The cultural highlights of the week in Lahore this past week were four exhibitions, an international fashion show, youth festival, a music concert and 13th death anniversary of a revolutionary poet besides the ongoing Jashn-e-Baharaan festivities.
A three-day exhibition of photographs by Indian photographers concluded at the Alhamra Art Gallery of the Lahore Arts Council on March 16. Lieutenant General (Retd) Khalid Maqbool, the Governor of the Punjab was the Chief Guest on the concluding day of the exhibition. Entitled 'Art for Peace' it consisted of over 80 photographs, the works of 15 top Indian photographers and members of India International Photographic Council, who visited Lahore on the invitation of Photographic Art Society of Pakistan to display their photographs. The aim of the exhibition, was to provide a further boost to peace initiatives taken by the governments of Pakistan and India.
Shireen Khan, a Pakistani designer of international repute displayed her new summer party wear jewellery in a three-day March 16-18 exhibition, which attracted a large number of ladies viewers. She is perhaps the first Pakistani designer, who has opened a permanent outlet for her designs in the country. Her jewelry have received appreciation at international jewelry exhibition in UK, where she launched her latest winter and wedding season collections at Hilton Park Lane in London at a grand fashion show.
Shabbir Ahmed, Director General of Parks and Horticulture Authority, inaugurated a ten-day solo exhibition of paintings by Shaukat Khan at Coopera Art Gallery in Lahore on March 17. The exhibits contains his paintings of extraordinary flora and landscape of Egypt and Spain, which reflected his free-style impressionistic approach creating vibrant colours and innocent ambience as though they were for the eyes of each viewer.
Two Karachi-based young artists Auj Khan and Ayesha Naveed exhibited their 18 works made in a variety of techniques, including drawing, painting, digital media and sculpture on display at Nairang Art Gallery, Lahore, which remained on public viewing until March 17. Auj Khan paints and draws ordinary items like a blender and a drill. These are everyday objects but he has portrayed these it in an attractive style. Ayesha's works seem more expressive and personal in their ambiences.
Choreographed by Naeem Qamar and anchored by V.J. Farooq, the first fashion show of the 2nd International Fashion Festival and Awards 2006 with the collection of Aasia Saail's women wear was organised in Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore on March 15. Her collection was designed in typical spring colours, mostly light, white but a few of her ensemble looked bright and plush. She began her career in fashion and design in 1992 and is believed to be the first fashion designer to introduce Western women's wear in the country and first female designer to design men's wears.
On the second day of the Fashion Festival flying fashion was launched in which models filled the fashion runway with the haute couture of designer Walid Attaullah from the Lebanon, who had already presented his collection in Paris and London Fashion Weeks as well as in Bahrain, Iceland and Dubai. His collection put on display was about female party wear in rich and vibrant colours.
On March 14, the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in collaboration with Royal Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad presented on March 14 at Lahore Arts Council's Cultural Complex a play Sawan Ran Da Safna, an adaptation of Mid Summer's Night Dream by late Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum. Samina Ahmed produced the play, which was directed by Tipu Sultan. The play was the culmination of a three-month-long drama workshop conducted at Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore from November 15, 2005, an effort to hunt new talent in the country.
The Lahore College of Arts and Science also organised a drama competition at Ali institute on March 14 to provide an opportunity to school children to develop confidence in their dramatic expressions. As many as six schools, including the Beaconhouse, Lahaore Grammar School, LACAS Junior School and American National School sent their students to participate in the competition.
Inaugurating the 5th National Youth Theatre Festival at Lahore Arts Council on March 16, the Governor of the Punjab observed that theatre was the most effective medium for making strong social comments. That was why, he added, the government was promoting art and culture in educational institutions, particularly universities. He expressed his satisfaction over some Indian schools also participated in the gala event.
Seven amateur bands entertained the audience at the venue of the festival, Alhamra Cultural Complex. After long absence from the provincial metropolis, once popular radio, television and film vocalist staged a comeback in the melodic ethos of Lahore on March 15. She presented at the Lahore Arts Council, which was arranged in connection with the ongoing Jasn-e-Baharaan festivities. After the well attended concert she expressed her immense pleasure to be able to sing for the knowledgeable Lahore audiences.
Mehnaz returned to Karachi after the qualitative decline in film music for the movies produced from Lahore studios.
The 13th death anniversary of revolutionary poet Habib Jalib was observed in Lahore last week in a programme sponsored by Book Home Writers Club. The proceedings were chaired by Rana Abdur Rehman and were participated by a large number of fans of the late poet.
The death of actor Muhammad Ali on March 19 cast a pall of gloom over the glitzy world of entertainment in Lahore. He was one of the senior most actors of Pakistan Film industry, who will be remembered for his contributions to the flowering of cinematic arts in Pakistan.
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