Nav Haq appointed curator of Lahore Biennale 04

British-Pakistani curator and writer Nav Haq has been named curator of the fourth edition of the Lahore Biennale (LB04), set to open in spring 2027. Haq — currently associate director at M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp) — will lead the upcoming edition, which is expected to feature new commissions, large-scale installations, and an extensive citywide public programme.

His curatorial research is grounded in what organisers describe as values of coexistence and progressive internationalism, shaped in response to the conditions of an increasingly multipolar 21st-century world. Alongside his institutional role, Haq is an editor at Afterall and has previously held curatorial positions at Arnolfini in Bristol and Gasworks in London.

Taking place alongside the eightieth anniversary of the independence of Pakistan and the partition of India, the 2027 biennial will explore questions of cross-border exchange and the capacity of culture to generate solidarities, alliances, and dialogue. The curatorial framework will engage Lahori, Punjabi, Desi, and broader Eurasian perspectives, positioning Lahore as both a locally grounded and globally connected cultural centre.

As the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Lahore offers a deeply layered historical and contemporary context. Building on this setting, LB04 aims to articulate a worldview emerging from the city while remaining in conversation with wider regional and international discourses.

Since its launch in 2017, the Lahore Biennale has unfolded under complex circumstances. Its inaugural curator, Rashid Rana, stepped down prior to the opening of the first edition. The second biennial, curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, took place in early 2020 amid the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The third edition — curated by John Tain and delayed until 2024 — also experienced a postponed opening due to political protests in the city.

Haq’s appointment signals a continued commitment to international dialogue, socially engaged practice, and the role of biennials as platforms for cultural exchange across borders.