Exploring new grounds
Farhan Siddiqui
Faiza Hasan finds the fashion photography far superior than the usual
while still life and landscapes were some of the most attractive of the
lot
The recent photographic exhibition at the NCA Gallery is drawing
praises from all those who have seen it. The success of the exhibition
can be judged by the fact that it will travel to Karachi and Islamabad.
The 114 photographs shown at this show are the result of the
photographic workshop held each year at the institute under the
auspices of Jawaid Siddique, who is also incharge of the photography
department of the NCA. The best photographs from the exhibition
received special awards according to their different categories.
These workshops are held each year during the summer holidays of the
NCA and attract people from all walks of life. Most of them are
beginners and Siddique is quite proud to point out that by the time
they leave they are all as good or even better than most of the
professional photographers.
In this workshop Siddique started from the basics like exposing and
developing, going on for different kinds of photography like portrait,
landscape, fashion and product photography. To those who had some basic
knowledge of the field, he taught more advanced and specialized
techniques like "tone separation" and photo tinting.
Siddique claims that this was the first time in Pakistan that
photography students were taught the art of fashion photography. "In
Pakistan anyone who can work on a simple camera becomes a
photographer," he said. He insisted that fashion photography was a
specialized field that needed proper training like the effective use of
light and how to express different moods and expressions of the models
through the lens.
"In our country even a highly paid model like Amina Haq fails to be
expressive in her photographs. We used ordinary girls as models but I
can easily say that they look much better than any top model," he said
challengingly.
Siddique has a point. The fashion photographs on display at the
exhibition are not stilted like our usual magazine fare but are full of
life and energy. In this regard the photographs worth mentioning are
those by M Asif, M Ali and Arshad Baig whose beaming women have an
earthy and real quality to them that places them far above our usual
painted mannequins. Needless to say the trio received the first prize
for fashion photography.
Product photography was one of the new additions to the workshop, which
also produced good results. Out of the lot Rana Umar with his bronze
and gold photograph of piles of money deservedly received an award for
the best product photography.
Though product and fashion photography explored new grounds, it was the
still life and landscapes that were some of the most attractive of the
lot. Junaid Rana's black and white photograph of darkened mud stairs,
with its play of dark and light had an aura of quiet mystique. But
Farjad Nabi's series of photographs were beautiful slices of life from
various parts of Lahore. Some of the black and white photographs were
blotched and smeared with finger prints, water giving passion and
intensity to the pictures.
The exhibition will end in Lahore on Sept 22.
At the other end of the town at the Shakir Ali Museum was another
exhibition, this time of paintings by two young artists, Fareeha Usman
and Iqbal Ahmed Khokar. This combined exhibition was an experimentation
in different mediums like oil, pastels, sketches and etchings.
The bulk of Iqbal Khokar's work, who did his Masters in Fine Arts from
Punjab University, was in oil. His "Anarkali" with its thick brown oil
strokes showed a typical Lahori cafe. Another oil painting worth
mentioning was the larger than life "Preaching," in which the artist
captured the spirituality and mysticism of a local mosque.
Khokar had used pastels for most of his portraits, of which the dark
and brooding "Portrait of an old man" and "Portrait of a young man"
have a particular vulnerability and uncertainty which makes them
special. Khokar has also made interesting coloured etchings of Punjab
University.
Housed in the same room, Fareeha Usman also hails from Punjab
University. Her paintings were not too different from Khokar's work. Of
her oil work, "Sunder gate" with its bright orange, yellow and blue
layers of thick oil smudges is a riot of bright colours. Her pastel
landscapes, placed right next to the oils, seem pale and faded in
comparison.
Her work in wood cut were some of the most interesting pieces in the
exhibition. She has also experimented with aqua tint and in this
case "Agony of line," and the three pieces, one in green, one in black
and one in brown, entitled "Symphony of Past" stand out from the rest.
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Farhan Siddiqui
Anum Saleem
As the first post-autonomy batch graduates from the Government College
Lahore, its principal says there has been no instance of a student
being unable to continue his studies because of the fee factor
The Government College has undoubtedly been one of the most prestigious
institutions of this country and has produced thinkers, politicians,
scientists and generations of engineers, doctors, bureaucrats and
people working in other fields. It has also produced a number of
writers, dramatists and people working in the related fields of arts.
Since January 1993, the institution has been headed by Dr. Khalid
Aftab. "When I took over as the principal I had to take very strict
steps, much to my displeasure, to set things right," said Dr. Aftab
while talking to TNS. "While the college managed to overcome the
problems after some time, the real challenge that me and my colleagues
accepted was to transform the Government College into a centre of
excellence. For that we needed freedom of action. So we started to
lobby with the government that we should be given the degree awarding
status and after almost four years, in June 1997, the Punjab Assembly
passed a bill giving autonomy to the College.
"After the college got autonomy we had the huge task of revising the
courses and evolving a term system. By the grace of God we succeeded in
our efforts and the first batch graduated in August this year."
Talking about the recent introduction of the Information Technology
Centre at Government College Lahore, Dr Aftab said that he intended to
start the bachelors programme in Computer Sciences by October this
year. "Apart from that we have initiated the M. Phil programme in
chosen disciplines, which will be followed by a Ph.D soon. Besides we
are also very keen to start a Business Department but the delay is due
to the shortage of qualified faculty. We are training 25 instructors on
our campus and are looking for people in visiting and permanent
capacities."
The Government College has expanded in the last many years and there
often arises a need for more rooms. Recently GC's request to the
government about the acquisition of law department at Old Campus Punjab
University was turned down. The principal said they had been
negotiating with the officials that since the university had lots of
buildings at the New Campus, the law college building at the Old Campus
should be given to GC under some sort of agreement.
About the fee which was raised immediately after the autonomy Dr. Aftab
said that it was a step forced on him by the rising inflation. "The fee
had been raised by 20 per cent per year because that was the only way
we could increase our revenues. We were in need of money to spend on
various developmental projects and there were only three ways in which
an institution like ours could generate funds. Either we could
undertake research for different industries on payment or receive
endowments by the former students or the well off people of the
society. Sadly none of them seemed to happen in our case and we were
forced to take this step.
"About the students who are not able to pay their fees, we are proud to
claim that last year we set aside Rs. 26 lakh for the financial
assistance in our annual budget, which was raised to Rs. 30 lakh this
year. There is not even a single instance of a student not being able
to continue his studies at GC because of the fee factor, permitted that
he brought the problem to college council's notice. So we have raised
the fee for the people who can afford for the benefit of those who
cannot afford. But let me assure you that we have still not moved to
the upper segment of the market, rather we have been trying to impart
quality education at affordable price."
The first post-autonomy batch which graduated in August this year had
70 per cent pass percentage. While the autonomy has reduced the burden
on the university, it has also lent a great deal towards the improved
system of GC.
With the initiation of business and computer science degrees soon, this
college promises increased competition in the public sector.
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