exhibition
In recent years, educational institutions in Karachi have increasingly incorporated arts programming to expand learning beyond conventional classroom structures. This shift has also created space for collaborations between educators, curators and practicing artists.
At the centre of this development was NJV (Narayan Jagannath Vaidya) School, which recently opened ‘Muraqqa-e-Sheher’ (The City’s Album), an art exhibition that brought together academic and artistic perspectives. Curated by Romila Kareem and hosted under the leadership of Farzana Tunio, the exhibition attracted members of the art community along with media representatives.
The showcase featured a range of artists and works that examined urban life and cultural memory through visual form. It also coincided with a broader institutional shift, including the introduction of a new diploma program intended to formalize vocational arts training within the school’s structure.
Farzana Tunio’s role was highlighted in the framing of the event. She has been associated with efforts to integrate cultural preservation into academic practice, with emphasis on linking traditional skills to contemporary artistic approaches. Within this context, the exhibition was positioned as part of a longer-term educational direction rather than a standalone event. “This exhibition underscores our commitment to fostering a space where art, history and education converge,” said Farzana Tunio, advocate for cultural preservation at NJV School. “By bridging traditional craftsmanship with contemporary discourse, we are providing our students with a robust foundation to excel on a global stage.”
Featured participants included established and emerging artists such as Meher Afroz, Abdul Jabbar Gul, Furrukh Shahab, Shahana Munawwar, Adnan Mairaj, Hassnain Awais, Munawwar Ali Syed and Nusrat Khawaja. Their work collectively reflected varied interpretations of the city as subject and setting.
It also functioned as a reference point for the school’s evolving arts curriculum and its expanding engagement with the local creative community. The NJV Art and Design Department continued to frame such initiatives as part of its broader academic and cultural mandate.
Such exhibitions continued to reflect a growing alignment between classroom learning, institutional practice and the wider cultural ecosystem in the city.
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