AICA (International Association of Art Critics) Pakistan Chapter's International Seminar entitled "Mapping the Change" was a big success. Speakers from more than 10 countries - participated in the deliberations on the topics "Globalisation of Art", "Strategies in Art Criticism", "Art Criticism and Nation", "Urban Energies" and SAARC Art - A Shared Legacy" in the five sessions held at the Aga Khan University Auditorium on November 25 and 26, 2004.
Right from the first session on the inauguration day which included addresses by Nilofer Farrukh (President, AICA Pakistan), Jalaluddin Ahmed (founder President of AICA Pakistan), Henry Meyric-Hughes (International President of AICA (Paris)), the need for having a platform for art critics of the country was emphasised and satisfaction was expressed over the revival of AICA activities. The enthusiasm generated by the revival of AICA for the promotion of Art's activities in Pakistan was commendable.
Dr Rashid Arain, (celebrated artist and art critic - and editor of 'The Third Text') read out the key note address in the augural session. Dr Arain, in his fortnight manner, stressed the need for absorbing modernity in the national traditions. This was the only way to blend temporality and universality in art as it was well-nigh impossible for an artist to confine himself/herself in the whirlpool of his/her own tradition. Only the creative tradition had the chances of a meaningful survival, he said. Self-sufficient morbid traditions, he maintained, couldn't survive. He referred to Hanif Ramay and Sadequain besides a South African artist to illustrate his viewpoint. All of them had fused modernity into their own traditions.
The first session of the seminar was on the theme 'Globalization of Art'. The session was presided over by Dr Anderira DeMatteis and the speakers were Dr Gulzar Haider (Canada), Ijazul Hasan, Quddus Mirza and Angelica Baeumer.
The second day's first session was on Strategies in Art Criticism. The papers were presented by Dr Muhammad Ali Siddiqui, Marjone Husain, Ivo Kanzfelder (Germany).
The other sessions of the day under the theme "Art Criticism and the Nation" had Professor Abul Mansoor (Bangladesh) Professor Nagori in the first segment on the first day Ludovice Pratesi (Italy), Dr Wainright (UK) and Dr Dilara Vohahova (Azerbaijan) in the second. Raja Changez Sultan did not read any paper and he used his time on complaining that neither the government nor the private sector was doing anything to promote art. Coming as it did from the Director-General of PNCA, a government department, some members of the audience did not like the Opposition Leader's role for him. An artist interrupted him on the point. The session was chaired by Dr Muhammad Ali Siddiqui. Other sessions were on the theme 'Urban Energies' and the 'SAARC Art'. The first session on "Urban Energies" had Dr Alka Pandey and Samina Shah as the main speaker while the session on SAARC Art had Sangeeta Thapa of Nepal and Pooja Sood from India. It was chaired by Dr Rasheed Arain. The speaker from Nepal gave a brilliant presentation through Nepalese Art of the artroritics perpetrated on the innocent people during the continuing Maoist Movement.
The question / answer session, which was the last session, was very lively and one wondered what the enthusiasm of the delegates and the audience could do to make the discussion interesting. The heat generated by the discussion was a bit disturbing but, at the same time, a food for thought.
I believe that the majority of writers had submitted their papers in advance but the papers could not be made available to the discussants in advance due to lack of secretarial back-up of AICA Pakistan. It was seen during one session that a participant's extempore speech attacking the government and the public for their indolence to Arts generated some unpleasant intervention. Had there been a well prepared paper on the topic this could be avoided.
I believe that the ones who headed the government departments should not assume the role of opposition leaders to avoid criticism of their own departments which had charters to take curative steps. When I asked the artist who had interrupted the speaker, she said that it was a deliberate attempt on her part because the speaker was playing to the gallery. I believe that off-the-cuff speeches often create a lot of interruptions which may, sometimes, cause bickerings.
The last session was exclusively devoted to question and Answers on the papers read during the day. It was possibly done to assuage all those who thought that the session on 'Art Criticism & the Nation' did not provide ample time for the questions & answers. It made the amends and a lively 20-minute session. Chaired by AICA President, Hughes, who managed the time very well and made it plain that the time constraint did not allow him to prolong it.
So, a big event in the dormant Art world of Pakistan succeeded in creating the desired ripples. Nilofer Farrukh and her team led by the wise counsels of Jalaluddin Ahmed, deserve art lovers' commendation for the well-arranged mega-event, the first of its kind under the canopy of the revived AICA.
Iqbal Seminars
I would like to discuss the two Iqbal Day functions in Islamabad. I attended the one held by the Academy of Letters and Allama Iqbal Open University at the AIOU Campus. I was surprised to hear when Justice (R) Dr Javed Iqbal, distinguished son of a distinguished father, expressed his surprise over the fact that it was for the first time that he saw some activity going on in Islamabad on Iqbal Day. He said that he thought Iqbal Day functions were only a conspicuous feature of Lahore. I was myself surprised to hear that since this comment was applicable to Karachi as well which has always celebrated Iqbal Day almost every year.
However, Justice (R) Dr Jawed Iqbal was eminently right when he complained that no one was serious enough to pay attention to the Message of Iqbal and translate it into action. Justice (R) Dr Jawed Iqbal said that that Allama Iqbal was opposed to any kind of Papiat (clergyism), imperialism, and peeri-Mureedi (mysticism and its discipleship).
He agreed with the contention of this writer's paper on the occasion that Iqbal's thought was much more embedded in his prose-writings than in his poetry. It is true that poetry cannot be as discursive as prose. Iftikhar Arif took up the issue with Justice (R) Dr Jawed Iqbal and contended that Iqbal's poetry was essential to the understanding of his thought.
Other speakers were Ghulam Ghaus Sabir from Quetta, Professor Salma Shaheen from Pushto Academy Peshawar, Dr M. Khalid Masud, Chairman of the Islamic Ideological Council, Dr Altaf Husain, VC Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad and this writer. Dr Khalid Masud's paper was brilliant. He lamented the lack of Ijtihad in our society and highlighted Iqbal's role as a modern Islamist.
Justice (R) Dr Jawed Iqbal, I might also add, delivering his presidential address, also shared his resolve to study all over again as a 'Baghi' (rebel) because too much conformism was being practiced in interpreting Iqbal in a manner which shows that he could be interpreted as freely as one could desire.
Allama Iqbal, he said, was nothing but a revolutionary who wanted to break the barriers of conformism. He wanted the Muslim Ummah to shatter the shackles of intellectual under-development.
It is pertinent to recall that Justice (R) Dr Jawed Iqbal has raised this point quite forcefully in his book 'Apna Gareeban Chak'. The book opens the window on Allama Iqbal and his family quite frankly. Jawed Iqbal, one must admit, is a beautiful pen and he has shared some intimate thoughts with the readers. He gives the impression that it is because of Iqbal's Banyan tree casting its long shadows that he had not been given as serious an attention as he deserved.
NLA'S DEFENCE OF IQBAL: Another function on Iqbal Day was held by National Language Authority. Presided over by Mr Ijaz Rahim, Cabinet Secretary, Govt. of Pakistan. Its speakers were Jaleel Aali, Dr Siddique Shibli, Ahmed Faraz, Ijaz Rahim and Dr Ayub Sabir the author of the book Iqbal Ka Urdu Kalam which was being launched. Ijaz Rahim's speech was impressive. Being himself a poet using English language for his communication, he threw light on some aspects of Iqbal which were note worthy.
Ahmed Faraz was of the opinion that big poets enjoyed the liberty of breaking the language to invent new expressions. He defended Iqbal's so called 'mistakes' and said that Iqbal was such a petty lapse which great poets often make to break the shackles of conformism.
Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik deserves congratulations on holding the first meeting on Iqbal in the newly constructed auditorium of National Language Authority in Islamabad.
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