Gallery Exhibition Notice: Unseen Visions: Contemporary Painting in Pakistan

April 13 - June 11, 2008

East-West Center Gallery, Honolulu

Opening reception: Sunday, April 13, 2 p.m.

Unbeknown to many in the West, where the press tends to emphasize Pakistan’s political turmoil and violent struggle with Islamic extremism, Pakistan is a diverse and vibrant country with a lively contemporary arts scene. Now, for the first time in Hawaii, the East-West Gallery presents contemporary works by 12 important artists who epitomize the creativity, diversity, and vitality of modern Pakistan.

Curated by the EWC Gallery’s Michael Schuster and coordinated by Islamabad gallery owner and Center alumnus Dr. Arjumand Faisel, the “Unseen Visions” exhibition emphasizes contemporary issues among artists and contextualizes the works in relationship to traditional themes and motifs.

The artists featured in the exhibition are: Meher Afroz, Abrar Ahmed, Sana Arjumand, Rashid Arshed, Akram Dost, Ahmed Khan, Masood A. Khan, Ali Kazim, Mudassar Manzoor, R.M. Naeem, Ghulam Rasool and Mughees Riaz.

Birthplace of one of the oldest civilizations on earth, Mohenjodaro, Pakistan has been invaded and ruled by Aryans, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Central Asians and the British, all of whom have left a legacy of varied artistic practices. Today, Pakistani artists often combine figurative and abstract motifs to produce fascinating hybrids, despite misperceptions of Islamic prohibitions against figurative art.

In the initial years after Pakistan’s independence in 1947, most art depicted Mughal courtly traditions, romantic folk images and illustrations of poetry. In the 1950s and 1960s many artists were influenced by the modernist movements of Europe. The 1970s and 1980s saw a period of national and regional political turmoil, including war in Afghanistan to oust the Soviets. This political and social upheaval had far-reaching effects which deeply touched artists and led to the emergence of new thought-provoking imagery.

Since then, artists in Pakistan have widened the scope of their vision and work. Contemporary work deals in multiple spheres, often using historical and cultural references. Artists are not only discovering new horizons in aesthetics but aggressively displaying their responses to political issues, social problems, human rights and international injustices. While some artists focus on social issues such as women’s status, sexuality, environment, poverty and hunger, others focus on issues of spirituality, aesthetics and the natural world.

Click here to download a pdf brochure with more detailed information on the themes and approaches of the individual artists.


Special Events:
All in the EWC Gallery; admission free

Sunday, April 13, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Gala Opening Reception, including walk-through with Dr. Arjumand Faisel

Sunday, May 4, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Roundtable:  “Contemporary Events in Pakistan: Technological Developments, Role of Religion, Politics and Governance”
by Toufiq A. Siddiqi, Saleem Ahmad, and Shabbir Cheema

Sunday, May 11, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Illustrated discussion: “Women in Pakistan: Diversity and Society”
by Azeema Faizunnisa and Qudisia Mehmood, EWC Pakistani students

Sunday June 1, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Reading of Urdu and Punjabi poetry, with English translation and discussion
by Dr. Inam Ur Rahman Mani (Urdu language) and Azeema Faizunnisa (Punjabi language)

Gallery info:
East-West Center Gallery
John A. Burns Hall, 1601 East-West Road
(corner Dole St. & East-West Rd.)
Gallery hours: Weekdays: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sundays Noon-4:00 p.m.
Closed Saturdays, holidays and May 18

For further information: 944-7584
http://arts.EastWestCenter.org


The East-West Center is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. The Center contributes to a peaceful, prosperous, and just Asia Pacific community by serving as a vigorous hub for cooperative research, education, and dialogue on critical issues of common concern to the Asia Pacific region and the United States. Funding for the Center comes from the U.S. government, with additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and the governments of the region.

For 25 years the EWC Arts Program has enriched the community through concerts, lectures, symposia, and exhibitions focusing on traditional arts of the region, and by arranged cultural and educational tours by artists who are skilled in bridging cultures.

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Media Contact: Derek Ferrar
Media Relations Specialist
Phone: (808) 944-7204
Email: ferrard@EastWestCenter.org