Music concerts and exhibitions of paintings sponsored by Pakistan National Council of the Arts (Islamabad) at its Lahore centre are increasingly attracting the attention of discernible Lahore audiences. Nairang Art Gallery has of late also become pro-active in promoting different art forms.
The Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Islamabad, is generally more active in the federal capital than at its provincial centres. In Lahore, the PNCA periodically sponsors a variety of cultural activities, which mostly include music concerts and exhibitions of paintings. Of late, it has added dance classes and lectures on different topics. Ms. Zareen Pannah, a leading dancer of yore of Pakistani cinema, has been engaged by PNCA to train young dance enthusiasts at Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore.
On May 27, a progrmme to pay homage to late Prof Anna Molka Ahmed, a distinguished name in the domain of art education in Pakistan, was arranged at Shakir Ali Museum, which was attended by a large audience. Titled "A Retrospective - Prof Anna Molka Ahmed, the pioneer of art education in Pakistan," the month-long exhibition of paintings by the late artist was kicked off with much media hype by the chief of provincial administration.
Late Prof Anna Molka Ahmed for a long time held a unique position in the hierarchy of frontline Pakistani artists. Apart from being a versatile artist, whose work covers the genres of landscape, figurative and thematic paintings, she was also an eminent teacher of art at the highest level - chairperson of the Institute of Fine Arts, University of the Punjab. Her ebullient contributions to the evolution and refinement of plastic arts in Pakistan have hitherto remained matchless.
Here, I am reminded of the good old days when, during my tenure as Cultural Affairs Advisor at the American Centre Lahore, I remained in regular contact with Prof. Anna Molka Ahmed. During that period, which spanned over two decades I sought her guidance in arranging a large number of exhibitions of the works of American artists and also in arranging lecture demonstrations by the academicians and artists from the United States. She always readily offered her advice and help in sponsoring events meant for the promotion of art.
The PNCA sponsored a musical evening with Mohammad Shahbaz Qadri at the lawn of Shakir Ali Museum on May 29, which too attracted the attention of a respectable number of music lovers. Not hailing from any gharana of professional musicians, Qadri has carved a niche for himself and a high place in the hierarchy of inveterate classical vocalists of Pakistan. A versatile musician, he presented several numbers at the concert from his rich repertoire, comprising classical kheyal asthai-antras (compositions), ghazals, kafis and geets.
The fast decaying dilapidated structure of Open Air Theatre, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore and its cloying supporting facilities to the artistes have finally attracted the attention of the concerned authorities, which have promised to launch a renovation project to get pristine glories to this important public place.
On the plains of cityscape and about the centre of metropolis stands out gorgeously Open Air Theatre on an artificial man-made hill, which was built some 60 years ago. The OAT now serves as the entertainment hub of Lahore and is one of the most frequented places in the city, where stage plays are its major activity. Built on the initiative of Prof D.G.
Sondhi, the well-known principal of Government College, Lahore (1935-45) its construction work started in 1940 and was completed during the tenure of Sir Bertrand Glancy, the notoriously pro-Congress British Governor of the Punjab.
The provincial department of information and culture has already approved its renovation, which will cost Rs. five million, it was learned in Lahore. The renovation work will begin in the month of June and will take about one year to complete. Included in the renovation plan are the reconstruction of offices for the management, the make-up and rehearsal rooms, a green room for the artistes and repairs to the worn out portions of the structure.
The Nairang Art Gallery equipped as it is with a library, café and conference hall, will soon have music classes for the youth, in addition to seminars and lectures on arts, architecture and history of Lahore. "Our main aim," claimed Nayyar Ali Dada, the driving force behind this art gallery, "is to introduce the indigenous arts and crafts into as many households as possible by lowering prices and at the same time ensuring quality"
The latest news from the music market is the successful launching of another album of pop singer Abrar Ahmed titled "Nachaan main odhay naal," which has been much applauded by young music buffs. The launch was initiated recently at the Open Air Cultural Complex at the Qaddafi Stadium, Ferozepur road Lahore, a place located at quite some distance from the cultural hub of the city.
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