BOOK REVIEWS: Dialogue between art and society

The publication presented a wide and comprehensive view of contemporary art practices in Pakistan. It commemorates a milestone in building awareness about contemporary Pakistani art by Abid Merchant. He began Sanat Initiative for this purpose and want local contemporary art to be known and understood not only in Karachi alone but throughout Pakistan and then also globally.
Contemporary art is socially relevant and a good means of communication between people and society. Mostly art in our society is ignored due to lack of awareness and interest. Here art only means a beautiful painting hanging in a drawing room to match the colour of curtains and sofa set. So it is difficult for people to understand a contemporary piece of art. Therefore contemporary art is being ignored or just not appreciated.
Abid wanted to create a dialogue between art and society. The fifty shows at the gallery were well documented so an archive of evolution of contemporary art in Pakistan is created by compiling this volume. Hence the publication contains over 100 essays, interviews, reviews and writings by prominent art writers and critics from Pakistan and abroad of fifty shows in twenty-nine months, starting with an introductory essay by Quddus Mirza and an interview of Abid Merchant, the director of Sanat Initiative Gallery. The book contains photographs of the artworks by the artists who used the gallery's platform to show their artworks along with related writings.
The front and back cover of the book is enhanced by the picture of "Art Cash Hard Cash", 2015 instalment by artist Muhammad Zeeshan.
"I often say not everything that is art can or will sell and not everything that sells is necessarily art," explained Abid Merchant.
Since 1970s when a small segment of population understand art and a fraction of that population afford to collect that art. Now the scenario has changed. According to Abid, "Today's collector doesn't seek pretty pictures that will simply adorn their walls. Today's collector often researches and does their homework or comes into the gallery with lots of questions about the artist and their work."
Sanat Initiative has changed the relationship between gallery and artist. "Working through galleries allows artists to come in direct contact with a pool of serious collectors, who also play a role in making the artist's careers and even set the price that an artist can fetch."
Diversity of forms and expressions make up art. Our artists will respond to the changes of our society and to globalization. As Art responds to society current events, economics, politics, social trends will continue to influence the artists working across all the fine arts.
Titled 'Well Directed' (2016), photo etching, serigraph & watercolor on paper, 38x28 cm (image with details attached), an artwork of critically and internationally acclaimed visual artist Muhammad Zeeshan comes with the limited edition of 50 hardbound copies of book. It was his first ever work he made after graduating from the prestigious NCA Lahore in 2003. Zeeshan's works are also a part of the permanent collection of British Museum, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.