Street art: A canvas for graffiti

“I would call it history in the making as academically, graffiti art is never encouraged,” says Samina Jamshed.

ISLAMABAD:

Foundation University Rawalpindi recently organised a two-day ‘graffiti art workshop’ for its first-semester art students.

“I would call it history in the making as academically, graffiti art is never encouraged,” said Samina Jamshed, an instructor at the university who conducted the workshop.

Jamshed said that as the workshop’s final project, the students painted graffiti designs on the wall of the campus cafeteria.

Graffiti is usually illegal writing or drawings made on walls or other public spaces, but they have gained popularity as an art form to make sociopolitical statements.

She said that the students also got a chance to interact with Pakistani and international artists as part of the workshop.

Professional artists such as Raja Changez Sultan and Azeem Iqbal among others also visited the campus to look at the work done by the students.

They appreciated the work and lauded the efforts of the instructors.

Artists Rezzanabi, Babbu and Munirul Islam from Bangladesh spoke with the students via Skype, Jamshed said.

The participating students said that it was an interesting and fun assignment which gave them a refreshing reprieve from usual course work.

Dr Shoaib, the head of the university’s arts department, said the workshop highlighted the university management’s intent to support innovative and creative ideas.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2013.