People started pouring in the most on the second day of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) 2019 on Saturday. Day 2 of the annual LLF began with a talk session on artist Farida Batool’s work which is on display at the Alhamra Art Centre’s Art Gallery. The session titled Kahani Ek Shehr Ki had four renowned panelists Adeela Suleman, Naazish Ataullah, Ambreen Karamat and Farida Batool herself to discuss the political and personal in Batool’s art. The talk began at 11am and was moderated by Rabeya Jalil in Hall 3.
Some of Batool’s work which is displayed in Alhamra’s Art Gallery can be seen in the pictures.
It was heart warming to see people thronging the premises and filling the halls.
The first question of the session was put forth to Batool addressing how the personal and the political have subverted her practice as an artist. Nazish Attaulah on the other hand, discussed the period of the 1980s, anti-women establishment stance and the formation of Women’s Action Forum. She also talked about her time at the National College of Arts as a practitioner where the majority of the faculty was actually male; she also spoke on the slow transition of modern art into contemporary art.
The session took place in the morning from 11am to 12pm.
The second session which excited us the most was titled Modern Pasts, Connected Futures – Exploring The Progressive Artists Of South Asia.
It was held in the afternoon from 12:15pm to 1:15pm.
Eminent painter and printmaker Nazish Attaulah discussed the period of the ‘80s, anti-women establishment stance and the formation of WAF. She also talked about her time at NCA as a practitioner where the majority of the faculty was actually male; she also spoke on the slow transition of modern art into contemporary art
Zehra Jumabhoy of the Courtald Institute Of Art, London, art patron Taimur Hassan and Conor Macklin of the Grosvenor Gallery, London with moderator Samina Iqbal discussed the work of artist Souza and the art scene in London. Hassan Taimur talked about how he gradually developed his interest in art collection from a young age looking at empty walls.
The leading art critics and historians from the west said in the panel that the artists of South Asia especially from the sub-continent were progressive and secular as depicted from their art work. During the session, the art historians highlighted the masterpiece art works of legends from the sub-continent on both sides of the border. The session was moderated by professional artists and one of Pakistan’s leading art historians Samina Iqbal in which she talked about the artists who were part of the Lahore Art Circle- a group of Pakistan’s early days’ artists founded in 1952. She talked about the work of Pakistani legends including Shakir Ali, Ahmed Pervaiz and Anwar Jalal Shemza in her discussion. Samina, who has her PhD dissertation in Modern Art of Pakistan: Lahore Art Circle 1947-1958 said that the modern art is deeply connected on both sides of the borders even today as both the countries were very rich in the form of art from the day one. Lahore Art Circle was founded in 1952 in Pakistan and there was Bombay Art Council in India that was founded the same day when the partition of sub-continent happened, she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Zehra Jumabhoy of the Courtauld Institute of art London said that the artists from both the countries of South Asia (Pakistan and India) have deep connections with each other and it can be gauged through examining their work.
“The artists of India were secular and the work of Pakistani artists shows that they were also progressive although they didn’t use the word ‘secular’,” said art critic and historian Zehra, who has a PhD in Indian art and nationalism. The Progressive Artists’ Group was formed by six founder members including FN Souza, SH Raza, MF Husain, KH Ara, HA Gade and SK Bakre and almost all of them got huge recognition in the Western world, she said. She also termed the legendary MF Husain as the ‘poster-boy’ of secularism in the world. Talking about the secularism, she said that the separation of religion and state is termed as secularism in the west but this definition is not applicable in most countries of the South Asia. She also thanked the audience of Lahore for such a discussion as she wondered that if she can speak in such a way in Delhi.
Art Patron Taimur Hassan said in the panel discussion that it is still a mystery for him that the glimpses of partition of sub-continent cannot be seen in the work of artists as compared to the writers who have discussed the pain of that time in their literary work and critics should also analyse it.
“I started collecting the art work only to fill up my empty walls and then it became my obsessive pursuit and passion,” he said while talking about his artistic journey. He was of the view that the art history of India and Pakistan is part of generations. I only collected the art irrespective of India or Pakistan as I gave importance to the art only, he said.
The owner and director of Grosvenor Gallery London Conor Macklin said in the discussion that they were only progressive and secular artists and they had nothing to do with the politics. Talking about the legends of sub-continent, he said that FN Souza, Sadequain and Shemza got massive recognition in the western world.
“Pakistan’s Sadequain spent successful time in Paris and his self-portrait of Eiffel Tower is still discussed there that shows the relevancy of the great artist,” he concluded.
LLF is an international literary festival held annually in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The festival is considered to be one of South Asia’s premier cultural events.
LLF 2015 drew over 75,000 visitors to the halls and grounds of Alhamra Arts Centre to hear various Punjabi, Pakistani and international speakers including Romila Thapar, Abdullah Hussein, Ayesha Jalal, Asma Jahangir, Eve Ensler, Roger Cohen, Mohsin Hamid, Laurent Gayer, Rahul Singh, Hameed Haroon, Yasmine El Rashidi, Naseeruddin Shah, Joe Sacco, Romesh Gunesekera, Ziauddin Sardar, Osman Samiuddin, Mushtaq Soofi, and Aminatta Forna.