KARACHI: Sindh — Reverberating Sounds Echo through the Desert, the exhibition that’s beginning at the Koel art gallery on April 18 (today), is a tribute to the rich tradition of art in Sindh and its artists, said artist Noorjehan Bilgirami and co-curator of the show Mohammad Zeeshan at a press conference on Thursday evening.
Ms Bilgirami said Sindh was known for its crafts, poetry and Sufi culture but it was time the province’s painters and sculptors were also given their due. The gallery committee had been planning to put up the show for the past one year and had now finally succeeded in doing so, exhibiting works of no less than 57 artists.
Mr Zeeshan said it was not easy to bring together work of so many artists under one roof. When he first thought about the project he reckoned that works of three generations would be on display, but it turned out it represented four generations.
Sculptor Abdul Jabbar Gull said Sindh had a great amount of talent in art, more than any part of the country, and 90 per cent of its artists were thinking artists.
Artist Mohammad Ali Bhatti lauded the efforts of the gallery and its curators for coming up with an important event.
Artist Khuda Bux Abro said Sindh had always had talent in art. In the 1970s, he added, there was even an artist guild. At the time, art was supported by the government and institutions such as the British Council Karachi after which things changed. He praised the National College of Arts and other such institutions but expressed the apprehension that the Punjab government was trying to get control of it. “If that happens, NCA will not be the same,” he added.
Artist Aqeel Solangi said the exhibition was a necessary event because artists from Sindh could not be ignored.
Artist Munawwar Ali Syed requested art lovers to visit the exhibition with their families.
Gull also conveyed senior artist Mussarrat Mirza’s message on the occasion who had requested the government to introduce an art department at Khairpur University.
All artists went down memory lane and reminisced about the time when legends such as Laal Mohammad Pathan and Fateh Halepoto inspired their students to dream big in the world of art.
The show will be open till May 3.
