#NeverForget: Paying tribute to Peshawar tragedy victims through art
FOMMA dedicates show to Peshawar artists to show support for families affected by APS tragedy
Works of seven artists belonging to Peshawar were displayed at the Fomma DHA Art Centre on Tuesday. PHOTOS: COURTESY FOMMA DHA ART CENTRE
KARACHI:
While the civil society held vigils and demonstrations to show support with the Peshawar school massacre victims, the artistic fraternity of Karachi took to art to express their solidarity.
Works of seven artists belonging to Peshawar were displayed at the Foundation for Museum of Modern Art (Fomma) DHA Art Centre on Tuesday. “This is the first time that Fomma, or anybody, did anything for the Peshawar artists,” said Fawzia Naqvi, the editor-in-chief of ArtNow magazine and the honorary chief executive officer of Fomma. According to her, works of artists belonging to Peshawar were being displayed to honour the victims of the Peshawar tragedy. Speaking at the event, she requested the audience to observe a minute of silence in remembrance of the children who were killed.
Fomma honorary secretary Jalaluddin Ahmed spoke next, paying high regard to art critic Marjorie Husain, who was curating the show. He spoke about how life goes on despite tragedies. “It is the supremacy of art over circumstance,” he said. “There are patterns of life pictured in the paintings.”
Husain said that she was impressed by the bravery of the children who survived the tragedy. “I was so happy to see the children go back to school in Peshawar. As for art, Peshawar has a wonderful history. The Gandhara era produced sculptors and poets.”
The paintings at the exhibition provided a variety of their own. While Jehanzeb Malik’s portraits showed influence of cubism, Abbas Ali showed his vibrant, abstract side.
One of the most interesting works were those of Tayeba Aziz. Two similar paintings of the ‘Dreams and Drapes’ series had a strong effect on the viewer because when looked at from a distance, it appeared as if blood-soaked drapes were hanging. The tone of the red colour played an important role as it looked similar to the colour of blood stains that become dry and reminded you of the blood-stained clothes of the children who died in the Peshawar school tragedy.
Another interesting series was that of Ghulam Shabbier. The way the artist played with water colour was amazing. In one of his masterpieces, he painted a very detailed interior of a room. Cushions, pillows, a sewing machine and an iron were parts of the picture. It was an engaging artwork as it had so much to offer.
“I have never seen works of Peshawar artists in Karachi,” said a visitor, Noor Sheikh. “I think it’s great that an entire exhibition has been dedicated to Peshawar so that we, in Karachi, can get to know about art in Peshawar.”
Artist Naheed Raza was also of the same view. “It’s wonderful to see that Peshawar’s artists have such talent to show,” she said while talking to The Express Tribune. “There is landscape, portrait and a variety. I really like the composition, colours and talent.”
Azra Jalal, the wife of Jalaluddin Ahmed, was particularly happy to get to see more of Peshawar. “I have been to Peshawar only once,” she said. “The paintings showing the interior of homes and other parts of the city interest me as I haven’t seen Peshawar properly.”
The show will run at Fomma DHA Art Centre till January 30.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2015.
While the civil society held vigils and demonstrations to show support with the Peshawar school massacre victims, the artistic fraternity of Karachi took to art to express their solidarity.
Works of seven artists belonging to Peshawar were displayed at the Foundation for Museum of Modern Art (Fomma) DHA Art Centre on Tuesday. “This is the first time that Fomma, or anybody, did anything for the Peshawar artists,” said Fawzia Naqvi, the editor-in-chief of ArtNow magazine and the honorary chief executive officer of Fomma. According to her, works of artists belonging to Peshawar were being displayed to honour the victims of the Peshawar tragedy. Speaking at the event, she requested the audience to observe a minute of silence in remembrance of the children who were killed.
Fomma honorary secretary Jalaluddin Ahmed spoke next, paying high regard to art critic Marjorie Husain, who was curating the show. He spoke about how life goes on despite tragedies. “It is the supremacy of art over circumstance,” he said. “There are patterns of life pictured in the paintings.”
Husain said that she was impressed by the bravery of the children who survived the tragedy. “I was so happy to see the children go back to school in Peshawar. As for art, Peshawar has a wonderful history. The Gandhara era produced sculptors and poets.”
The paintings at the exhibition provided a variety of their own. While Jehanzeb Malik’s portraits showed influence of cubism, Abbas Ali showed his vibrant, abstract side.
One of the most interesting works were those of Tayeba Aziz. Two similar paintings of the ‘Dreams and Drapes’ series had a strong effect on the viewer because when looked at from a distance, it appeared as if blood-soaked drapes were hanging. The tone of the red colour played an important role as it looked similar to the colour of blood stains that become dry and reminded you of the blood-stained clothes of the children who died in the Peshawar school tragedy.
Another interesting series was that of Ghulam Shabbier. The way the artist played with water colour was amazing. In one of his masterpieces, he painted a very detailed interior of a room. Cushions, pillows, a sewing machine and an iron were parts of the picture. It was an engaging artwork as it had so much to offer.
“I have never seen works of Peshawar artists in Karachi,” said a visitor, Noor Sheikh. “I think it’s great that an entire exhibition has been dedicated to Peshawar so that we, in Karachi, can get to know about art in Peshawar.”
Artist Naheed Raza was also of the same view. “It’s wonderful to see that Peshawar’s artists have such talent to show,” she said while talking to The Express Tribune. “There is landscape, portrait and a variety. I really like the composition, colours and talent.”
Azra Jalal, the wife of Jalaluddin Ahmed, was particularly happy to get to see more of Peshawar. “I have been to Peshawar only once,” she said. “The paintings showing the interior of homes and other parts of the city interest me as I haven’t seen Peshawar properly.”
The show will run at Fomma DHA Art Centre till January 30.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2015.