Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of ‘Safar-The Journey’, former Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Syeda Abida Hussain praised the struggle of the country’s young artists, saying it was heartening to see works of great quality at the exhibition.
The four-day art and film exhibition was inaugurated by Abida Hussain at the Alhamra Arts Center on Wednesday.
The exhibition that started on December 13 would be concluded on December 16, during which the artwork of various young artists will be displayed.
Nomad Art Gallery Director Nageen Hayat, while addressing the attendees, highlighted the struggle of raising one’s voice through art.
She said, “Things were not so easy back when we started in 1984 – mostly because of the military regime – such events were not common, but with determination and dedication, today we are here, speaking our minds through the narrative of art.”
She also thanked her friends and family members, as well as, all the contributing artists who were in attendance.
Speaking on the occasion, Abida praised Nageen Hayat, saying: “I have seen Nageen’s work flourish and get better over the years. It is heartening to see the works of so many artists here.”
The exhibition that aims to foster cultural awareness and promotes peace and equal rights for all citizens, displayed refreshing works of art including both traditional and contemporary approaches. ‘Safar – The Journey’ is especially refreshing, considering the fact that one gets to experience a diverse display of artwork made by various artists, contrary to the monotonous popular art culture.
The ambience of the event was eye-catching; a 360-degree view of the gallery revealed a plethora of styles, mediums and colours.
An attendee at the event told Pakistan Today, “We are very glad about being here in the presence of young artists who care about making a difference in society by presenting their perspective on the world and our country,”
“It is very important that such events are held in the city, they are recreational opportunities that enhance our understanding of art and culture while giving young artists a platform to present their work,” said Safeeha Samiuddin, a friend of Nageen who was present to show support for her cause.
Elaborating on her work, visual artist Shireen Rasul said that her idea was to comment on the limitation of human perception of reality. She said that her work was an observation on how we fail to acknowledge meta-realities that are not our own even while they exist all around us.
Praising the Nomad Art Gallery for lending a helping hand to the young artists, she said, “Nomad Art Gallery has always been supportive in pushing forward the work of relatively new and young artists. I got my first solo show through them and it feels great that I am able to voice my opinion on the current state of affairs of the world through the medium,” she said.
