LAHORE: Dr Murtaza Jafri joined the National College of Arts (NCA) in the 1980s as a lecturer and later became its principal in 2013. As head of the premier arts institution, he undertook several initiatives such as introducing diplomas in various disciplines, the revival of dying arts by getting artisans to work at the historic Tollinton Market, initiating the establishment of two cinemas and pacing up exchange programmes with various countries.

In this conversation with Dawn, Dr Jafri charts the milestones he achieved for the students and faculty of the college. “I joined the NCA in the 1980s as a lecturer. In 1987, I went to Poland on a residency programme that was a rarity back then – at a time when Colin David was the head of the fine arts department.”

In 1989, the then prime minister Benazir Bhutto called him back to join the planning and development department as its director where he served for a year. In 1992, Mr Jafri went to Montreal for his Masters in Fine Arts from Concordia University.He also got a Masters in Visual Artsdegree from Chelsea College of Arts, the UK and PhD in Fine Arts from the University of London.

Before taking over as the principal in 2013, he remained the head of the diploma programme at NCA, its registrar as well as the visual arts department head. “Before I joined as the principal, the college had no head for four years, ad hocism prevailed and there was a massive backlog to clear. The college suffered a lot because of these factors.”

Dr Jafri said he had to streamline a number of things after becoming principal: there were several posts of professors and associate professors lying vacant for 10 years and there was no board of governors. “It took me a lot of effort to get the seats filled and reorganise the board of governors.”

As for his achievements, Dr Jafri mentioned the establishment of a cultural studies department and taking over of Tollinton Market two years ago as the milestones.

“The cultural studies department was an extremely significant thing for masters and undergrad students, who would study the theory of art. This department in a way helps the other 10 departments when it comes to art theory; it has a cohesive approach towards the subject, which is extremely important for an art student,” he explained.

Furthermore, the historical Tollinton Market was taken over by the NCA two years ago. “We shall revive the dying arts through artisans who would work in this market abolishing the role of the middleman.”

Dr Jafri said originally Tollinton Market was an exhibition hall where the Punjab Crafts Exhibition was held in 1864 and the NCA was then an Industrial School for Indigenous Crafts. So both the institutions have great relevance. “At the end of the year, the NCA will hold a grand re-launch of the Tollinton Market, publish a coffee table book about it and send indigenous crafts to embassies world over.”

He said Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had a great role to play in handing over Tollinton Market to the NCA. The artisans at the market would produce pure silk and chiffon and work on other dying arts. He added that the NCA archives contained over 100 years old silk pieces. “We shall reproduce that silk of the great quality through our artisans. This initiative will also help and support the NCA textile department.”

The NCA had bought a laser-cutting 3D machine and would buy three more to enhance the skills required for ingenious crafts.He said he had also revived the wood workshop at the institute and established a computer lab with latest equipment, adding that the college is establishing two cinemas for the film and TV department students that would be completed in three years.

Keeping in mind the social distancing measures for Covid-19 and a lack of space in hostels, the NCA has raised a five-storey building at the hostel with a basement studio. Mr Jafri said he also focused on exchange programmes with various countries so that students could have a broader vision of art studies. The college, he added, introduced a number of short courses for community outreach in film and television, drawing, painting and other disciplines so that ordinary people could also benefit from these skills.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2021