LAHORE: A three-day exhibition featuring arts, crafts, sculpture and antique items collected by Shoaib Bin Aziz started at Studio O on Thursday. Mehmil, an organisation of art, craft and antiques, has organised the exhibition. Punjab government spokesperson Malik Ahmad Khan was the chief guest at the opening ceremony. At the exhibition, art pieces prepared by wood, brace and other metals along with antiques were displayed. However, antiques remained the center of attraction for visitors belonging to all fields of lives including teachers, students and media professionals. While talking to Daily Times, Malik Ahmad Khan said that it was an excellent collection which showed that Shoaib had collected all these things with a keen interest. “Shoaib Bin Aziz has always been a good collector of such items specially antiques,” he said. Malik said that Punjab government had always supported arts and cultural activities and such events actually depicted the real face of society. He said that the government would continue supporting and promoting such events. Talking about the exhibition, daughter of Shoaib Bin Aziz said that her father was very keen on collecting sculptures and antiques and wherever he visited he always brought antiques with him. She further said that this exhibition was produced by local artists and this was very first time that any such collection made by local artists was exhibited. “According to my father’s wishes, only those items are put on display that have been prepared by local artists,” she said. In her comments regarding the exhibition and Mehmil, Art Professor Salima Hashmi said that Lahore was a beloved city. “It is a beloved city because it gives rise to ideas, new ones, but it also transforms old ideas. From times in memorial, it has nurtured great people, great craftsman, great thinkers, great makers of beautiful things who continue until a day in the form, many forms to give us joy today,” she said. “The newest venture – called Mehmil – also reflects this long-rooted desire for human beings to excel in the making of things,” she said. Renowned architect and artists Nayyar Ali Dada stated that the areas of sculpture and craft had always remained neglected. “Therefore, the work which is being displayed in this regard is totally new as this would overcome the gap in this side of art. I believe that Mehmil’s exhibition is part of the revival of this sector of art,” he said. Writer, novelist and critic Mustansar Hussain Tarrar said that art and craft was the skill of hand which was most in this region. He said that there was a need to recreate art and craft as per the modern horizons just like history, which was recreated. “Therefore, Mehmil took this initiative to recreate this sector. For people like us, this initiative is a good business. Therefore Mehmil should continue it,” he said. Published in Daily Times, January 19th 2018.