LAHORE: The National College of Arts (NCA) and the University of the Punjab College of Art & Design (PUCAD) for the first time came together to organise a single exhibition across two institutions titled ‘Ra’naai-e-Khayal-o-Khat’: an exhibition in collaboration.
The exhibition was inaugurated on Pakistan’s Independence Day at the Grand Hall of UCAD by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) Chairperson Prof Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar.
The event was hosted by NCA VC Prof Dr Murtaza Jafri, PU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Ali and PUCAD Principal Prof Dr Samina Nasim.
A completely unconventional approach was adopted while curating the display of Ra’naai-e-Khayal-o-Khat by faculty members Baber Baig, Ali Baba, Muhammad Akif Suri, Sajid Khan, Saad Ahmed, Ahsen Asif and others. The exhibition itself is a spatial composition rather than a collection of artworks.
The event was attended by guests of honour Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, Prof Dr Asghar Nadeem Syed, faculty artists, students and art enthusiasts. The show will be on display till September 3, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.
Independence Day celebrations were also held at the NCA with faculty, staff and guests, and the Shakir Ali Auditorium echoed with patriotic melodies and a collective love for the country.
Chief Guest Prof Akhtar and guest of honours Prof Kamran, Prof Ali, Prof Nasim, Prof Zaidi, Prof Masud, and others were hosted by NCA VC Prof Jafri and Mrs Fatima Murtaza. While the performances by students and faculty from the music department struck all the right notes, the warmth and enthusiasm of the audience made the evening truly special.
Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2026