Group show by various artists concludes at PNCA

Islamabad : A group show of paintings on traditional and contemporary arts concluded here Thursday at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) after serving the art lovers with the celebration of the cultural diversity of Pakistan and creating social harmony through soft expressions of art.

The show carrying paintings and art pieces titled Diversity and Social Harmony was a collaborative event between Nomad Gallery and PNCA. S. Najam Kazmi, Samina A. Akhtar, Zafar Ali, Khurram Abbas, Hassan Sheikh, Areej Nasir, Emaan, Tauqeer Hilbi, Alefiya, Rakshanda Atawar, Hassnain Awais, Nabahat Lotia, Jamil Hussain and Kuzhad were among the participating artists.

Pakistan’s culture is diverse and has always found itself rooted in traditions along with art. It can be seen through the various monuments and iconic architectural structures across the country that are testaments to its glorious history.

Culture and creativity here manifest themselves in almost all economic, social and other activities, said Nageen Hyat, curator of the show while talking to APP. Najam Kazmi is working as a miniature, contemporary and traditional artist since 1989 to date. He was conferred the Tamgha-e- Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan and honoured with the life time achievement award by the Rawalpindi Art Council.

He has exhibited in many countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Algeria, Sri Lanka, India and the Gulf. Samina A. Akhtar is a senior artist having exhibited in multiple countries while Khurram Abbas’s work is based on social injustice and his war trauma. As the memories never fade he expresses them in his painting, the visuals of which help him to alleviate their impact.

His work is meant to be an expression of protest in silence. As an artist, I am mostly concerned about various issues relevant to my cultural background and most of my works reflect multiple social, political, and religious aspects as well as racism, sectarianism, injustice, and terrorism, which are inter-connected at some levels. Being artists, we are concerned citizens and get easily affected by the actions and extremism taking place in our surroundings.

And I am always keenly observing human behaviour rapidly changing in my surrounding, said Zafar Ali about his work. Hassan Sheikh says, during my early years experimenting in the field, I realized that to most South Asians, the miniature is only an ancient artistic expression used during the pre-colonial times. Thus, I began my art practice by exploring ways to develop the expression such that it becomes relevant in today’s context.

Rakhshanda Atawar’s work, with a portfolio expanding 3 decades, is a free-hand use of rich colours, the effort guided by emotional outbursts. The latest series is heavily influenced by one considerable factor, having to remain in lockdown during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, an exhibition of paintings featuring wildlife and gems of nature by artists Ahsan Qureshi and Kamran Qureshi will open here today (Friday) at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). The three-day show aims to generate collective actions to conserve nature where the existence of humans is dependent on the well-being of all other living things.

Both the artists are brothers who spent their lives chasing wild game set in a pristine wilderness that taught them to appreciate the flawless design and harmony of all creation, said the organizers. “We have used many a canvas to express ourselves, sometimes by portraying nature, sometimes by being part of it. We are self-taught weekend artists. Both of us share a passion for the conservation of nature. Our artwork aims to showcase gems of nature in their natural habitats and at their best. We hope to inspire people around us so that we take collective actions to restore the balance of nature before it is too late,” said Kamran Qureshi while talking to this agency. It is painful to see that many of our wild places are vanishing rapidly.

Clear waters are becoming murkier, rubbish is finding its way to the remotest and cleanest places, forests are being cut and the air is becoming dirtier to breathe. Plants and animals are fighting for survival. We fear that this is becoming our legacy.

“Will there be anything left for our children to have a healthy life?” he said adding that now is the time that we need to focus on things we need to undo that includes piles of damaging waste, poisoned air and water, loss of forests, wild places and poaching and overhunting. The show is a message to join hands in making this world a healthy place to live by being gentle and thoughtful about the environment the small steps in this regard include discouraging wildlife trafficking, producing less waste and dispose-off waste properly, conserving fuel and power, stop using single-use plastics, ensure litter-free wild places, raise voice against pollution of natural water bodies, conserve water, stop using disposable items, discourage poaching and overhunting, and stop cutting and damaging natural forests.