Khadim Ali (b. 1978, Quetta, Pakistan) is a contemporary artist whose practice draws upon the traditions of Persian miniature painting, epic literature and histories of conflict and displacement. With family roots in Bamiyan and Ghazni, Afghanistan, Ali’s work is deeply informed by the region’s cultural heritage and its histories of violence and loss.

Ali began studying Persian miniature painting in Tehran in 1998 before enrolling at the National College of Arts, Lahore, where he pursued the discipline and received his Bachelor’s degree in 2003. He later completed a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, in 2012.

Central to Ali’s practice are recurring references to the monumental Buddha statues of Bamiyan and narratives from the Shahnamah. Drawing upon the meticulous visual language of miniature painting, he reinterprets historical epics and poetic traditions through the lens of contemporary experience. His works explore themes of resistance, loss, memory and renewal, often bringing together the mythical and the political within intricately detailed compositions.

The destruction and transformation of Bamiyan have remained particularly significant to Ali’s practice. Following a visit to Afghanistan, he developed a series examining the lives of children growing up amid war, focusing on the psychological impact of violence and displacement. In later works, he incorporated drawings made by Afghan children into his paintings, transforming their personal expressions into powerful reflections on memory, trauma and resilience.

Ali was awarded the Haji Sharif Award in Miniature Painting by the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 2005. He subsequently undertook residencies at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in 2006 and Art Initiative, Tokyo, in 2007. His work has been widely exhibited across Pakistan and internationally.

Ali lives and works between Sydney, Quetta and Kabul.