An exotic exhibition of portraiture by Muhammad Ali Bhatti, a senior art teacher at the Sindh University, Jamshoro was held at the Gallery 6. The visual accomplishments displayed there speak the command of the artist over his subject, technique and style coupled with his in-depth psychic study of his models.
A viewer standing in front of a life size portrait mesmerised and feels its warmth as if it is a living object. The genre of portraiture stands as most comprehensive and complex form of painting. Besides the technical know how and artistic skills, it requires anatomical study of the objects and faculties of knowing insight of the model.
The works of Bhatti fulfilled almost all the prerequisites of his art. Explaining his work the artist says, 'my paintings combine realism and expressionism together, carrying the enigma of existence, both on the real and ideal levels. That's why I call my paintings 'realistic expressions'.
Muhammad Ali Bhatti feels comfortable amongst the destitute and deprived segments of the society especially those roaming in the desert areas of Thar. The way they braved the hardships of life motivated him. 'They are the real 'soul' of humanity. They exploit all their physical as well as mental virtues to overcome any deterrence comes their way. I try to capture the true spirit running through their flesh and bones.' says Bhatti.
One could endorse his views while having interaction with his work. The exhibits also explain the aesthetic statement imbibed with richness of colours and balanced synthesis of light and shade. Commenting on her visual interaction with the Bhatti's works, a female senior viewer evaluated, as 'it is a wonderful visual experience having seen the moods, agonies and dreams of desert people especially the women folk living in non-friendly ambience.
People at the helm of affairs must do something for their happiness by improving the quality of life there. It is earnest that such cultural event should also be arranged in other parts of the country as well for fostering yet more integrity among different segments of our population'.
PRESERVATION OF ECOLOGICAL Culture: The nature synonymous to 'unity in diversity' is considered the main source of motivation for human being in nurturing its aesthetic and creative pursuits. It helps people to make their life beautiful and charming on the basis of co- existence and in line with the nature.
Musicians and singers translate the elements of natural harmony in their notes and songs while painters, poets and photographers create beautiful art pieces imbibed with the grandeur extracted out of natural landscape spread all around. There is a beautiful large scale Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) located in the capital city with a variety of flora and fauna along with wide range of wildlife.
It is, however, lamented that due to negligence of concerned authorities and unscrupulous behaviour of certain elements of the society the natural treasure of the MHNP is under threat of destruction causing further imbalance in our ecological culture.
The rapid tree chopping by timber mafia, bushfire, infrastructural changes, agricultural intensification, stone crushing and cutting of firewood are tantamount to spoil not only the vegetative cover but also wildlife of the area. The Himalayan Holidays (HH) is one of the organisations engaged with the task of fostering awareness amongst the local people with special focus on the young students.
There are 30 schools located in the MHNP jurisdiction with over 4000 students studying in different grades. The HH has been imparting first hand knowledge of the ecological culture through different means and channels of communication. The students are engaged in small groups for coaching, camping and interaction with regard to the significance of natural beauty, wildlife and ecology in the development and refinement of human life, also biological diversity of forests.
The Development Communication Network (DCN) is another organisation, which also arranged an intellectual interaction with regard to the preservation of natural climate balance in the human ambience. A consensus was developed that the fast melting of glaciers would soon cause scarcity of water for human and agricultural consumption. These melting glaciers also converted into floods killing scores of local people every year in Chitral and adjacent mountainous areas. It is understood that a quantity of over 40 percent of our water requirements met by the glaciers.
It is generally felt that our government and especially the Education Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment should incorporate informative literature about the ecological culture in the curriculum and text books so that our posterity should be fully aware of its significance and co-relation with our peaceful and balance life.
Floral grandeur of autumn: The Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (AAUR) in collaboration with the Pakistan Horticulture Society (PHS) organised a two day (December 19-20) show of chrysanthemum and autmn flowers at its premises. The main objective of the event was to make a direct link with the nature's grandeur of autumn flowers and also to offer advance techniques of breeding, nurturing, producing, preserving and marketing of the autumn floriculture to the students, teachers, researchers and general enthusiasts having special taste for floriculture.
A large number of private public sectors institutions along with individual entrants participated through their floral accomplishments in the show. The eminent among the participating institutions include AAUR, CDA, Allama Iqbal Open University, Fatima Jinnah Women University, CMH, Rawalpindi, AFIP, Rawalpindi, Islamabad Club and Air Force Hadquarters.
The overall display of the show was full of aesthetic and speaks the skills and dedication of the horticulture department of the university. The entries falling in the categories of floral arrangements and cut flowers offered a rich variety of colours, tenderness and softness of the floriculture. There were over 3000 plants of chrysanthemum in 50 varieties and roses in 15 varieties displayed in the show.
Professor Dr Sarwat Naz Mirza, Dean Faculty of Forestry and Wildlife Management was the chief guest on the occasion. In his inaugural address he evaluated the flora and fauna wealth of the country. He asked people to come forward to get benefit out of floriculture of their land. With regard to the chrysanthemum species of floriculture he told that it carries high degree of sensitivity and mature just for a short period of 20-30 days during the months of November and December even with the whole year laborious care of the florist.
On concluding day Dr Khalid Mahmood, Vice Chancellor of AAUR lauded the efforts of floriculturists for participation in the show. He highlighted the rich fertility and suitability of our soil for bumper production of floriculture. In his view if we pay necessary attention towards it our country could earn a lot of foreign exchange through the exports of numerous varieties of flowers. Dr Mahmudal Hasan Butt, Vice Chancellor, AIOU was the chief guest on the last segment of the floral show.
He commended the whole hearted efforts put in making the floral show a great success and hoped that AAUR would continue its endeavours in creating an ambience full of flowers, colours and fragrance. The floral show was also coupled with an attractive multimedia exhibition of paintings, hand made greeting cards, jewellery, gift boxes, traditional handicrafts, calligraphic works, cartoons and abstract art exhibits created by the university students.
Though the students belong to the faculty of agriculture still they show their creative pursuits and skills in a variety of modes of fine arts is highly commendable. It would definitely be proved a good source of exploiting their inbuilt faculties and an effective mean of self sublimation. Fine arts always harness the tenderness in moods and social behaviour, which is a special requirement for the young generation in the prevailing circumstance of hypertension in our country.
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