KU visual design students mesmerise viewers

Their innovative designs and ideas captured the interest of attendees at their annual degree show

KARACHI: Remember the Dot Game, played by children throughout their childhood? That simple yet fascinating game became the highlight of the University of Karachi's (KU) visual studies department's degree show 2015.

Designed by Farhan Surani, a final-year fine art student, the game represents human psychology, how people think and how their thinking differs from each other. "I have made my project based on different thinking patterns," explained Surani. He explained that he devised the structure of the project with the help of bamboo sticks.



"I gave everyone a paper with some dots and every person connected it in a different way. This activity was a big creative cliché that challenged my assumptions and displayed images with different fresh angles," he explained. Our thinking patterns and the way we use our mind defines us as individuals, Surani added.

While explaining his industrial design thesis, 'Flex Shelter', distinction holder Ali Abbas Zaidi said that he came up with the idea of creating this flex shelter from Pakistan, since unfortunately we often face natural calamities and the most significant item disaster victims require is shelter.

"The problems that we face with usual tents are that they are very heavy, take a lot of space and its assembly is not easy for a layman, only an expert can set up a tent in 30 minutes," explained Zaidi.



"So my product, Flex Shelter, is water-proof , fire-proof, has sufficient height as  compared to a normal tent, is lightweight and a layman can easily set it up,"  he added.

KU's final-year projects also include work from the graphics, fine art, textile design and media arts graduates. Sheheryar Ali, who received a distinction in graphic design, created an application called 'Khud Badlo, which provides civil society members with a platform on which to connect with one another and stand up for their rights.

Several students from the graphic design department created websites and applications, of which 'Woman Up', 'Design for a Cause' and 'Elaaj.com' were the most prominent. Women Up, which aims to educate and empower women to be confident, assertive and to make them aware of their rights, was created by Zainab Marvi. Design for a Cause, a freelance network that connects graphic designers with non-profit organisations, was created by Rida Rohail. Her aim was to make designers more accessible to social sector organisations.

Elaaj.com, is a website created for people who prefer self-medication, explained its designer, Aleeha Rahim. "The website helps connect patients with doctors via video calls and chatting. A small amount is charged by the website [for the service]," added Rahim.



The chairperson of the visual studies department, Prof Durriya Kazi, said the students have represented Pakistan on various international forums, demonstrating their outstanding capabilities. The average employment rate of students of KU visual studies students is around 90 per cent, she claimed. "In the current economic climate, art and design have a direct role to play in establishing markets, drawing international attention and building nations' self-confidence," said Prof Kazi.

Pakistan has a rich cultural heritage and many skilled workers and the only way for Pakistan to survive in the world of production is to focus on design, as graduates of art and design are the most influential people in today's world as their products impact millions of people, she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2015.