BRADFORD.- Award-winning Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi has transformed Bradford's Lister Park and City Park with his biggest and most ambitious outdoor commission to date, Garden Within a Garden. Inspired by the million-strong British Indian army that fought in the First World War, Garden Within a Garden has been co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, Bradford Council and Yorkshire Festival 2016.

This major new work has been created with acrylic paints applied directly onto paving in City Park and the Mughal Water Gardens next to Cartwright Hall in Lister Park. It is inspired by, and reflects upon, the history of the Indian Army of over one million soldiers that fought alongside the British Army in the First World War.

Imran Qureshi lives and works in Lahore, Pakistan, a region that, as part of the British Raj, enlisted a huge number of Sikh, Muslim and Hindu soldiers to fight on the Western Front. Their experiences of being at war in a distant land and in a hostile climate have informed Garden Within A Garden. In response to the ongoing bombing in current conflicts across the globe, Qureshi has used a new, darker palette of black and grey in Lister Park. The second painting, in City Park, is a blue and red circular work with a circumference of 25 feet. Qureshi’s delicate and intricate style of painting is inspired by the historic craft of Pakistani and Indian miniature painting.

Garden Within a Garden is accompanied by a special display in Cartwright Hall Art Gallery’s Sculpture Court about Imran Qureshi's work, including photographs and videos showing his miniature paintings and large-scale installations across the world.

Garden Within a Garden is part of Yorkshire Festival 2016, an extensive programme of performances and events taking place across the county until 3 July 2016.

Born in Hyderabad, Pakistan, in 1972, Imran Qureshi was awarded the Deutsche Bank Award for Artist of the Year in 2013 and had his first UK solo exhibition at Ikon Gallery in Birmingham in 2014. His current exhibition Where the Shadows are so Deep is on display at the Barbican Centre until 10 July 2016. Recent international exhibitions include an installation at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto in 2014, The God of Small Things at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in Toronto in 2014, and The Roof Garden Commission at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 2013.

Jenny Waldman, Director, 14-18 NOW, said: “Garden Within a Garden is an incredibly striking piece of public art which will give occasion to reflect on the devastating impact of the First World War. It is wonderful to have worked with Bradford Council and Yorkshire Festival on Imran Qureshi’s biggest ever outdoor commission.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council's Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Culture, said: "Bradford is proud to be part of the WW1 Centenary Art Commissions taking place around the country.

"It is an opportune moment for us to reflect on the experiences of people from across the world who fought on the side of the Allies in the First World War and the invaluable contribution they made to the war efforts.

"We hope local people will engage on the 'Garden Within A Garden' in this beautiful setting. Lister Park is much loved and enjoyed by nearby residents and this piece of art will add a further dimension to the Mughal Gardens."

Yorkshire Festival’s Artistic Director, Matt Burman, said: “We are thrilled to be co-commissioning this significant new work with Bradford Council and 14-18 Now, as part of Yorkshire Festival 2016. Presenting fantastic and important international artists like Qureshi alongside our county's finest performers and makers is exciting and essential to all of us at the Festival and our producing partners. I hope local people and visitors to Bradford will take time to enjoy and reflect on his beautiful, thought-provoking works.”

Imran Qureshi is an ambassador of one of the world's leading art brands Winsor & Newton, who have supported the Garden Within a Garden installation.