For a good cause: Teenagers put up art show for charity

Funds generated from event will be donated to Children Cancer Hospital

KARACHI: Two teenagers, 16-year-old Silah Saigol and 15-year-old Noor Khan, collaborated to put up a two-day art show, titled 'In the Dawn of Light', for charity at Art Chowk Gallery.

The two best friends, who are currently enrolled in Karachi American School, have a strong passion for photography. The two thought of using their passion to benefit the less privileged in our society.

The young artists showcased black-and-white pictures and put them on sale, with each piece priced at Rs6,000. The money from the exhibition will be donated to Children Cancer Hospital. Talking about the hospital, Saigol said, "We visited this hospital about a month back and decided to donate the money from the exhibition here because they need our help."



Khan exhibited eight of her mixed medium images while 10 photographs of Saigol were put on display.

Talking about her works, Khan said that she always had a spark for creativity and arts in her. "Whenever I get time, I get involved in mixed media," said Saigol. "I take photography as a passion; it's not something I feel I am burdened with."

Inception of Art Chowk 

The owner of Art Chowk Gallery Shakira Masood shared her tale about opening the gallery in 2008. "I first delved into the idea of having a gallery after persistence from my daughter and son-in-law," she said. "Hence, I first ventured in[to] it by opening an online art gallery in 2007 and in the next year I opened [Art Chowk Gallery]."



Sharing her viewpoint, she said "In the last decade or so about 40 art galleries have sprung up in the city." In recent times, she added, many Pakistani artists have taken the art scene throughout the world level by storm such as Shaista Sikander, Imran Kureshi, Ayesha Khalid and Rashid Rana. "Art is art and it should be promoted," she stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2016.