi Viraj Khanna |
| Participating Artists (Pakistan) | Ammama Malik Fatima Kaleem Khan Jibran Shahid Shamir Iqtidar Tazeen Fatima |
| Concept | Art as a bridge beyond borders — redefining shared histories, identities, and emotions through collaboration. |
The Philosophy and Paris Stage
The entire project is deeply rooted in the philosophy of Method, which believes art is about conversation, change, and the continuous questioning of form and certainty. As founder Sahil Arora notes:
“We Were Always Neighbours is rooted in an ethos of connection—across borders, across practices, across disciplines. Asia Now’s commitment to host a presentation of this nature, with a spotlight on young emerging voices, is remarkable and a refreshing change from traditional industry practices.”
France, with its long history of engagement with South Asia through film, literature, and diplomacy, provides a perfect platform. It has always found a way to host dialogue even when official politics go silent. This show continues that spirit, gathering young practices that speak many languages but carry one shared wish: to reach across the border and stay in relation.
Exhibition Details for Your Visit
This exhibition is more than just something to look at; it’s an invitation to step into a space of flow and connection. This is your chance to see these powerful, young artists challenge the usual narratives and prove that shared history is the true story.
- Exhibition Title: We Were Always Neighbours
- Curator: Sahil Arora, Gallery Director – Method (India)
- Venue: Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France
- Dates: October 21 to October 26, 2025
We Were Always Neighbours stands as a gentle yet powerful reminder that creativity transcends geography. Curated by Sahil Arora of Method (India), the exhibition transforms the walls of the Monnaie de Paris into spaces of healing, dialogue, and shared memory. By uniting young artists from India and Pakistan, it challenges the silence that borders often impose and celebrates a cultural kinship that has never truly disappeared.
Through their works—painted, performed, or lived—these artists redefine connection in a divided world, proving that art remains one of humanity’s most fearless acts of liberation.
