Pakistan is a land of rich cultural heritage nurtured on its soil since time immemorial. The cherished values of peace, progress and prosperity added with goodwill, tolerance, co-existence and humanism have been the indomitable forte of our cultural ambience.
It is a great pride and pleasure of Pakistan that it has been the abode of the world's most ancient and primitive civilisations including Moenjodaro, Mehar Garh, Harrapa and Ghandara.
The reminiscents from the archaeological cites are the evidence of the creative and innovative persuits and the most peaceful traits of its people. The creative genius of the land always used to adhere with the glorious traditions and rituals of its people and translated this heritage into different genres of arts and crafts through the creative endeavours in the long span of history.
The fossils found in the Soan valley, the rock inscriptions available on the historical Silk Route, the statues dug out from central Punjab and southern Sindh and Balochistan are the gracious evidence of creative excellence of Pakistani artists.
With the emergence of new state of Pakistan the artists and artisan of the land accelerated their creativity with yet more zeal and rejuvenation to cater to the creative and aesthetic thirst of their countrymen. With the passage of half a century plus time, our artists and artisans have won the eminence of adding substantial art treasures to the great repository of our cultural heritage.
The dawn of year 2007 witnessed yet more extension in the historical traits and traditions in the area of artistic creativity in Pakistan and specially the capital city Islamabad located at a meaningful juncture of Margalla hills flanked with the ruins of Bhuddist Julian University, Taxila on one side and the promising social, educational and cultural infrastructure on the other side. During early 70's Islamabad was taken as a culturally barren land without any roots of its own. Over a quarter of a century the art scene has totally changed. Lahore enjoys a distinction of adverbial liveliness "there are eight festivals in seven days of a week". But now it seems to be true to Islamabad too. The past week witnessed a lot of cultural activity in the twin cities. The visual arts stood at the forefront.
The construction work at the new state- of -the -art cultural complex of the National Art Gallery of Pakistan National Council of the Arts in front of the Parliament is near completion. The mega project with 14 galleries, display areas, library, children section, restoration lab, restaurant, 600- capacity auditorium alongwith an open air theatre fully equipped with sophisticated and modern gadgets required for any performance of international standard. Naeem Tahir, chief executive and director general of PNCA, said " the gallery would prove to be a repository of national cultural heritage and a nucleus of artistic creativity".
With the winding up of Contemporary Art Gallery of art stalwart Zubeda Agha, it was the National Art Gallery of PNCA which strived hard to create congenial atmosphere for the promotion, projection and perpetuation of the arts, especially the visual arts. With the passage of time now there are at least a dozen art galleries either in the public or private sector in the twin cities of the capital. Nomad is one known as dynamic and vibrant in multi dimensional activities under Nagin Hayat. It celebrated the new year with a remarkable exhibition of paintings by over a dozen artists hailing from Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It includes Mehar Aforz, Nahid Raza, Anjum Ayub, M.A Bukhari, Moazzam Ali, Sarfaraz Musawwar and others.
The craftsmanship of artists in using the space, creating harmony amongst colors, and portraying the aesthetic was truly impressive.
Above all, a great change of transformation - from interior decoration to the burning social cultural issues - was witnessed through most of the canvases displayed there. The works by Nahid Raza, Mehar Afroz and Anjum Ayub indeed deserve praise for highlighting feminine suppression and its redressal. The woman in red, stressed with agony and pain, bears a bird in hand which reflects her inner desire to have a flight towards horizon of peace and happiness. Mehar Afroz, as usual, painted inner complexities of human feelings with special reference to spiritual intuitions. Anjum Ayub's study of human psyche and its relevance to socio- cultural milieu stands distinctive.
The Punjab Art Council, once was considered as the kitchen art council for its limited purview of activities relating to merely female interests of domestic significance, now has completely transformed it to a vibrant and progressive hub of art and cultural activities. Located at the crossroad of the twin cities it has been catering to the creative and artistic thirst of local artists and art lovers with holding exhibitions of all genres of arts and crafts. Under the dedicated endeavour of its director Naheed Manzur the PAC has successfully launched a composite package of imparting education in over 28 disciplines including art and craft, media production, ceramics, fiber glass, interior decoration, baking of indigenous and continental dishes, flower arrangements, calligraphy, sculpture, harmonium, key board, textile and fashion designing etc. The PAC has also built a spacious auditorium with 630 seats which is about to complete. With it the city would have a place of socio- cultural activities which otherwise have come to a standstill since the closure of the historical Liaquat Hall as it has been handed over to the National College of Arts, Rawalpindi campus.
The PAC this week organised two representative exhibition of paintings and posters. The painting exhibition offered over 35 art pieces by 13 painters and calligraphists from Punjab. The works of eminent painters and art teachers like Anna Molika Ahmad, Moeen Najmi, Khalid Iqbal, Ijazul Hasan and Ghulam Mustafa, Shah Nawaz Zaidi, Misbahuddin Qazi, Ghulam Rasool, Azeem Iqbal, Khurrum Babri and others were displayed. It was indeed a unique cultural treat for art students and enthusiasts for their sublimation. The exotic works by senior artists portrayed the grandeur of landscape , portraiture and still life in oil, water and multimedia. Besides they highlighted the themes of woman emancipation, socio cultural peace and harmony. The salient feature of the exhibition stands out as it travels from district to district carrying a message of national integrity and harmony among the people of Pakistan.
The poster exhibition about the HIV and AIDS was yet another step forward to linking the arts as an effective instrument of fostering awareness and redressal of our social problems. The PAC organised this event in collaboration with Nation Aid Control Program ( NACP) of the Ministry of Health. Over 131 posters from 23 schools, colleges and universities were received. The exhibition depicts the intellectual clarity of theme, application of color diction and structural elegance created by the students. Amana Masood of Fatima Jinnah Women University and Sumbal Mushtaq of Government Post Graduate College for Women, Kashmir Road and AnusheyAhmad of FJWU won first, second and third positions with cash awards of Rs 25,000, 15,000 and 10,000, respectively.
On the performing art scene a colorful concert was organised at the Foreign Office in honour of visiting Indian External Affairs Minster Paranab Mukherjee. Eminent Pakistani ghazal singer Farida Khanum, Punjabi folk singer Sain Zahoor, tabla player Ustad Tari and sitarist Nafees Ahmad gave their renditions. Farida Khanum sang the popular poems of Faiz Ahmad Faiz.Her melodious and charming voice moved the audience to the state of ecstasy. The visiting Indian Foreign Minister and his entourage appreciated the excellent performance of Pakistani artists organised by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.
On the literary horizon a glittering star called Anwar Pirzado was eulogised under the auspices of Pakistan Intellectual Forum. Pirzado was a prolific writer of Sindhi as well as English languages. A journalist, researcher, analyst, historian and political activist Anwar Pirzado has to his credit a life full of dynamism, commitment to the cause of oppressed people. "Anwar-like legends never die" was the most telling tribute paid by Hashim Abro of PIF. He further elaborated.
"Pirzado was the most eminent Sindhi renaissance poet, critic, philosopher who loved sufis and saints from the core of his heart. Anwar Pirzado was born in the vicinity of Moenjodaro, one of the most ancient abodes of human civilisation, and as such always lived being the proud custodian of that civilisation. Anwar --like legends never die-- is the true voice prevailing on the socio cultural horizon of the capital city Islamabad.
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