Visiting Pakistan these days is the Director and CEO of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto Canada, Dr. Henry Kim. Taking advantage of his presence, CEO, Serena Hotels Aziz Boolani invited a cross section of the capitals residents, including diplomats, to hear him talk about and familiarize his audience about this distinctive centre of Muslim art which is visited by hundreds of tourists and local residents.
The Shamadan Hall was soon full of eager guests and the event began with MC for the event, Director Satrang Gallery, Asma Khan welcoming them and asking the host to say a few words.
Beginning by saying that Serena Hotels have always believed in promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of Pakistan, he explained that Satrang Gallery served as a platform to promote the artwork of young talented artists to a wider audience. “Pakistan is blessed with immense talent,” he said, then quoted a speech by His Highness the Aga Khan -- ‘The Museum’s focus on the arts of Islam will make it a unique institution in North America, contributing to a better understanding of Islamic civilizations - and especially of the plurality within Islam and of Islam’s relationship to other traditions. It will be a place for sharing a story, through art and artefacts, of highly diverse achievements - going back over 1 400 years. In a world in which some speak of a growing clash of civilizations, we believe the Museum will help address what is not so much a clash of civilizations as it is a clash of ignorance. The new Museum will have a strong educational vocation: it will be a place for active inquiry, for discussion and research, for lectures and seminars and for an array of collaborative programs with educational institutions and with other museums.’
Henry Kim gave an interesting and informative talk, beginning by appreciating the diverse and fascinating culture of Pakistan -- the result of so many ethnicities and spoken languages - and its very vibrant art scene that is making waves around the world. “Just today Pakistani artist Imran Quereshi has been awarded the Medal of Arts by the US State Department,” he said.
Adding that culture of a society is just as important as the economic and social aspects, he went on say the Aga Khan Museum signals a new chapter in the history of museums in North America as the first dedicated to the arts of Islamic civilizations; spoke of its design and was conceived by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki after a five page letter from the Aga Khan about his vision. Besides its other unique features, it allows in light to highlight the paintings; is situated within the landscaped gardens of the Aga Khan Park and celebrates the arts in all forms. Visitors can view the Permanent Collection or one of the many temporary ones; listen to a performance in the auditorium; attend a class; study architecture; tour the gardens or get a taste of the great cuisines of Turkey, Iran, North Africa, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Informing that the mandate of the museum is to educate and inspire he said its programs have been developed to meet these aims. Visitors gain access to art and performances that illustrate the true artistic diversity of Islamic civilizations. It is art that is immersed in storytelling, the epic tales of kings, heroes and court life that celebrates the perfection of traditional artistic forms, whether in objects made by master artists or in performances by virtuosos.
The talk was illustrated with slides and included information on the exhibition ‘Syria: A Living History,’ bringing together over 5,000 years of art. “We hope that a better appreciation of Syria’s priceless contributions to the world’s heritage over five millennia will add urgency to the efforts to bring about peace and reconciliation in that country,” he said.
There was a question and answer session after which souvenirs were exchanged; refreshments were served and those guests who wanted to had a tete-tete with the visiting expert.