ISLAMABAD: Under the canopy of a starry sky on a gorgeous spring evening, Rohtas Art Gallery hosted a dinner announcing its first ever residency in collaboration with Vasl Artists Cooperative. Conjoining with the cooperative, Islamabad launched its first International artist residency that will bring together four international and two Pakistani artists to live together, work and contribute to one another’s work.
The evening buzzed with excitement as art lovers and literati flowed onto the premises of the gallery for a cocktail hour followed by dinner. Participants from Pakistan and Turkey were already present as they awaited the arrival of their peers from India, South Africa and Iran. The residency will be conducted at Rohtas Gallery’s Rohtas Rawan, a four-acre site nestled along a man-made lake. Located in Village Tumair, Rohtas Rawan is 35 minutes from Islamabad. The remote rural location will provide the ideal location for the artists to ponder over their work and indulge in five weeks of concentrated focus to produce art works, installations, sculptures and/or paintings.
“It’s so exciting to be in Pakistan and because I myself am from a Muslim country and I want to concentrate my work on women in Muslim countries, this is a perfect opportunity to do that,” said an ecstatic Basak Akcakaya, residency member from Turkey.
Vasl is an international platform for Pakistani artists and contemporary art in the country. The cooperative is committed to creating a liberal space for experimentation and exchange.
Another residency member hailing from Quetta, Balochistan, Naqsh Raj said: “I want to indulge myself in more confusion about art. It make things precious for me, we have lost traditional values of art and this is a platform to realise those values. My concerns are not related to morality, they are more about art and that’s what I wish to further in this residency.”
“We work daily from 9-5, it’s an experience in and of itself — the discussions im sure will be fruitful. The idea is to find a new way of thinking and cohabitating with people coming from different backgrounds,” said Muzzumil Ruheel.
With different aspirations and viewpoints, the artists embark upon a unique journey of living with one another for five weeks. The concept comes close to that of a reality TV Show, without any winners as everyone takes something from the experience.
After five weeks of artistic debate and critique, the artists will present their work mid April to an open house at the Rohtas Rawan and then a more public showing at the gallery itself.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2011.
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