The weather has become definitely cooler but suffocatingly humid. Mango, the king of fruits is flooding the market in all varieties and shapes. World is really getting smaller as the tremors of London bomb blasts were felt in our capital.
The never ending hunt for the terrorists with focus on the religious seminaries this time is the order of the day. One only wishes that instead of always working backwards, there was some institutionalised way of dealing with terrorism. We should not be waiting for the next bomb blast to happen. Dealing with this menace should be an ongoing process.
The first event was a presentation of paper on Human Rights policy in Faraz's poetry by Professor Saleem Mirza. It was jointly organised by the Centre for Democratic Development of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Zhawiya and Islamabad Cultural Forum. Ahmed Faraz's popularity can be judged from the number of people who came to attend the session despite the stifling heat of the summer afternoon. There were a number people who analysed Faraz's poetry and eulogised the poet's contribution to Urdu literature and National Book Foundation.
The poet himself in a revolutionary frame of mind asked the intellectuals, poets and writers to stand up to the despotic rulers and highlight the exploitation of the poor by using the power of pen.
The poems that Ahmed Faraz read were radical in content highlighting the hypocrisy of present day rulers who sell their freedom and independence for materialistic gains. The poet recalled the time of General Zia-ul-Haq, when during a mushaira in London; some African poets recited some inspiring poems. It was a time when Nelson Mandela had raised his voice against black apartheid and Faraz himself had written a fiery poem Mushaira for which he was exiled from the country.
Faraz described his tenure as the Managing Director of the National Book Foundation (NBF) as a man not controlling but "being controlled by it".
Professor Khwaja Masud was profuse in his admiration of the poet. He said that Faraz took control of the sinking ship of the NBF in 1994 and brought it to an even keel. Professor Masud said Faraz was the voice of the collective conscience of the people after Faiz and N.M Rashid. Faraz had qualities of a great administrator notwithstanding that usually poets live in a world of their own and do not make good executives.
Professor Masud quoting a Quranic verse said that Faraz performed a unique social service by introducing the facility of membership of Readers Club in the NBF through which books were available at half the rates to the members of the Foundation across the country.
Professor Ishfaq Saleem Mirza described Faraz's poetry as balanced reflecting the inner equanimity of the poet. He mentioned that the great Urdu writer Prem Chand had said that those societies in which people were unable to give vent to their inner turmoil often witnessed disharmony, hate and enmity among their own people.
He said that Prem Chand defined a literary figure as a restless being for observing the subjugation of the people. His role in the society is working for the salvation of his people through his writings without the fear of repercussions. Professor Mirza said that Faraz aptly fits into that definition.
Professor Fateh Mohammad Malik, Chairman National Language Authority felt honoured to be invited to such a gathering where he was counted as a contemporary of Faraz. He said that Roomi explained that every person, even a mediocre, possesses a great inner being.
This same inner self has been termed as Khudi by Iqbal and has been the subject of discussion by great poet Aatish as well. He said Ahmed also has that inner self called Faraz. Whereas, Ahmed wanted to do what's expedient while Faraz questioned the cruel norms of society and was a voice of resistance. He said that Faraz superceded Ahmed in the poet's life and proved to be a force of resistance rejecting submission to the lure of perks and privileges.
It was a goodly gathering of people from diverse backgrounds. The attendees were definitely motivated and inspired by the poetry of Ahmed Faraz.
The second event was an exhibition of paintings, titled "We: The Subjects of Surroundings" organised by Hunerkada at Marriott Hotel. The artist, Hilal Hussain philosophised the theme of the exhibition in these words: "This is about us; this is about the happiness and sorrow, and about the truth which reflects out of our expressions and gestures. No matter, who we are and what we are? There is much out there to affect us, to make or break that we may or may not want or wish to be."
"This is not just the unaware environment, indifferent circumstances, or odd situations that we are helpless to. There is a long line of codes, constraints and conflicts: dictates of dogmas and creeds, sectarian doctrines, convictional prejudices, intolerable taboos, cultural differences, ethnical and racial clashes, socio-economic restrictions - there is no end to it."
"The ethics of any kind, right or wrong, is not in question here. The point to make is very simple: all that exists around is quite enough for an individual to be suppressed. Above and beyond, this set-up is even worse for those who are aware of the objective rational age that we live in; and have a bit of wisdom and a shred of sensibility."
"In this context, we are a part and parcel of surroundings, neither above nor below, just a belonging. This is what this work and its theme is about, which is why my figures are merging, dissolving inside and not emerging, standing outside of the canvas."
"Human race as a whole is the most dominating being in all that exists. But this altruistic perception of human aspect should not be confused with the egoistic problem of a transitory individual that I am trying to project here." The artist has tried to highlight the individuality of a person for which many have cried, gone mad, and even have died for.
"Nothing makes me feel more content than to finish with a painting with more or a little less than I imagined it to be. Expressing an inexpressible-otherwise, is a big sense of achievement, and this I treasure the most out of my art work.
"Mostly I do figurative work. The truth reflected out of our pains and pleasures in expressions and gestures is something, which has fascinated me ever since. This engenders an urge in me to capture and manifest the moments that we live; the moments we value and regret; the moments we wish to keep or forget, and we often could not."
"Subject matter and the overall impact is all that interests me. And I do care about harmony and balance more than the choice of colours and do not bother much about the three-dimensional dramatic effects."
"Oil goes well with my idle turns and vigorous surges of my mood and temperament. Sometimes I move with caution and care like when I sketch or handle a coarse element, but mostly I try to use the unconscious and work from within with spontaneous brush and knife strokes, scattered spatters, and instinctive splashes over the canvas in different stages and layers."
It has taken the artist years to develop some virtuosity and to learn what really art is all about. He is self taught and takes pride in the originality of his style, technique and ideas. His freelance work has been developed through experimenting giving it a personalised touch that he truly values.
His academic background is in mathematics. He believes that only a mathematician can paint a picture of absolute truth and its physical representation can be seen through art. He said that Kanadisky means the same when he remarked: "The impact of an acute triangle on a sphere generates as much emotional impact as the meeting of God and Adam in Michelangelo's Creation." He admires the flexibility of art that it can accommodate the vast absurdities and abstractions of life. He feels that day to day poetry of life is something that cannot be explained by science.
His other hobby includes reading non-fiction and at times writing literary and factual pieces but is not consistent in it. He hopes to compose a book based on his scattered writings. In the past one such article, "The Leap into Modernity," was published in Dawn.
He considers himself an expressionist and loves to be appreciated.
Indeed the artist seems quite full of himself, a touch of pomposity I would say, although meeting him at the exhibition was altogether a different experience. His paintings were definitely splendid and full of meaning and depth. I wish him all the best for the future whatever that might entail.
Another week goes by. So long until next week folks.......
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