The National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore is the oldest art academy in Pakistan. Since 1980 miniature painting has been available as a main course of study and, in a strict three-year course under a master (Ustad,) one is taught the old techniques. In 1991 an exciting movement was born at the NCA: some of the young artists began to take the old techniques and imagery and combine them with contemporary elements in order to address contemporary concerns. The School of Contemporary Miniature Painting was born.

As part of the Dahlem Karkhana (Dahlem Miniature Atelier, from 09/21/14,) the miniature painter Waseem Ahmed, an outstanding representative of this art movement, spent six weeks at Dahlem as a guest. In dialog with art works from the Museum für Asiatische Kunst (Asian Art Museum) he created new miniature works of art. The closing exhibition shows newly created paintings from his time in Berlin as well as many of his subversive works, side by side with old paintings from the museum collection.

The exhibiton is part of Humboldt Lab Dahlem: Probebühne 5