ISLAMABAD: German Deputy Head of Mission Arno Kirchhof hosted ‘Vernissage, German Streets, Global Rhythms’, a photographic journey by Hassan Kausar, on Friday, transforming his residence into a gallery.
Hassan’s work featured Berlin, Dusseldorf and Baden-Baden in Germany along with images from the rest of the world.
Mr Kirchhof said: “I met Hassan about half a year ago at an exhibition at the Pakistan National Council of Arts on the ‘Lights of Lahore’. With these pictures and Hassan’s eye the cities of Lahore and Berlin become similar.”
Hassan, an architect, interior designer and photographer, shared the background of the exhibition.
He said: “About 15 years ago, on the insistence of a friend, I invested in a DSLR. I took his advice and I was ecstatic, and so passionate. Initially I was photographing anything and everything – landscapes, portraits, anything – as I was excited by the equipment and what it could do. Then during one of my trips to Lahore, I went to the old city at night and I realised this was it – street photography is the genre I love the most.”
Explaining the essence of his photographs, he said: “It is capturing life in its raw form, vignettes of daily life, of people. Their expressions are so different when they are not conscious of being photographed. Their body language, their posture changes, they become so much more interesting.”
Coupled with his passion for travelling, Hassan’s street photography has allowed him to see layers and depths in the cities he visits, whether that be in the frames capturing high-rise buildings or narrow, alleys inundated with graffiti, in dimly-lit doorways or near trees along a river bank.
“Since then I have photographed many cities around the world; I am happiest with my camera, in a new city,” he added.
Hassan’s travels to Germany started in 1988 when he was a student in London and became close friends with a German student who invited him home for Christmas.
He said: “I went with him and the way I was looked after and the hospitality and love that I received, I did not feel like I was in a different country. That was my first encounter with Germany and subsequently I went to Berlin frequently to visit a friend who had settled there. Berlin is such a fascinating, artistic city, with art, museums and the history.”
Speaking on the occasion, German Ambassador Ina Lepel said: “I am really enjoying this exhibition because I am a Berliner and I know the city very well and I think, Pakistani photographer, Hassan Kausar, has captured its spirit amazingly. The photos really capture the atmosphere – and also the way people do things – like this one where somebody is just taking a break on a bench is very Berlin and probably not something you would see in many cities in Pakistan.”
“The work is very perceptive and presented in a good way. I heard what he said about being inspired by visual artists and how he works with the light, with the atmosphere and it is really amazing. I appreciate that he is doing this,” she added.
About his work, Hassan Kausar said: “I try to capture the soul of a city, to get a feel of the city, of what life is like there. What fascinates me is the similarities between different parts of the world and to capture a glimpse of that.”
Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2025
