Arts Council building to be converted into Arts and Crafts Institute

The Arts Council building in town will be converted into the Institute of Arts and Crafts and the council’s new building will be ready soon.

This was announced by Karachi Arts Council President Ahmed Shah on the occasion of an exhibition of art and textile design of the final year students of the institute on Friday. He said that there was realisation all over that cultural and artistic expression was imperative to the flowering of a healthy society.

There was ample talent in the city — and the country --- he said but most young people could not afford the prohibitive costs of attaining mastery over the arts on account of their unenviable financial position. The Arts Council he said, would be willing to impart free education to them so that those very people who otherwise harboured so much of talent would get a chance to make a name for themselves not only in the country but overseas too.

“There’s no shortage of talent in Pakistan, especially in the city of Karachi. It should not be allowed to lie dormant and go waste.”

Shah stated that youngsters from the less fortunate areas, from the depressed segment of society, were oozing talent, as it had been found by the Arts Council staff during their talent hunt. This, apart from providing the young an opportunity to discover themselves, would also go a long way in cultivating a more tolerant, harmonious society as art and music were a great barrier to neurosis, flaring tempers and intolerance, he added.

Speaking in rather soft tones as chief guest, humourist and noted TV personality Anwar Maqsood lauded the exhibition and the artists and exhorted the young people to continue on the path of progress they had chosen for themselves, and not to abandon it or deviate from it.

He lauded Arts Council President Ahmed Shah for his untiring zeal and enthusiasm to exploit the creativity and the talent of the young people. The walls of the venue were decorated with artworks by the final year students of the institute.

There was a collection of oil-on-canvas works by a promising young artist, a final year student, Saadia Sohail. Her works are a masterpiece of realism. Her subject is women. Through a very profound portrayal of the women, she most adroitly captures the expressions in their eyes which convey emotions, suppressed emotions, bewilderment, love, sorrow and what not. It is the eyes of her subjects that tell a story. Her works depict strong colours in contrast which makes them even more profound. Her works are simply captivating. There also were wall hangings of designs printed on textiles by the students. These designs are said to have been bought by textile factories.