With the start of the month of August, the Independence Day celebrations have started all over the country as Pakistanis were celebrating 70th anniversary of their Independence. People from all walks of life, in large numbers showed great enthusiasm in decoration of their houses, markets and shops with national flags, stickers and fancy lights to express their deep love with the motherland and to celebrate the Independence Day with national spirit.

To celebrate 70 years of Independence with independence of self-expression artist Muhammad Zeeshan who is famous and admired for his skills by art lovers at home and abroad has created an installation at Sanat Gallery, Karachi. The installation titled "Flag Ceremony" in wood and soft drink cans from exhibition "Refreshment" was installed for one day on 14th August live in front of the visitors to commemorate the 70th Independence Day.

A structure of shelves was transformed into the flag of Pakistan, through strategically placing green and white cans of Pakola - a soft-drink produced and packaged right in Pakistan to match the colours of our national emblem, green and white. The installation also explored the concept of commercial art by challenging the opposition between art for money and art for people. As the term 'commercial art' has been a topic of discussion for quite some time in our art circle Zeeshan felt compelled to bring forward this issue for healthy dialogue.

Through this installation titled "Flag Ceremony" Zeeshan asked an important question to be answered by art lover, he said, "Everything in the installation is based on commercial activity, yet my work is not for sale. So why does selling one's work alone mean consumerist art?" He further elaborated that the installation also looks at the relationship and role that audience plays in how art is understood, and/or consumed.

Muhammad Zeeshan has acquired BFA degree from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore in 2003. He is an internationally acclaimed visual artist who is currently an adjunct faculty at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVSAA), Karachi. He has several gallery, art fair, museum and institutional exhibitions to his credit including exhibitions at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Herbert F. Johnson Museum at Cornell University, Abbot Hall Art Gallery at Kendal, Pacific Asia Art Museum at Pasadena, Art Gallery of Mississauga, British Museum, Gemak/Gemeente Museum, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum and Metropolitan Museum at Tokyo. His works are a part of the permanent collection of British Museum, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Pacific Asia Art Museum, Pasadena and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017