Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: November 26, 2021 | 
| 中文
(L to R) Savari and Memory by Zahra Asim
When Amad Mian and his wife Waliya, a young couple of Pakistani origin who spent most of their lives in Dubai, came to tie the knot in Pakistan earlier this year, they were unaware that the fascinating art and culture of this country will prevent them from leaving anytime soon. The couple had visited Pakistan before but mostly on short trips to meet their family members. Since all flights were cancelled due to the pandemic, the couple began to ponder on how they could contribute to the promotion of Pakistan’s culture. Under the banner of Dastaangoi, which literally means ‘storytelling’, Amad and Waliya began arranging online events in which prominent artists and intellectuals were invited to discuss subjects pertaining to the cultural heritage of Pakistan. They soon started their merchandising lines with products that featured quintessential Pakistani craft-lines, such as beeswax candles and henna designs. Amad, who is also a founding partner of Karavan, a Venture Capital firm, decided to promote Pakistani art and artists. Dastaangoi recently concluded its first two-week long residency programme for five young artists, who were selected after a competitive process.
Artists working at Dastaangoi art gallery
‘Since we were confined to my grandparents’ farm in Islamabad, we started using digital technology to hold online discussions and events around various themes, with artists and intellectuals. It was an endeavor for discovering the heritage of Pakistan through a contemporary lens. An art residency idea was always at the back of our mind. We had the space that could be used to host and build a community of artists and inspire their creativity. I brought some of our friends, who were connected to the art world internationally, on board as advisers and we decided to set up an art residency for young Pakistani artists,’ Amad shares. The Board of Advisers of Dastaangoi includes: Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Pablo Del Val, Artistic Director at Art Dubai, Sunny Rahbar, Founder of The Third Line, a Dubai-based gallery, eL Seed, a French-Tunisian street artist whose works incorporate traditional Arabic calligraphy, Sarmad Khoosat, Director, Actor and Filmmaker and Rami Farook, curator, and artist from Dubai.
Acceptance by Dinal Jalil
The couple received over 170 applications from across the globe in response to their initial call for artists to enroll in this residency. ‘The response was overwhelming but as a start, we decided to keep the selection of artists limited to Pakistan only. Then the board of experts selected five artists for the first batch. The design of the residency itself was laissez-faire and artists had full freedom to gravitate towards anything that inspired them. We did line up some art mentors, from around the world, to talk to them. The idea was to offer this group of artists an environment where they would naturally be inclined to create art,’ Amad stated.
The Cactus by Maryam Baniasadi
Artists such as Maryam Baniasadi, Zahra Asim, Dinal Jalil, Mubashar Iqbal, and Syed Mustafa Mohsin participated in the residency and did not know each other previously, yet they formed an instant connection. A lot of dialogue, bonding and learning from peers took place during the programme. The art created during the two weeks formed a finale show titled ‘Baad-e-Saba’, which means morning breeze, at Dastaangoi.
Zahra Asim's work
Nature serves as the muse for Maryam Baniasadi, an Iranian miniaturist settled in Lahore. ‘I always paint cypress tree in my work. It is a symbol of eternality. It is always green, does not bear fruit but always stands strong. It is a very common subject in miniature art in this part of the world as well as in Iran. It is also a symbol used in the poetry of Hafez, a famous Persian poet of the fourteenth century. The title of the finale show, ‘Baad-e-Saba’, is also a term often used in his poetry. This morning breeze is a sign of good news. The nature which surrounded us during this residency inspired us to discover new dimensions to our art,’ Maryam reminisces.
Watering cans by Mustafa Mohsin
Cyanotype, a photographic printing process which produces a cyan-blue print, was often used by engineers well into the 20th century to produce copies of drawings, referred to as blueprints. Mubashar Iqbal used the same technique to depict images of moments which he captured from his surroundings. His images feature people, trees, twigs, and leaves—but his best works capture non-descript voids. ‘What really inspired me here during the residency is the abundant sunlight. This cyanotype technique was new for me as well since I was using it for the first time. I had to learn the medium here and find my subjects from my surroundings. This gave me a great sense of freedom. I was inspired by how I observed people working at the farm and their attachment to their space. I will always cherish this experience,’ Mubashar explains.
Image by Mubashar Iqbal
‘I was mostly painting small and confined interior spaces before coming here. It was initially challenging for me to get used to this open space but at the same time it was exciting. I started using text with my art, which I had never done before. The art that I created here became my personal diary of this experience in a visual form,’ shares Zahra Asim, a Lahore-based visual artist while discussing her experience at Dastaangoi. Zahra paints on brass sheets that capture recollections and experiences, just like one would do in a diary.
Dinal Jalil is the only one, out of the five, who was not formally trained as an artist. She is a graduate of a fashion school. Perhaps that is the reason why her medium and expression both remain unique and match her creative expression—with a very strong design sensibility. She has used black ink to make geometric patterns on paper and embellished the intricate designs with a gold leaf. ‘I was not doing a lot with the lines before but my art was always intricate. As a geometric artist, this is an amalgamation of things I found here in nature. These intricate designs could be seeds of a flower, folds of a mushroom, or the elaborate and intricate details that one finds on a seashell. Perhaps it was the calmness and serenity that I found during my time here that inspired me to create something which is also very soothing in its impact,’ she reflects.
Grow anywhere by Dinal Jalil.
For Syed Mustafa Mohsin, light and its’ interaction with environment and objects was a great source of inspiration since he paints landscapes, using oil paints, on linen at different times of the day. His canvases are small, almost like thumbnails, but his keen observation of the way light exposes his subjects is very strong. Mustafa explains, ‘In my paintings, I identify the harmonious relationship of colour between the earth and the sky. These ever-changing relationships of colour based on temperature, chroma and value—if found correctly—reveal an impression of a specific place, and a short moment of passing. However, the subjects are only an excuse to represent and study the effect of light for each passing day.’
Akhri Din by Mustafa Mohsin
While Dastaangoi remains a passion project for Amad and Waliya, many hope that it will continue to take on such wonderful initiatives, of collective exploration to enrich the cultural and art milieu of the country, in the future. Dastaangoi is good news for the capital, just as Baad-e-Saba heralds a new possibility.
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