Paintings showcasing multiple facets of the K2. PHOTO: MYRA IQBAL/EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
An exhibition of paintings showcasing multiple facets of the world’s second-highest peak, “The K2 Mountain” opened at the Jharoka Art Gallery on Wednesday. Interestingly, each of the 36 oil-on-canvas paintings offers a singular vista of the mountain and its picturesque surroundings.
Riveting scenes of the snow-capped peak bathed in sunlight or towering against the placid night sky impart lasting visual pleasure. Sharp edges of glaciers, meteor showers and brightly-illuminated tents against the limitless sky are some of the Savage Mountain’s renditions which attract the eye. Painted in a palette of mostly white, blue and neon, the pieces are heavily textured, at times bordering on the rough and uneven.
The paintings are the culmination of an intercollegiate art competition held at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) School of Architecture, Design and Art, on December 9. The competition was organised by the Development Communications Network (Devcom- Paksitan) in collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Nust and the Seed-Ev-K2.CNR project, a five-year climate research and mountain development initiative under the Pakistan-Italy Debt for Development Swap Agreement framework.
Paintings showcasing multiple facets of the K2. PHOTO: MYRA IQBAL/EXPRESS
A total of 36 students from the following four colleges participated: Islamabad Model College for Girls F-7/2, Islamabad Model College for Girls F-7/4, Islamabad College for Girls F-6/2, Government Postgraduate College Satellite Town.
The competition was organised as part of the Pakistan Mountain Festival, which is an advocacy event of Devom-Pakistan. The theme of the competition correlates this year’s International Mountain Day with next year’s, to mark the 60th anniversary of the first K2 summit by an Italian expedition in 1954.
According to Devcom-Pakistan Director Munir Ahmed, the festival aims to engage youth and professionals for mainstreaming climate change impact and the role of mountains, as these are the largest hub of natural resources on the frontline of climate change.
Awards and certificates were conferred upon winners and participants respectively by the chief guest, Jamal Shah of Hunerkada. He deemed the initiative important in propagating and promoting awareness about the environment and the cultural landscape of Pakistan, adding that such activities should proliferate. He observed that some of the participants presented personal renditions of the mountain.
“The K2 is an asset for all of us and we need to preserve it through creative means,” said Nahida Raza, the gallery owner and curator. She encouraged the youth to showcase their talents through this medium, providing a positive image of the country to the world.
The two categories of winners were undergraduate and postgraduate. Top three and top two prizes as well as consolation prizes were presented in both the categories. Government Postgraduate College, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, won nine out of 11 prizes in both categories.
The exhibition will continue until December 24.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.
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The paintings look fantastic. Congratulations to all artists for getting selected and winning awards. One suggestion is that for people who live in other cities or have not been able to visit the gallery, may be an online exhibition can be arranged. This way you can reach to wider audience. Keep up the good work.