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    THE MOUNTAIN ART PROJECT

    Written by: Shahana Shah | | 中文

    On the rooftop of the Gilgit-Baltistan Academy of Arts

    My hometown of Gilgit is the capital of Pakistan’s northern region that borders China. Various ethno-linguistic groups and religious sects live side by side in this city,but there islittle friendly inter-group social contact,a state of affairs which makes the security situation somewhat volatile everynow and then.The general atmosphere, though, is one of calm and serenity.The people of this area are traditional, segregated by gender and protective of their cultural identity, yet eager for progress and educational advancement.

    Faculty member Shaukat Ali working on a sculpture

    Despite being the gateway to a region with immense potential for adventure tourism,Gilgit may at first seem like a sleepy little town. Yet it offers numerous activities, even to those who are not fond of climbing or paragliding, particularly to students wishing to utilize their holidays rather than spending them passively. The culture of contribution and the spirit of giving drivea number of self-help projects. Every year there are volunteer-run ventures for community development, adult education, human resource development, career counseling and recreational activities. I was recently drawn into a rather novel endeavor in the same tradition.

    I arrived here in May this year after a day-long road journey from Islamabad over the Karakoram Highway, tired yet grateful to have escaped the heat that had pervaded the city I’d left andlooking forward to an idle vacation. Within a week of my arrival,a friend took me to an unremarkable looking building tucked out of view behind a school. A plaque announced that we were at the Gilgit-Baltistan Academy of Arts. We walked through the open door and up rough concrete stairs to a small, walled open space with a view of the mountains. A young, long-haired sculptor stood there,  listening to his student’s interpretation of the work he had assembled with a soft toy, a tyre and some other objects I could not identify. There werealso some chairs and a wooden takhta(a local,rather rustic kind of divan) covered in a red velvet cloth and mismatched cushions. Classes on fine arts and music were in progress indoors and I couldhear someone strumming on a guitar. I tookan instant liking to the atmosphere andregistered for the photography class.

    This academy is the brainchild of a local group of graduates from the National College of Arts, Lahore. One of them is my instructor, 28-year-old Sultan Ali.A lecturer at the local university, Sultan has worked asa freelance photographer and has participated in Dawn’s Photo Exhibition in Karachi. Returning home at the completion of their studies, these young people encountered social misconceptions regarding art forms, often stigmatized as sinful. It was reminiscent of what they had encountered during their early education in local institutions. He and his friends opened the academy aiming to create awareness about art and to build a “liberal platform for people from diverse backgrounds to come together.”By doing so, they “hope to end the friction between people.” They work at the academy purely as volunteer contributors.Their students pay a small amount for the lessons, and for those of them who are unable to bear complete expenses, the institution makes special concessions. The aim is not to generate profit but to introduce an appreciation of the aesthetic.The young faculty members include Rahim Khan (Musicology),Taqi Zia (Fine Arts), Abdul Rahim (Fine Arts), RozinaBano (Communication Design), FareehaNazneen (Fine Arts), Naseerudin (Guitarist) and Shaukat Ali (Sculpture).

    Despite the enthusiasm, it was difficult to start such a project in a place with delicate religious, ethnic and social sensibilities. Sultan agrees that official political support is essential to operate the place.“Ideas can’t work otherwise, no matter how good they are,” he says. Fortunately, the academy has procured government backing.Taqi Zia’s sister is the provincial Minister for Culture, Tourism and Youth, and she was instrumentalinhelping to smooth out the process. Even so, the institution became fully functional only this May,though work had started on it much earlier in January. Despite delays due to sectarian violence and subsequent curfews, the project eventually took off successfully.

    Perhaps the most remarkable thing about these young artists is notthat they work for free or that they are eager to share knowledge with their community - both fairly common trends here - but that they have managed to create a comfortable space for young girls and boys to dabble in color, clay and sound in a place where co-education and appreciation of art itself are rare. There has even been resistance to co-education at the university in Gilgit, but the as yet small scale of the academy has saved it from socio-political victimization on this account. “We’ll deal with it if and when that happens,” Sultan smiles. It is a careful balance of things that gives the place promise of long-term future growth. Currently, only three-month certificate courses are being offeredbut there are hopes of making it grow into a degree-awarding institution in a decade or so. The number of students is small at present but the academy hasdefinitelyfound a niche to fill. The studentscome from all ethnicities, mostlyteenagers from reputable schools, some of them preparing to enter the NCA. Maryam, 16 and a design student, says, “I like to design and draw, and this class helps me a lot. There are few people here but that makes learning less rushed and more fun.&rdquo

    And it is not only teenagers discovering their artistic side. Some of Sultan’s colleagues from the university have also enrolled inthe academy. One of them is Samina,a linguistics teacher. Shelearns the guitar every evening after work and values the time she spends here. For her, the place is a refreshing change from the formal academic environment of her workplace, and affords her an opportunity to relax as well asdiscuss art and literature with friends. The very enthusiasm in the place is contagious and you can see it even in the way students and instructors enjoy a song together after a day’s session, everyone joining in the vocals or with an instrument.

    It is too early to expect major social change but it is not difficult to envisage the Gilgit-Baltistan Academy of Arts as a strong future institution, both preserving local culture as well as bringing it in contact with wider influences. The young people running it have more than enough courage to initiate and foster something as beautiful yet fragile as art in a harsh mountainenvironment where people have learnt to be tough in order to survive. The harmony and inclusion that the academy promotes also give it a utilitarian dimension which is sure to benefit the diverse communities living here.

    All images have been provided by Sultan Ali


    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