What is the relationship between art and people in Pakistan? What role do art galleries play, of which there are at least twenty six in the federal capital (both public and private)? Do they ‘forge link between artists and the society’? Pakistan Today attempted to discover what art means to people, how common people could have more meaningful interactions with art and how artists and galleries feel about the price of artworks, as well as surveying the current state of art and artists in Pakistan.
Pakistan has a rich cultural heritage of many different forms of art. In recent times, the criticism that art has been taken over by the elite has been raised. The owner of the ‘Nomad Art Gallery’ in F-6, Nageen Hyat, however opined that art galleries can participate in activities aimed at common people, and highlight their art. She felt that if one has an eye for good art, one can spy great talent among common people.
Can art be acquired at an affordable price? Gallery owners and artists said that they would never be able to sell works at very cheap prices, as this would become plainly unfeasible. An artist commented than in order to reduce prices, he would have to cut down on the quality of his work. He stated that people who cannot afford real art can always buy prints of artwork.
The owner of Nomad Art Gallery maintained that galleries should be more of cultural centres than just places where artworks are bought. She also added that in order to encourage people to buy art, she offers them the facility of paying in installments.
Another art gallery owner in F-7 contended with the criticism that art galleries cater to only rich people and multinationals, and said that her gallery had lot of works at affordable. Another gallery owner pointed out that galleries are not just for selling art; anyone could, in fact should, visit galleries for just the aesthetic pleasure, which is free.
When it comes to understanding and collecting art, common people feel inadequate and intimidated; they feel that a specialized knowledge about art is required to be an art collector. Critics and most experts don’t offer any help either, feel people, and art reviews don’t help much as they are as ‘abstract as the paintings’. When an art student was asked for her views on this problem, she responded: “What most people fail to realize is that art is not something that can merely be ‘taught’; understanding art requires an eye for subtleties and nuances, the ability to look at life from different dimensions and an enormous amount of empathy for all kinds human experiences”. She stressed that any person, regardless of socio-economic background, can understand art if she/he are willing to expend the effort. On the point of collecting art, she responded that ‘high art’ is never meant for common people to buy, and that artists can not have the freedom to create at whim unless their art makes enough money for themselves to be free of financial concerns.
Few artists felt that low pricing might help the common man to learn something about art, “One must see that quality is maintained, and in addition, I fail to see how low priced art can increase people’s understanding of art. Art does not need to be bought to be understood, it only requires a cultivation of the finer senses,” said a local artist.
A veteran art collector, Tahir Mehmood believed that the gap between contemporary art and the common man can be bridged if the common man takes more interest in learning about art, its manifestations, dimensions and objectives. “Art has traveled a long way and man has to strive to meet it in its present condition. Art cannot come to the common man but the common man has to go to it without bias and only then will he be able find newer ways of looking at life. Collecting art can be very profitable and enjoyable. It is one of the few areas where you can own your proverbial cake and eat it too. Anyone can become a successful art collector; all it takes is to learn a few ground rules, common sense and dedication,” he explained, “And as for affordability, only in a utopian world will artists bring down their prices to convenience collectors!”
Another art lover, Kamran, felt that art is an organic part of any society but the state of art in Pakistan is currently diminishing, “It is not that Pakistan has not inherited a rich cultural past but the excellence has continued to diminish from the gamut and all forms of art and culture have capitulated rather unceremoniously to mediocrity over the decades. There has been a sheer dearth of state patronage in this regard and the public followed suit in recognizing art forms as a luxury and not a need,” he lamented. A gallery owner commented that when new artists emerge, their work is carefully scrutinized for technical ability, presentation, but as soon as four or five of their paintings have been sold, artists stop paying attention to detail and produce mediocre work. The gallery owner added that if artists keep working consistently well, they can make good profits, and if they are marketed to the right people, without compromising on their artistic principles, they can even achieve international recognition.
One of the greatest problems faced by the Pakistani art industry currently is the proliferation of fake paintings. The market is full of fake Gulgees and Ali Imam’s being sold as originals. With the absence of an art loss register or a gallery registration system, tracking original pieces is becoming difficult. Paintings are swiped away from right under the noses of artists and buyers. Art connoisseurs have demanded that there be permanent art galleries which catalogue the great art that this nation has been producing. A registration system of artists and their work would greatly help in spotting fakes and put an end to art piracy.
