October 19, 2006	Thursday	Ramazan 25, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The new building of the National Art Gallery would be inaugurated by the year end, said Naeem Tahir, director-general of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts while speaking at the opening of the exhibition of art works of the painters who worked at various art councils of the country on Wednesday.

Eminent painter Ghulam Rasul joined Naeem Tahir in inaugurating the exhibition of 72 art works of 40 artists from across the country.

The PNCA director-general also promised to procure some of the paintings for National Art Gallery after evaluation by a committee.

He lauded the participating artists, whose works had kept pace with art movements and working in relation to the advancement made in media and technique, although these painters have remained busy in curating and preparing the works of their contemporaries for exhibition in the country as well as abroad.

He advised the painters to immerse themselves in creative work rather than wasting time in squabbles.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion PNCA’s visual arts director Misbahudin Qazi referred to the diversity found in the rich collection of artwork on display and pleaded that the contribution of the artists working in art councils should also be made a part of the national collection.

Many aspects of plastic arts were on display at the exhibition but the space was dominated by a huge variety of landscapes, and the images and icons had a fairy tale quality and naivete, to take their place with the best of works done in the country and proving to be a source of attraction for the visitors.

The display began with a calligraphy piece, and moved on to two pieces done by Akram Dost Baloch showing his passionate attachment as well as his particular metaphor and intricately carved etchings to register his enchantment of his Baloch locale.

A large mural-sized oil painting done by Iqbal Ahmed, the former art teacher of Shakir Ali Museum, showing a Punjabi court yard with elderly figures and the silhouette of a woman peeking from the background of her home, brought a personal vision and the coolness quietness of a village scene.

Two paintings each done by Raja Changez Sultan and two more of Ghulam Rasul, both former directors-general of PNCA, were displayed side by side.

Changez Sultan’s work done in oil offered a colourful mystique of the mountains while a faint girl beckoned from the silky saffron promenade. Ghulam Rasul’s was a huge canvas showing the masculinity of mountain and its snow-white ranges.

It is difficult for viewers to appreciate a collection of 70 odd paintings. Some people who came to the exhibition commented that the general public needs training in appreciating and evaluation of paintings and their technique, and suggested that there should be trained guides in exhibition halls to explain finery of painted pieces to them.