For Art’s Sake
August 28th, 2007 by Anindita Sengupta
There’s cause to rejoice for liberal forces in a conservative nation. After many postponements and delays, Pakistan’s National Art Gallery opened to the public this week with an exhibit of 600 works. The idea of having a national art gallery was first mooted 25 years ago and its taken half a century of persistence for it to see the light of day. Even more significantly, the Ministry of Culture has promised there will be no censorship.
Sprawling over 1800 square yards, the National Art Gallery is located in Islamabad. The massive project includes 14 galleries with adjacent display areas, lecture halls, workshops and storage facilities, a laboratory, a library, a cafeteria and an auditorium. According to this report:
The interior space is white with warm accents such as a brick-paved ramp leading to the mezzanine, and a few areas with wood detailing on the ceiling. An auditorium and a rooftop courtyard are surrounded by delicate arches.
The exterior is made almost entirely of brick — a rare choice in an era of new museums around the world constructed with large concrete or stone slabs.
Some of the art on display reflects classic concerns of Pakistani society. A miniature painting by Waseem Ahmed entitled ‘Burqa’ has the reclining Venus in a gauzy, transparent burqa, gazing into a mirror that reflects apples, clearly making references to the position of women in Pakistani society and concepts like narcissism and temptation. From this website:
The Burqa symbol is used to explore the validity of the veil in a patriarchal society, especially with reference to gender bias and the prevalent East West disparity in thought and action regarding feminist issues.
A sculpture by Khalil Chishtee, constructed entirely of white plastic bags, depicts a woman walking a tightrope, with a man below with his head turned up toward her, “apparently held in position by a thread tugging his nose skyward”. Interestingly, it’s called ‘Your Success, My Failure’ and provokes questions about gender disparity and its implications. You can take a look at it here.
Art plays a crucial role in examining society and in challenging or subverting accepted norms. But to do this, it needs freedom. The opening of the gallery is huge step in the right direction. Whether or not conservative forces will stay out of the workings of the gallery and artists will continue to enjoy this level of new-found freedom is something that we will have to wait and watch.