Jovita Alvares

Jovita Alvares is a recent graduate from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. As valedictorian for the class of 2016, Alvares has received her undergraduate degree in fine art with a distinction in thesis and an overall distinction. She has received numerous awards including the Imran Mir Art Prize in 2016. She has recently displayed her works in her first solo exhibition held at the Imran Mir Gallery and has participated in multiple group shows in Karachi and Dubai this past year. Alvares has also participated in the 4th Sanat artist residency in 2017.

Alvares’ practice distills multiple ideas from her background and context, drawing inspiration and impetus from the urban spaces of Karachi. Her thesis project strategically deployed montage, collage, and constructivism, creating works that rendered the spatial present layered across a rich historical context. The resulting work drew from both art and architecture, and featured juxtaposed frames referencing the city in ceaseless and dynamic transformation. Her critical relationship to her source material also draws attention to the question of an artist’s responsibility towards society. Settled and working in Karachi, she works and writes for ArtNow Pakistan, an online contemporary art magazine.