KARACHI: The first art exhibition that opened at the Arts Council of Pakistan’s Ahmed Pervaiz Gallery on Saturday evening, an integral part of the council’s World Culture Festival, is interestingly titled Behind the Stage or simply BTS. It’s a well thought-out name because the 35-day long festival primarily focuses on performing arts. But the group exhibition, which will last for a week, with its eye-catching works of art, encompasses a variety of paintings and sculptures that are a storytelling extravaganza themselves.

Talking to Dawn, the curator of the show F S Karachiwala said, “It’s a group show about whatever happens behind the stage… like lights, costume design, props and acting etc… the preparation that art practitioners put in their work. There’s almost 20 artists from all over Pakistan participating in the exhibition. Ninety per cent of the work is new. They have made it for the show. You’ll see here sculptures, photography, installation and paintings done in oils.”

It’s correct: the diverse range is noteworthy. But that’s not the only thing that stands out for the viewer. The exhibits on view provide an interesting angle to the diligence that goes into the creation of a piece of art. Interestingly, the first play that was staged during the festival had an actor on stage who had no clue what lines to deliver; she was given the script as she appeared before the audience. And the exhibition speaks exactly about that: even when you think that something was created with minimum effort, that minimum in art can never be measured in terms of numbers. It’s blood, sweat and tears. This is what the group show is trying to tell the viewer.

The artists taking part in the exhibition are: Ammara Rafique, Amna Qamar, Anum Ashraf, Aqib Faiz, Aruj Fahim, Bakhtiyar Ahmed, Bilal Ahmed, Bilal Jabbar, Habiba Safder, Hanan Munir, Hina Tabassum, Kabeer Atta Ullah, M Jawad Hassan, Umaina Khan, Uzma Sabeen, Yusra Taqi Allawala and Zahra Jokhio.

Concert: A music concert held for the festival at the council’s Jaun Elia lawn also drew a large number of people on Saturday evening.

The line-up of musicians constituted of both local and international musicians. With respect to the latter (international artists) there were the likes of Peace Jolia, Lee Dia, Delah Dube and Gasasira Rugamba Serge from Rwanda, Madan Gopal from Nepal and Sahib Pashazade and Kamran Kerimov from Azerbaijan (the Azerbaijan duo had also performed on the opening day of the festival and was widely appreciated).

Pakistani artists included: Ustad Nafees Ahmed, Imran Momina, Khumaryan Band and Akhtar Chanal.

The audience enjoyed the concert.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024