Daily Times

A two-month ‘Portraiture and Expressionism’ art training workshop was launched in Islamabad on Tuesday at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). The workshop will be led by artist Amina Ansari.

The workshop aims to train and educate participants about ‘Portraiture and Expressionism’. Ansari, an enthusiastic and flexible artist with a background in Fine Arts is strongly committed to diversity and equality. She has an understanding of different cultures and is passionate about combing Western and Eastern artistic forms through her works with scientifically and psychology of colours at its extreme. Ansari plays with fulsome energy with heavy strokes, knife work and as well, in extravagant manner.

The workshop will be led by Amina Ansari, who is an enthusiastic and flexible artist. She has a background in Fine Arts and is strongly committed to diversity and equality

Ansari studied at the Central Saint Martin’s, London College of printing and the (NCA) National College of Arts in Lahore and has two paintings at the Windsor Castle’s in a collection to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Jubilee.

The class in portraiture will be held every Tuesday and the expressionism class on Thursdays.

The participants will be awarded certificates on completion of two months course. Later, an exhibition will be organised in the concluding ceremony of the two-month workshop.

Workshop for puppet-making:

Meanwhile, Pakistan National Council of the Arts, National Puppet Theatre (PNCA, NPT) is organising training workshop for students to instruct them in the centuries-old folk art of puppet making.

Students belonging to various educational institutions will take part in a range of special workshops, including, how to make puppets, handling, operating of puppets, light sound and puppet sets.

“The puppet shows also depict folk tales and skits to entertain children and to educate them about social problems including health, education, environment etc. these puppet shows are conscious efforts to explain socio-cultural issues and nurture a sense of responsibility among children to combat evils like pollution” a PNCA official said.

NPT teams also organise annual shows to highlight important international events like Earthquake Victims Day, Kashmir Solidarity Day, Pakistan Day celebrations, Independence Day celebrations, World Tourism Day and Universal Children Day and Quaid-e-Azam Day celebrations.

The NPT has a vast collection of handmade puppets. Most of these were built by NPT apprentices and former trainees.

Folk art is an ancient art form, thought to have originated about 3,000 years ago. Puppets have been used since the earliest times to animate and communicate the ideas and needs of human societies.

The NPT also introduced modern techniques to this ancient art, like moving the puppets’ eyes, mouths and other parts, making them seem even more animated,

There are still a number of puppeteers and young artistes, who love and value this ancient art.

Published in Daily Times, July 18^th 2018.