Naqsh School of Arts branch opens

LAHORE:Keeping in view the desire of elite class of society, Naqsh School of Arts inaugurated its branch at Packages Mall with the exhibition of Calligraphy Art on Sunday.

Mrs Perwin Babar Ali was the chief guest at the ceremony. Founder of Babar Ali Foundation Syed Babar Ali and his daughter Henna were the guests of honour. Naqsh School of Arts Principal Afroza Sarmad Khan, her husband former Additional IG Sarmad Saeed Khan, art teachers, students and people from different walks of society attended the ceremony.

Mrs Perwin Babar Ali addressing the inaugural ceremony talked about the personal interest of Syed Babar Ali in art school. She said as the traditional art was becoming extinct, Syed Babar Ali planned to preserve the art through Naqsh School. Miniature and calligraphy art is being revived through this school, she concluded. The new branch of Naqsh School will provide opportunity to women and men of all ages who have an interest in art and a desire to acquire traditional skills. The school will offer a three-year certificate/diploma course in Calligraphy and Naqashi, miniature painting, sculpture and ceramics, drafting, drawing and computer graphics. Paint, canvass and brushes will also be provided to the students by the school. This Naqsh has actually been established to support the main Naqsh School of Arts in Haveli.

The interesting and appreciating feature of the school is that no prior experience or qualification is required so the students could have passion and courage for creativity.

Principal Afroza Sarmad Khan said the teaching of the art is not for degree or certification but for preservation of art and reasonable earning for the deserving artists. She said that 80 percent from the sale of paintings was given to the students/artists. She said it was the third branch of Naqsh as the second had been constructed at Sayedanwala village. People of Defence, Gulberg and other posh localities would have an easy access to this school.

Long and short courses would be offered at the new branch, she told. To a question, she said students of Naqsh are being well acknowledged by famous schools and colleges of art. She told that they had been trying to get other subjects of arts also added in the intermediate classes. The age limit for regular class is 25 years while short courses are named hobby classes for the people of every age group.

Afroza went on to say the school was different from all other schools. The focus of other schools is on typing speed but Naqsh focuses on the promotion of traditional and cultural art. Around 80 pieces of Calligraphy Art and a few of ceramics were also displayed at the inaugural ceremony. The visitors praised the step taken for the citizens of posh localities.

Naqsh School of Arts was established in 2003 by Babar Ali Foundation at Mubarak Haveli in Bhati Gate with the moto Preserve for Posterity for the people of walled city with nominal fee. However, the elite of the society, who wished to learn artwork, hesitated to go to the school situated in densely populated and congested area. As they were unable to reach school on their own conveyance, they insisted to open its branch in some posh locality/venue.