Sunday, April 21, 2024 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM | Top Floor, Academic Block, LUMS
تارِ حریرِ دو رنگ
...tār-e-ḥarīr-e-do rang (the silk twine of dual hues) A creative interpretation of Iqbal's Urdu and Persian Poetry
The Gurmani Centre has been holding an art exhibition every semester where eminent artists are invited to showcase their work in the academic block corridors. The Spring 2024 exhibition featured a travelling exhibition of two renowned artists, Amna Manzoor (a miniature specialist) and Shah Abdullah Alamee (a master calligrapher), held in collaboration with the Tanzara Gallery in Islamabad. Each artwork displayed was a collaborative creation by the artist duo and presented aesthetic interpretations of Allama Iqbal’s Urdu and Persian poetry selections. A panel talk preceded the opening where Amna Manzoor and Shah Abdullah were joined by Professor Salima Hashmi (artist and art educationist), Professor Nazish Attaullah (artist and art educationist), Noshi Qadir (curator and owner of Tanzara Gallery), Dr Nadhra Shahbaz Khan (Director, Gurmani Centre), and Dr Fatima Fayyaz (Professor of Persian, LUMS). Professor Hashmi appreciated the artists for their collective creative efforts and gave an overview of their artistic journeys at the National College of Arts. Professor Attaullah mentioned Shah Abdullah’s time spent in Iran, his efforts in learning from Iranian artists and the progress of his work as a result of these experiences. Both Salima Hashmi and Nazish Attaullah recognised the remarkable efforts of the artist duo in putting their egos aside and engaging in collaborative work. Noshi Qadir talked about how she brought the two artists together and their novel approach of using literary themes in their work. Dr Nadhra Khan briefly introduced the Gurmani Centre’s philosophy of promoting regional languages and literature and appreciated Shah Abdullah and Amna Manzoor for choosing LUMS to showcase their admirable work. Dr Fatima Fayyaz moderated the session and offered a brief context of Iqbal’s poetry, especially his poem titled “Masjid-e Qartaba,” the inspiration behind this exhibition.
Watch a recording of the panel talk below or on the GCLL Facebook page.