Exhibition: Blurring the line between art and craft

Traditional textiles on display at Pindi arts council give visitors a ‘museum like’ feeling.

ISLAMABAD:

Multifaceted artist Aasim Akhtar’s work is well known but if one looks closely they might be able to read between the lines. Akhtar’s most recent display of traditional textiles opened at the Potohar Gallery of the National Council of the Arts, Rawalpindi, on Thursday.

Titled “Vanishing Worlds, Enduring Threads”, the display is a tribute of sorts to the skill and creativity of folk artisans around the country who the artist believes are not inferior to contemporary, mainstream artists who get ample recognition for their work.

“I want to blur the line between arts and crafts and want people to see them as one,” he said, while talking to The Express Tribune at the exhibition. He added that the two so-called categories tend to get demarcated on basis of function and use, saying people see handicrafts as something the can be used while art serves superfluous, aesthetic purposes — something he does not believe in.



Referring to the display, Akhtar said, “This is not a shop or a boutique, but a living museum in itself, each piece has history and it stands out for itself,” he added. Furthermore, he encouraged the visitors to get a feel of the embroidery’s texture, fabric and embellishments. Pointing to embroidered veils swaying through the gallery, he said people can walk through and unfurl the veil, which was the intended design.

Spread out through the expanse of the gallery were vibrant tunics, veils, covers, pouches, bags and wall hangings, woven, embroidered and appliquéd for festive occasions for people, animals and home. Akhtar has found these all across Pakistan in regions where men and women of multiple ethnicities possess a textile heritage of incredible abundance.

“I think it’s a beautiful exhibition. It’s unusual and something that belongs in a museum, rather than a gallery. These are pieces that you would find in a museum outside Pakistan. But I also think the way it has been curated and displayed is very creative and that makes it interesting to the viewer,” said Fatima, an art connoisseur, at the gallery.

Meanwhile, Asma Khan, the director of Satrang Gallery, saw the exhibition as a means to celebrating folk artisans who remain anonymous for the most part. “This is a great way of reviving the tradition and celebrating indigenous artisans and I’m so glad I’ve come here,” she added. Pointing to a dark maroon drape hanging down a wall, shimmering boldly, she said, “This is just stunning.” The exhibition was inaugurated by Swedish Ambassador Lars Vargö.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2013.