Workshop on ‘Exploring Faiz through Art’

ISLAMABAD: Khaas Art Gallery and NuktaArt magazine are jointly organising a workshop on `Exploring Faiz through Art' here Saturday.

Harris Khalique, a well known poet with a keen understanding of Faiz's work will conduct the workshop that relates an artist to Faiz.

The workshop will facilitate artists and art students to explore Faiz in greater depth so they can participate in the Faiz Art Prize in a more meaningful way, said the organizers.

As part of the legendary poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz's centenary celebrations in 2011, being held around the globe, NuktaArt magazine has announced the Faiz Art Prize, 2011.

This coveted prize is organized by NuktaArt magazine under the umbrella of the Progressive Writers' Association, in collaboration with the Aman ki Aasha project (Pak-Indo peace project).

Deadline for submission of artworks for Faiz Art Prize is July 15.

This project aims to bring the collective expression of about 2000 artists in an exhibition at a public venue in Karachi.

"Artists' Messages to Faiz" will provide a visual and creative dimension to the poetry of Faiz, as artists from both Pakistan and India come together, the great poet's message of peace for the world will be carried forth.

The funds collected from the sales of all the Pakistani as well as Indian artists' works will be used towards rehabilitating a Potters' village in southern Punjab, in which the traditional potters have lost their homes and belongings.

Practicing artists in South Asia and also those of the same origins worldwide as art students from the two countries are eligible to participate while there is a limitation of one postcard per person.

Artists are asked to work with the title "Aap ka Paighaam, Faiz Kay Naam." The postcard is designed so that space is allocated to the image and the rest can be used for a text message.

However, this is a rough guideline, and artists should feel free to use the space according to their artistic sensibilities, to invert or redistribute the text/image ratio. Due to the nature of the Prize whose primary context is borne from texts, artists are asked to write a message for Faiz. The interpretation can be just words or any other relationship the artists would like to address.

The jury will be asked to give priority to art work that is innovative and out of the box in its approach.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011