Traveling art exhibition held at Comsats

Islamabad:The Comsats University Islamabad (CUI) is hosting a unique traveling art exhibition ‘All Is Pretty’ at its art gallery on Islamabad campus.

The event was jointly conceived by the CUI Department of Art and Design, Institute of Art and Culture (IAC), Lahore and Witte Modern, Netherlands.

Titled “All is Pretty” and in part a literal reference to its meaning as well as a saying by the artist himself, it displayed works of a famous artist along the outsider art movement highlighting the idea that all art is equal.

The aim of the ‘traveling exhibition’ is to discover the extensive collection of Iconic Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987) posters, limited edition Spanish newspaper lithographs and number of water colors by a postwar Dutch artist Trudi Van Zomeren (1945-2011). A number of diplomats from Europe, as well as students, faculty and artists participated in the inaugural session of the exhibition.

Wouter Plomp, ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Pakistan, inaugurated the exhibition and highlighted the significance of technological, economic and cultural cooperation among countries.

He said the exhibition was possible due to the cooperation of Dutch and Pakistani entrepreneurs otherwise jointly working on an economic project related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor of the Institute of Art and Culture (IAC), Lahore, Prof. Sajida Haider Vandal paid rich tribute to the artists in shaping contemporary and modern art.

She said that preserving and sharing art with the masses was now only possible through the efforts of private art collectors and entrepreneurs. Rector of Comsats University Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar highlighted the importance of liberal arts towards building a modern and progressive society. He said art was the common heritage of humankind and is an expression of the love of natural beauty.

Tracing the history of art to early population migrations from Africa to Indonesia and later Australia, Prof. Raheel said that it was stimulating to see an amalgamation of art with scientific knowledge and population migration derived from archeological sources.

He lauded the artistic works of Andy Warhol and said that he was undoubtedly a modern renaissance man. “The works will be available to local school and university students in Islamabad in order to share the artistic legacy with future generations,” he added.