Islamabad:National heritage and culture minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi on Thursday inaugurated the painting and art exhibition “Saqi Nama”, a tribute to Pakistan’s national poet and philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal, featuring works by acclaimed artists Geytee Ara, Lubna Jehangir and Zara Haider Babry, and said presenting Iqbal’s thought and philosophy through art was a unique and effective way of taking his message to wider audiences.
“Efforts will be made to showcase such artworks at exhibitions abroad to introduce Iqbal’s message to audiences worldwide,” he told the inaugural ceremony at the Lok Virsa Heritage Museum here. The exhibition was organised by the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) in collaboration with Off-Grid Studios.
Appreciating the artworks on display, the minister said he was pleased to see the remarkable work produced by the participating artists, who had skillfully transformed Allama Iqbal’s poetry and message into distinctive artistic expressions. He said the artworks were of a high standard and could stand alongside some of the finest works exhibited internationally.
Khichi said selected pieces would be preserved, while efforts would also be made to display them at exhibitions abroad to present Allama Iqbal’s thought and message to the world through a unique and effective medium.
Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Muhammad Waqas Saleem welcomed the holding of the exhibition, saying it has offered an artistic reflection of Allama Iqbal’s ideas and philosophy. He said the exhibition’s primary objective was to take Iqbal’s message to a wider audience and present his thought in a form accessible to people beyond traditional literary circles.Renowned artist Geytee Ara outlined the objectives of the exhibition and spoke about her creative journey and the challenges she faced while completing the unique artistic project.
