[Un]Framing Gender
From Pakistan and South Asia to America

​​

On View: June 5 - July 27 during gallery hours, Thursday & Friday, 5-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday, 2-9pm.

​

On Thursday, June 5, 6-9pm, join us for the opening reception, with beverages and light fare. One-night-only preformance art and live music will fill the evening. Free Admission.

[Un]Framing Gender invites viewers to traverse the intricate terrains of gender identity, culture, and self-expression through the artistic lens.

This dynamic exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists from South Asia and America, showcasing innovative works that reflect the shifting landscapes of masculinity and femininity in contemporary society.

Through painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, each piece challenges conventional narratives and stimulates dialogue about the roles and perceptions of gender in both regions.

Building from the 2022 exhibition, 'Zenana Mardana', curated by Pomme Gohar, [Un]Framing Gender offers a vibrant space for conversation and introspection, encouraging audiences to reconsider the intersections of culture, power, and personal expression transcending geographical boundaries and challenging cultural stereotypes.

​

The show is a curatorial collaboration by Tess Howsam (Artistic Director, Culture Lab LIC, America) and Pomme Gohar (Creative Director, Phenomena, Pakistan).​

Tess Howsam is the Artistic Director of Culture Lab LIC and an accomplished international curator and director with over a decade of experience contributing to New York City’s artistic landscape. Known for her innovative approach and cross-disciplinary collaborations, Howsam’s work explores themes of gender, audience engagement, and global artistic dialogues.

Her theatrical work has earned a New York Times Critic’s Pick and a feature in New Yorker Magazine, and in 2023, she was honored with The League of Professional Theatre Women’s Lucille Lortel Award.

​

As Artistic Director, Howsam has spearheaded numerous exhibitions at Culture Lab LIC that walk the line of performative and visual. Highlights include “Instrumental: A Retrospective on the Life & Work of Ken Butler” (2024), “Luminous: The Art of Neon” (2023) and The Inevitability of Absence (2023), presented alongside “The Incomplete Collection”  by Linked Dance Theatre bridging visual and theater arts. 

​

Deeply committed to international collaboration, she co-curated The Search for Utopia (2024) with Slovakian art center Malý Berlín, bringing together Slovakian and American artists to reflect on utopian ideals. That same year, she served as a jury member for Artiade: The Olympics of Art in Basel, Switzerland, strengthening her dedication to global artistic dialogue.

In 2025, Howsam is thrilled to co-curate two exhibitions that foster creative exchange across borders. Art Exchange: America x Italy celebrates cross-cultural artistic collaboration, while [Un]Framing Gender: From America to Pakistan explores gender identity and representation through a transnational lens.