Adil Iqbal
Adil Iqbal, Washroom Chapals (Slippers), 2012. Photo by Alan Dimmick Adil Iqbal, Weaving Songs, 2012. Photo by Alan Dimmick Works by Adil Iqbal. Photo by Alan Dimmick Adil Iqbal alongside work by Emelia Kerr Beale, as part of the Crafted Selves exhibition at St Andrews Museum, 2023. Photo by Alan Dimmick
Adil Iqbal is a Scottish-Pakistani cultural practitioner, who uses collaborative practice to bridge Western and indigenous craft cultures. His cross-cultural arts project ‘Twilling Tweeds’ connects traditional Scottish and Chitrali cultures through weaving and hand embroidery. These textile works were made in collaboration with makers in Orkney and communities in Pakistan.
Weaving Songs, 2012
Hand embroidery on calico. This textile was co-created between Chitrali embroiderer Taiba, Adil Iqbal and Scottish writer Donald S. Murray
Washroom Chapals (Slippers), 2012
Hand embroidery on Harris Tweed. This textile was co-created between Chitrali embroiderer Halima Rehman and Adil Iqbal
Adil Iqbal: Identity is really something that is constantly shifting. It’s evolving. There’s an evolutionary aspect to identity, even for me as a Scottish, but also Pakistani. You know, coming from the Pakistani heritage but being born in Edinburgh, I’ve always had a feeling that I belong to more than one place. And also then as an artist, as you are on your journey to discover new crafts, new communities, there’s an evolutionary aspect to that. And so for me, identity, it’s never been stagnant, it’s a constant moving idea.
Biography
Adil Iqbal is a Scottish-Pakistani cultural practitioner with a Textile Design and Anthropology background. He utilises collaborative practice, narrative art, and digital media to bridge Western and indigenous craft cultures. Iqbal received the Dewar Art Award for his project ‘Twilling Tweeds,’ which connected Scottish and Chitrali cultures via weaving and hand embroidery. In addition, he has led art workshops exploring cultural similarities between Scotland and Pakistan, employing narrative discussions, life drawings, and digital art mediums.
With over a decade-long engagement with Chitral Valley craft communities, his work spans cultural heritage, sustainable design practices, community, and business development. His unique Scottish-Pakistani identity, professional expertise in textile design, and anthropological training allow him to foster cross-cultural dialogues. His passion lies in breaking down cultural barriers and celebrating the common threads connecting traditions.
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Adil Iqbal studied Textile Design at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh before working in the industry all over Europe. Building on his interdisciplinary background he successfully completed a Master’s degree in Anthropology, Art and Perception in 2016 from the University of St Andrews. Adil’s work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the Royal Scottish Academy, Patrick Geddes Centre at Riddle’s Court, The Nomad Tent in Edinburgh, The Nomad Arts Gallery (Islamabad), An Lanntair (Stornoway), and Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Culture Centre (Kuwait).