A collaborative exhibition of the VM Art Gallery and the Goethe-Institut, titled ‘Subjective Photography’, is being showcased at both venues until December 15. Displaying the art of German photographers from 1948 to 1963 is not the objective portrayal of reality, but pictorial interpretation of subjective photography. The black-and-white images from the era of World War II carry a deadly graphic value. This could be gauged from the fact that the photographers of war-torn Germany have voiced their inner thoughts through photo-reportage, giving a new dimension to photojournalism and advertising photography. Talking about the exhibition, VM Art Gallery Director Riffat Alvi said the techniques the German photographers used decades ago are awe-inspiring. Even though innovative techniques were not available to those photographers, Alvi said, young artists from our country could still take a lead from their work.
She said her art gallery is displaying 110 of the 165 photographs, whereas the remaining could be viewed at the Goethe-Institut.
Alvi said such joint ventures between the VM Art Gallery and other organisations, like Vasl and Green Cardamom, are quite common.
Stressing the need of encouraging aspiring artists, she said her gallery also awards scholarships to promising students, provided they meet the only criterion: merit. She said efforts like ‘Subjective Photography’ should be appreciated so that works of Pakistani artists could also be exhibited in other countries. She also said, “Sale of art has increased in the last two years, but we need to understand that nobody will buy art with a starved stomach.” For art to flourish in the country, patronisation of art and art forms by the government is very important – almost as important as maintaining stability in the country, concluded the seasoned artist.
‘World War II photographs can teach local artists a thing or two’
