| |
 |
|
| |
A
group exhibition by some of the finest painters of
country like Anjum Ayub, Meher Afroze, Nahid Raza,
M.A. Bokhari, Moazzam Ali, Sarfaraz Mussawir, Shehzad
Zar, Najjam ul Hasan, Khalid Khayyam, Sadia Hussain,
Samina Ali Aftab and Abrar Ahmed opened at the Nomad
Art Gallery in Islamabad.
Among the most eye-catching works was that of Sarfaraz
Mussawir, a master in water colour. Self-taught artist
Shahzad Zar had hit upon the idea of giving an unusual
touch to calligraphy. He dried leaves with an amazing
skill to structure his calligraphic images with an
intuitive sense of design. His latest works on display
move into more abstract and impressionistic images
with an emphasis on emerging figures and strong aesthetic
compositions.
Nahid Raza, with her powerful impressions, has always
tried to convey her thoughts and feelings in a unique
style. Her works describe the experiences of a woman
struggling to create her own space and identity.
M.A. Bokhari describes beauty by his painting techniques.
He is an artist who blends magnificently the modern
art with cultural and religious values in forms never
seen before. He is known for his large canvases, broad
strokes, and vibrant and lively colours.
Najam ul Hasan, born in France, loves the natural
beauty of Punjab. The yellow mustard fields and thick
green trees have always attracted him to produce compelling
paintings with pen knife. Feminist artist Anjum Ayub
also |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
A
Pakistani documentary won first prize at an international
film festival held in Rome. The 20-minute documentary
entitled ‘Wild Rose’, prepared jointly
by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) and
PTV, highlights Pakistan’s stance on Siachin,
the highest battlefield in the world.
The documentary portrays the serene beauty, lofty
mountains and unique culture of the Northern Areas
and its tourism potential. It also projects the contributions
made by Pakistan Army in the socio-economic development
of the Northern Areas, strategically the most important
region situated on the confluence of three great mountain
ranges — Karakorum, Himalayas and Hindukush.
The rescue of a Slovenian mountaineer, Tomez Humar,
by the Army Aviation pilots in a daring operation
last year that attained worldwide acclaim, is one
of the main highlights of the documentary.
The festival is an international contest of military
documentaries and was organized by the Rome-based
association of Armed Forces. As many as 27 countries
including UK, US, India, China, and Pakistan participated
in the festival.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Set
up in November 1906 in memory of Queen Victoria, the
Peshawar Museum began the year 2007 with its centenary
celebrations. The two-storeyed building that houses
an amazing treasure of history (dating far back into
many centuries BC), comprising over 14,000 relics
and artifacts, also has the distinction of being the
custodian of the largest number of Gandhara Buddhist
relics (over 4,200 statues, figurines, sculptures,
coins, carved panels and caskets documenting the life
and death of Buddha). Besides this wonderful collection,
the Museum also exhibits a large number of manuscripts
and copies of the Holy Quran, inscriptions, weapons,
dresses, jewellery and effigies depicting the various
dynasties and people who inhabited the region in different
times.
The Gothic structure of the Museum seemed to truly
come alive in the week-long centenary celebrations.
Besides being visited by scholars and archaeologists
from around the globe to take part in seminars, workshops
and other related activities, the Museum was also
largely visited by students of history and archaeology
and local and foreign enthusiasts who enjoyed the
various activities tremendously.
The various stalls in the Museum’s lawns depicting
the art and culture of different surrounding regions
were a source of attraction for all and sundry. Then
the ‘Tonga Procession’, specially arranged
to take the visitors and guests around the main places
of the city on the two-wheeled cart which is becoming
a thing of past rapidly, was tremendously enjoyed
by the visitors.
The celebrations were inaugurated by the Chief Minister
NWFP, while it was the Governor of the Province who
concluded the celebrations by distributing shields
of acknowledgement among the various participants.
All in all, it was a well-organized event in a region
considered to be a front-line area in the post 9/11
US-led war on terrorism. The enthusiastic participation
of people definitely conveyed that more activities
of the like would be very welcome in the area.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
