Adnan was born in 1984, in Mian Channu, Pakistan. He is an artist, graphic designer and photographer. He completed his undergraduate in Visual Communication Design from National College of Arts, Lahore in 2009 and graduate program in Art and Design Studies from Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts and Design, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore in 2014.

Adnan comes from the village of Tulamba in Pakistan’s Punjab Province. The history of this location dates back to 2^nd century B.C. when an important settlement stood here, remnants of Harappa-era mud bricks architecture can still be found not protected as monuments and as a result, villagers are removing them piece by piece in order to open up new land area.

Adnan goes in search of traces of his home village’s cultural memory. He researches, collects and documents directly on site. Whether he walks through the ruined landscape to record sounds, photograph structures, use his own movement in the historical train as a mapping tool or collect relics – all of this is alone with the utmost meticulousness, yet in a poetic form and with immense patience.

Thus, Adnan develops graphic structures from the patterns of found decorated shreds, which combine to from a densely woven abstract cosmos of abstracted, archived memory.

He started teaching Photography at National College of Arts, Lahore (2015) also teaches Graphic Design, Drawing and History of Art at National College of Business Administration and Economics, Lahore (2016-2017). Currently, teaching drawing and Visual Communication Design at National College of Arts, Lahore.

Currently Adnan got Award – Honorable Mention in Drawing Category in Art - ADA Awards 2020-2021. Adnan nominated for the Jameel Prize 6 (2021), Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2020 and 2019. Adnan got scholarship of South Asia Foundation (SAF) Madanjeet's Singh Institute for South Asian Studies in his master’s program from 2012-2014.

Currently Adnan selected for a residency program ‘’Ecologies of Displacement’’ Summerhall, Edinburgh and Koel Gallery, Karachi funded by British Council and Creative Scotland. Adnan had done an artist residency “Project 12.0” at 12.0 Contemporary, Islamabad 2019.

Solo exhibitions include: Kaamosh Qadam at Chawkandi Art Gallery Karachi (2020); Earth Cover at Koel Gallery, Karachi (2019), Excavations at Rohtas 2 Gallery, Lahore (2018), Enigmatic Spaces at Koel Gallery, Karachi (2017), Unfolding Matters at Sanat Initiative Gallery, Karachi (2015).

Selected group shows include: Landscape of Memory Curated by Sana Bilgrami and Maliha Peracha Koel Gallery Karachi; disCONNECTED: Curated by Till Ansgar Baumhauer and Denise Ackermann at Motorenhalle Dresden, Germany 2020; Dialogs 2019: Contemporary Connections A project by Alessio Guano at Atelier97 Arte Contemporanea, La Spezia Italy (2020); Art Influx at Ejaz Art Gallery Lahore (2020); Alienation at Art cade Islamabad; Visualizing Experiences at NHQ Art Gallery Lahore (2020); Lost at Lacuna Festivals Spain (2020); Tapestry of Fading Gardens at 1x1 Art Gallery, Dubai (2020); Of the Moments at 12.0 Contemporary, Islamabad (2020); Traces of Memory at 12.0 Contemporary, Islamabad (2019); Dialogue between Traditions and Modernity IAF19 Sir Syed Memorial, Islamabad (2019); Beyond the Waters Curated by Amra Ali at Koel Gallery, Karachi (2019); The Autonomous Draughtsman at Tanzara Gallery, Islamabad (2019); Art for Education: Contemporary artist from Pakistan (Charity Auction) curated by Salima Hashmi & Rosa Maria Falvo at Carlo Maria Martini Diocesan Museum Milan (2018); Boiling Springs Art Exhibition of Pakistan Belt and Road Suzhou University Museum Beijing China (2018); Between the Dots at O Art Space, Lahore (2018); Who is Afraid of Art? curated by Asad Hayee at Alhamrah Arts Council, Lahore (2018); Imago Mundi: Luciano Benetton Collection Lines in the Sand: Contemporary Art from Pakistan curated by Amanullah Mojadidi Venice Biennale, Italy (2018); Distorted Paradigms at Satrang Art Gallery, Islamabad (2017); Museum of Wasted Love at Full Circle Gallery, Karachi (2016); Open Fields curated by Aasim Akhtar at Pakistan National Council of Arts with the collaboration of American Embassy, Islamabad (2016); Migration and Movement, Close Together project by Voice Breaking Boundaries, Houston (2014-2015).

Adnan currently works and based in Lahore.

My studio practice is centered around ancestral roots and archaeology. Exploring personal memory of space/place, collective historical events and cultural depictions; archival research is undertaken at my hometown ancient Tulamba, located in southern Punjab, Pakistan.

With present context as a surface, my work intends to invite viewers on a journey of grounded realities, presented with abstract and minimal language using dots, various kinds of lines, marks, letters, signs, symbols, patterns, excavation plans, surveys and documentation. Style of work with its multi layering depicts all of these aspects. Leading to discussions relating to how we interpret a space within its context and how context itself builds sometimes out of the “syntax”.

Archaeology allows a connection with the current situation in most of today’s world and serves as foundation for my work exploration. With the aspects which shift from memory to symbols. And memory serves to carve and create an independent narrative of time and place.