The first event was an exhibition of 'Tribal Truck Art' by Haji Ghulam Sarwar, that was presented by Ms Anjum Rana at 'La Galerie' at the Alliance Francaise` It was a well attended affair despite the incessant rains.
For many years, the exuberant and flamboyant style of Pakistan Truck Art was dismissed, even ridiculed. At best, it was taken for granted by the media and society in general, until writers and anthropologists in the West started celebrating, this uniquely Pakistani phenomenon. The Smithsonian Sackler now has, as one of its most popular exhibits, an original painted truck.
This exhibit provides a context for the truck art motifs that have been painted with industrial paint on everyday objects that represent the truck drivers' journey: enamel utensils specific to the many "dhabbas" or roadside restaurants that serve tea with a "kick" to keep these drivers going their long journeys through the mountain passes and plains of Pakistan. There were forty-four exhibits on display and people from all walks of life showed keen interest in the artifacts. The price of these items was also reasonable.
The second event was jointly organised by the Turkish Embassy and Nomad Art Gallery. It was an exhibition of Turkish Miniature and Gilded Design by Ayla Renda. It was again a well attended gathering in spite of the pouring rain. She has come to Pakistan on a special invitation by the Turkish Ambassador. She is a geologist engineer by profession. The exhibits had samples of gilded designs, miniatures and calligraphy.
Turks had the tradition to illustrate manuscripts during the cultural periods before Islamic belief. Paper that could be rolled started to be made in China with plant fibers in 105 B. C. No written or illustrated manuscript has yet been found from the time of the Chinese Han dynasty, of Huns and Gokturks.Nevertheless, the large quantities of stone engravings, textiles, ceramics, and works of are made of metal, wood and leather which have survived to the present day, prove that the above mentioned cultural circles were quite developed in other fields of art. The oldest examples of Turkish pictures for walls are from the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries. The withering influence of natural conditions has prevented the survival of these first examples.
The oldest illustrated documents on paper among Turkish tribes are from the period succeeding Akhuns. These documents dating from 717-719 are in Turkish, Chinese and Arabic and they belong to a Turkish Khan who battled with Muslim armies in Pencikent near Samarkand. This prince was taken prisoner, and his palace was ruined in 722.The wall drawings are the most important part of Turkish cultural treasures.
Von le Coq who has researched Central Asian Turkish culture writes this: "Turks have scattered all of their written cultural products in the dusty roads of steppes and deserts while migrating to the west."
The Turkish miniature art got richer during the course of Uighar Turks' encounters with Chinese, Persian and sub-continental miniature arts and arrived in Anatolia with the Seljuk Turks and reached its glamorous peak during the reign of Sultan Suleiman, the Magnificent in the 16th century in the Ottoman era. The art of miniature, however, lost its significance staring by the 17th century and after the 18th century it was almost totally forgotten.
The art began to be revived during the last 40-50 years of the Turkish Republic and found a new dimension with the courses given by the Turkish Ministry of Culture.
Mrs Renda is currently giving courses on traditional and contemporary miniatures and contributing to the conveyance of this art form to the next generations. She opened 13 exhibitions in Turkey and has participated in local and international art exhibitions. Her artwork is displayed within official and personal collections in the United States, Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany. She received two awards in the International Naïve Arts Exhibition that is held each year in Italy and her four art pieces are being exhibited in Italy. Mrs Renda is also a member of the International Naïve Arts Association (AIPAN).
In a message, the Ambassador H.Kemal Gur, said that the Turkish Embassy is proud to share some examples of Mrs Ayla Renda's work with the art lovers of Pakistan. In anticipation of a most exciting interaction, he hoped that all the participants will be experiencing an entertaining and inspiring encounter with the world of Turkish miniature art.
The third event consisted of a public meeting organised for the Hiroshima World Peace Mission that had come to share the experience of the first atomic bomb that exploded in human history above the central city of Hiroshima at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945. The delegation comprised five members Ms Emiko Okada (A-bomb survivor, board member of World Friendship Centre), Ms Tomoko Watanabe (Head of Citizen's group), Mr James Joseph (office worker), Mr Toshikazu Nakatani (Municipal Officer) and Mr Takayuki Sasaki (Senior at Hiroshima Shudo University).
The Hiroshima World Peace Mission is a project of the 60th anniversary of the A-bombing sponsored by the Hiroshima International Cultural Foundation and the Chugoku Shim Bun Newspaper. The project will send individuals, including Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors), to states possessing nuclear-weapons, to conflict areas and to other places to convey a hope for nuclear disarmament and lasting peace, and to convey the spirit of reconciliation which has been nurtured by the people of Hiroshima. The project is also trying to cut the chain of retaliation over the world. Seeing the history of the places they visit, the participants must think the unique role of Japan. Starting last March, the mission already has sent Hiroshima citizens to South Africa, Iran, China, Korea, UK, France and Spain. Later, groups will go to India, Pakistan and the US.
It was an interesting interactive session. Graphic photographs were shown at the meeting. The members of the mission shared their heart rending past with the participants.
The civil society NGOs from Islamabad and Rawalpindi commemorated a National Women's Day. The activities included speeches by NGO representatives and a theatre followed by a peaceful rally/demonstration.
Last event was a group exhibition by National College of Arts (NCA) graduates of their work done for the thesis. The work was original and very creative. Shuaib Manzoor, one of the artists explained that for a thesis either one has to do a group of small paintings or one big panel. And he chose to do a big panel with one landscape that has theme of male domination in our society. It was good to know that such a subject was done by a man in our society. The artists graduated in December 2004.
Murad Khan's work was sketch book inspired consisting of two panels. His ideal is Persian miniature style and he has tried to explain through his paintings why this had been an ideal for so many years. Furthermore, he has tried to show how artists have been mired in western and classical style of work. He felt that art here in Pakistan has strong western influence. The young upcoming artists were full of hope and ideas for the future and they planned to start their careers as professional artists.
It was a hectic week. One felt dizzy on the merry go round of cultural events. So long until next week folks.