LAHORE: The thesis show at Beacon House National University, Tarogil Campus, Raiwind Road, was a well-attended event that featured the works of some 70 or so graduating students from the departments of Fine Arts, Visual Arts, Visual Communication Design, Textile and Fiber Studies, Fashion and Fiber Studies, besides Jewllery and Accessories Department.

The show was inaugurated by Nasreen Mehmood Kasuri, Chairperson of the Beacon House Group.

The event was attended by a large number of students, artists, critics and art fanciers. The show will remain open to public till June 3 from 11am to 8pm daily.

One could see a large variety of ideas knitted into the social fabric and innovations coupled with new thoughts and inspirations through the artworks on display.

The 12 graduating students from Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts and Design (MDSVAD) came up with diversity in their works while exploring new media tools and contemporary avenues to address historical, political, socio-cultural and material concerns.

Afifa Mirza from MDSVAD in her works explored the relation of space, both public and private. Her idea was that humans tend to have an intriguing quality of personalising their space, even if it’s temporary. “I often try to question whether this happens because the space overwhelms the humans or the humans over process the place,” she comments.

Hira Tahir Mirza in her video installation used the elements from nature while creating narratives inspired by the minute observations that surrounded one every day.

Muqaddas Babar’s sculpture based on his childhood memories was highly impressive. It was a blend of both art and architecture.

Abbas Ahsen from Visual Communication Design raised a very valid question through his artwork linking madness and the moral decay in the present day society.

Ebba Khurram’s thesis work on the revival of old Urdu stories was also interesting. To Ms Khurram Urdu stories got lost among the pages of books that no Pakistani child today seems to be interested in. Their survival is further hindered by a majority of parents who sees nothing wrong with old English tales being told repeatedly over generations, but they feel that Urdu stories from their childhood have gone outdated.

The Textile and Fiber Studies students also came up with diverse themes from craft revival to intervention to fiber art with a vision of socially conscious thinker designers.

The Fashion Design and Fiber Studies students put on display fusion cut-lines and novel fabrications. The Jewllery Design Department displayed fluidly across thematic explorations and celebrated the intersection between art, craft and design.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2016