The craft that’s not art

ISLAMABAD: In developing countries like Pakistan, work genres like classical music and art only find acceptance among the elite. As to majority life revolves around earning enough to afford a stable lifestyle and art does not even count as a work field one could pursue as a career. Which is why, for most of the cases, individuals from particular social backgrounds continue to walk along the already set and chosen lines of higher studies and careers. In fact, to many people art or music is immoral or downright blasphemous.

Another reason for this social quandary is the failure to differentiate between art and craft. Contemporary drama and film already having a purpose and a message to convey to the audience cannot be categorised as art. As art is only a personal exclusive expression of its creator and is not purposed to make it up to predicted ratings and earnings. For art, the depiction and interpretation is left to the viewer’s own thought and perception. It is in its truest form a cathartic expression. Crafts, however, serve the purpose to relate viewers’ interpretation with that of the crafter.

Failure to identify the primary difference between the two tells why art is the most neglected field in Pakistan. Higher education authorities issue rankings for business, engineering and medical schools, but no such conclusive indicators are set for the few art schools in the country.

Ilma Hassan

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2017.

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