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    In Plain Sight: New Perspectives on Everyday Life

    Exhibition In Plain Sight at Satrang Art Gallery

    Written by: Ismail Umar
    Posted on: August 29, 2015 |

    The exhibition featured paintings by four young female artists

    An exhibition of paintings featuring the work of four female artists, Sanie Shoaib Bukhari, Sidra Asim, Zahra Asim and Zoha Khan, opened at the Satrang Art Gallery, Serena on Thursday. Aptly titled In Plain Sight, the exhibition offers a unique outlook on simple, universally recognizable items that are common to almost every household.

    “These artists play with their audience’s sensibilities and memories. They are motivated by factors ranging from an active interest in their surroundings to the modern world’s inability to survive without these innocuous objects”, said Zahra Khan, curator of the show. “Their work is the critical appreciation and active observation of daily life.”

    Sanie Bokhari adds amazing depth to her artworks by using delicate, translucent organza and acrylic glass over photographs. She uses a variety of mediums that diversify her work, including wood, cloth and mirrors. “I synthesize my surroundings into my artwork by selecting chunks of architecture which portray domestic life as an inherent part of identity”, she says. “My art is meant to invoke a sense of uncertainty, which is meant to inspire me and the spectator to think beyond our humanly constructs.”

    Exhibition In Plain Sight at Satrang Art Gallery

    Zahra Asim presents her paintings in the form of mini-snapshots of ordinary scenes, consisting of everyday objects in routine settings. In order to give the viewer a feeling of overcrowded space, she works on a small scale, giving attention to every little detail. “I have an extraordinary memory. I spent my entire life in congested environments”, says Asim. “It used to bother me a lot, but with the passage of time, I’ve started turning romantic and nostalgic for it”.

    Zoha Khan’s work focuses on inanimate, mechanical objects and their increasing hold on human society. She feels very strongly about the topic. “In this world of technological advancement, we invest in mechanical and digital objects to create comforts which we can no longer live without”, she says. “Our dependence on them creates a relationship whose presence outweighs the value of social and human worth. They no longer hold meaning as inanimate objects, but, ironically, as beings”.

    Sidra Asim depicts the peculiarities of commonplace objects and situations by highlighting the idiosyncrasies that often go unnoticed in daily life. “I create my own realities in the form of painted stage sets by drawing on the diversity of my surroundings, with a particular fascination concerning movements as a condition of ongoing change”, says Asim.

    Exhibition In Plain Sight at Satrang Art Gallery

    Asma Khan, director of Satrang Gallery, commented on the artworks as well: “These artists highlight corners and aspects of everyday life that are often overlooked and ignored, but are remarkably recognizable and familiar”.

    The exhibition will continue at the Satrang Gallery for a month.


    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