Students tell stories with the strokes of a paintbrush

Children show off their hard work at an art exhibition

KARACHI: The walls of T2F were decorated on Thursday with portraits of Mona Lisa with a desi twist, Picasso’s abstract art and the modern art of optical illusions. The pieces, which could have been part of any big name artist’s collection, were actually part of ‘Taa’ruf’ (An Introduction between Two Worlds), an exhibition of works by young students of government schools managed by the Zindagi Trust.

Girls clad in school uniforms displayed some beautiful pieces of art. These works of art, inspired by artists like Picasso, Da Vinci and Paul Klee, were produced by students of classes three to nine.

This exhibition worked as an ice breaker - it helped introduce the world of art to the students.



“There were two kinds of Taa’ruf or introductions happening via art here. First, these students were introduced to the world outside their neighbourhoods and their time learning about other cultures and movements in their art classes. Then, the students were also introduced to another world – that of Karachi’s gallery goers – through the platform of this art show,” explained Anam Shakil, head of arts at the Zindagi Trust.

These art pieces reflected the students’ understanding and love for art. These were not some ordinary pieces of art - each piece had its own story. It reflected the thoughts of these students who used art as a platform to express themselves.

“I believe art is a quiet language, it says a lot without actually using words,” 15-year-old Aisha Imtiaz said as she sat alongside her canvas after completing a piece of ‘blind contouring’, an art form where a picture is painted without looking at it directly.



Nearby 13-year-old Suman Bhooota presented her and her classmates’ work and spoke passionately about how Picasso, at the tender age of 13, was able to produce great pieces of art.

As the students spoke about their artwork, one could sense their knowledge and interest in a field that has otherwise been neglected by many schools across the country. “Art is essential for the mental development of students and it helps improve their performance,” Shakil said.

At government schools like the SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls School and Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government School, the Zindagi Trust aims to reform the education system. It seeks to bring about a change in the perception of people about art. It aspires to spread awareness about the importance of the arts.

Many students expressed how they faced opposition from their family members for opting to pursue art. “My mother supports me, she appreciates my work and capabilities but my father believes I am wasting my time by focusing on arts,” lamented one student.

However, these government schools, with the assistance of the Zindagi Trust, provided a ray of hope to many students. They gave them an opportunity to discover their hidden talents.



“I never knew I could draw, but, after taking these classes, I discovered my own talents,” said Maida Rashid, a student of grade nine. “We found that a good quality art programme also helps improve enrolment and attendance, and eventually student achievement in subjects beyond art,” Sana Kazmi, special programmes manager at the Zindagi Trust, explained.

Negating the perception that private schools provided better quality education, 14-year old Narmeen Shaikh said, “I used to study in a private school, but due to the poor quality of education my parents decided to enrol me in Khatoon-e-Pakistan, which is a government school but has provided facilities far better than the private school.”

Students were of the opinion that the introduction of art courses in their school curriculum helped them develop an interest in studies. It opened a new arena of opportunities for them.

“Through this programme we tried to develop a subject integration approach. The idea behind the introduction of art classes was to help students understand difficult subjects through art and also understand different forms of art through these subjects,” Shakil said.

A glance at the gallery revealed how these children could also be remembered for their creativity like Picasso and other artists. All they need is an opportunity to develop their skills.