‘Art transcends boundaries to connect diverse peoples’

Australian HC hosts exhibition of Pakistani artists who had displayed work at ArtSpace Sydney

Art has a unique capacity to connect the diverse peoples of Australia and Pakistan and to help us understand each other better, Australian High Commissioner Margaret Adamson said on Tuesday.

Adamson was hosting an exhibition in Islamabad by Pakistani artists Farida Batool, Hurmatul Ain and Rabbya Naseer who recently exhibited at ArtSpace Sydney, Australia’s leading organisation for the creation and presentation of contemporary art.

ArtSpace Sydney Executive Director Alexie Glass-Kantor addressed the exhibition sharing her insights into contemporary art in Pakistan and noting her recent visit to Pakistan which subsequently resulted in the presentation of works by Batool, Ain and Naseer at ArtSpace
in September.

“With Pakistan located in a strategic position in the geography of South Asian art and playing a crucial role in leading the artistic conversation, it is tremendous to encounter artists from Pakistan who persuasively invite new insight into the role art can play in shaping an inclusive world view. This exhibition demonstrates that there is a commitment to ensuring the conversation will be an ongoing and enriching exchange underpinned by shared values of reciprocity and friendship,” Glass-Kantor said.

High Commissioner Adamson highlighted Australia’s support for Pakistan’s contemporary art scene and underscored the importance of nurturing emerging artists as part of Pakistan’s social and cultural evolution.

“Art has a unique capacity to connect the diverse peoples of Australia and Pakistan and to help us understand each other better. This exhibition not only depicts Pakistan’s diverse social and cultural landscape in fascinating ways, it graphically demonstrates what an essential role art can play in debating and addressing issues, breaking down barriers and promoting inclusion and understanding,” Adamson said.

The collaborative works of Naseer and Ain challenge traditional attitudes towards women in the Islamic world through painting, sculpture, photography, video and performance. Batool’s work serves as a metaphor for the political upheaval and historic events she has witnessed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2017.