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    'Love Letters' Revives the Lost Art of Letter Writing at Sanat Initiative

    Written by: Nageen Shaikh
    Posted on: February 17, 2017 | | 中文

    'You Come to Me Like a Fluttering Butterfly' - Farazah Syed

    There must be something symbolic about receiving someone’s handwritten message. For within that message lies the time and thought invested not only in writing it, but also ensuring that the meaning is correctly relayed, as unlike digital communication, one has to discard the entire sheet of paper or make unaesthetic corrections in order to edit it. Before technology was so deeply rooted in our daily lives, we wrote letters to convey, to express and to communicate.

    Love, whether romantic or platonic, is one sentiment that has always had a special place in handwritten letters. And it is specifically love and the art of letter writing that a group of artists have infused in their latest exhibition, Love Letters, which opened at Sanat Initiative in Karachi on Valentine’s Day. To say that this show was a success is an understatement. The tribute to the lost art of letter writing and the preservation of memory within this exhibition is nostalgic, sentimental and highly impactful.

    Love Letters Art Exhibition at Sanat Initiative Karachi: 'Machine Performance' - Hurmat ul Ain

    'Machine Performance' - Hurmat ul Ain

    Lali Khalid has made a collection of framed artworks in paper and dried flowers, which are not only beautiful but offer depth in their simplicity. With a withered set of flowers named ‘Your Side of the Bed Lays Empty’ and a sunflower almost bowing down to the wind titled ‘Words, Only Hollow’, Khalid adorns the wall with numerous frames that follow a similar theme. On the contrary, Mohsin Shafi creates more textured works with ‘Confessions of a Secret Lover’, which consists of a pocket knife, a pebble, a book and a dried flower taken from people who were beloved to him. One can observe that the art here is neither abstract nor very aesthetic, but rather is bold and nostalgic in its meaning, which induces bittersweet emotions in the viewer.

    Love Letters Art Exhibition at Sanat Initiative Karachi: 'Confessions of a Secret Lover' - Mohsin Shafi

    'Confessions of a Secret Lover' - Mohsin Shafi

    Farazeh Syed combines photography, acrylic and collage in ‘You Came to Me like a Fluttering Buterfly’, a canvas that has a lot to offer in terms of the artwork contained within it and the depth of the meaning it conveys. Sehr Jalil makes an impact with her series on greeting cards, as within the gallery hangs an entire section of nearly 70 painted cards. Viewers could get lost in this section for a long time as each card is unique, vibrant and refreshing. It is not merely romantic love that has been covered by the artworks; memory and affection have been explored in all capacities, which is particularly evident in the works of Mohsin Shafi, Dua Abbas, Nida Bangash, Fatima Saeed and Julius John.

    Love Letters Art Exhibition at Sanat Initiative Karachi: Greeting cards by Sehr Jalil

    Greeting cards by Sehr Jalil

    With a variety of other fascinating artworks by Hurmat ul Ain, Inaam Zafar, Rabbya Naseer, Rehana Mangi, Nurjahan Akhlaq and Zohreen Murtaza, Love Letters succeeds in bringing something innovative to the table, and executes it brilliantly. While we cannot expect letter writing to make a comeback in this digital age, the show has provided us with a lens to examine this lost art all over again. Letters with excerpts, although printed, were given as takeaways to all visitors after the exhibition, which further augmented the experience. The exhibition will continue at Sanat Initiative till February 23.

    Love Letters Art Exhibition at Sanat Initiative Karachi: Artists and guests at the opening

    Artists and guests at the opening


    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