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    'Director's Cut': Argentine Artist Gonzalo Sojo at Satrang Gallery

    Written by: Sana Shahid
    Posted on: November 02, 2016 | | 中文

    'The Sound of Music' by Gonzalo Sojo

    Art and creative expression are free from geographical and cultural bounds. A solo exhibition by an Argentine artist, Gonzalo Sojo, which was inaugurated recently at Satrang Art Gallery in Islamabad, is a testament to this. The exhibition celebrated 65 years of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Pakistan. “This is why we prioritized a celebration that would focus on cultural events – we chose to stage an exhibition of works by the widely known Argentine artist Gonzalo Sojo”, said Ivan Ivanissevich, the Ambassador of the Argentine Republic, while stressing the importance of the occasion.

    Director's Cut: Argentine Artist Gonzalo Sojo at Satrang Gallery

    'Houdini' by Gonzalo Sojo

    The exhibition proved to be a delight for art enthusiasts in the capital, and the presence of the artist at the event acted as the cherry on top. Gonzalo’s paintings were widely appreciated by the attendees for their brilliant portrayal of exquisite imagery and abstract concepts.

    “The most important constant of my art practice is appropriation”, Sojo comments on his work. He states that an artist appropriates when he adapts imagery or concepts within the limitations of his medium from popular media or foreign cultures, and revives them in his own works. Gonzalo has depicted the scenarios that he grew up with, such as cinema stilts, comic books, and cartoon characters. For him, these memories never faded away, but rather were deeply engraved in his mind over the years.

    Director's Cut: Argentine Artist Gonzalo Sojo at Satrang Gallery

    Gonzalo stands with one of his paintings

    Gonzalo has followed a minimalistic approach, with vibrant colours complementing the bold shapes that occupy his playful compositions. The vibrancy of the colours adds a sense of motion to his work, making it speak for itself. The artworks take viewers back to the mid-20th century, where characters like Alice in Wonderland, Julieta, and Maria from The Sound of Music inspired many generations. Most of us, irrespective of cultural background, have grown up with these stories and can relate to the imagery that the artist has worked with. By making use of celebrated characters from pop culture, Gonzalo’s artworks evoke a sense of nostalgia in the viewers’ minds.

    Overall, the exhibition was a great success, and all credit goes to the gallery team for their persistent work in collaboration with the Embassy of Argentina to bring an eclectic series of paintings to the art community in Islamabad. This was the first time that Gonzalo exhibited his work in Pakistan. He was overwhelmed by the public’s response, and this visit transformed his perception of the country.

    Director’s Cut will be on display for a month at Satrang Art Gallery. Gonzalo Sojo will also conduct an art workshop at the National College of Arts, Lahore, giving Pakistani art students something more to look forward to.

    Director's Cut: Argentine Artist Gonzalo Sojo at Satrang Gallery

    Guests at the inauguration

     


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021