In the soaring heat of Karachi, art enthusiasts have something to look forward to this month. A Truck Art exhibition titled ‘Off the Road’ at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) brings 62 vibrant paintings for display and purchase. While the event commenced on May 27th, it is scheduled to continue till July 20th. Part of a one-week workshop conducted at IVS earlier in May, the first five canvases put on display were by renowned artists Haider Ali and Mumtaz Ahmed, as well as teacher Gul Rez. The rest of the artworks have been created by Foundation Program students. Haider Ali and Mumtaz Ahmed are renowned for their experience with Truck Art, not just in Pakistan, but in many other countries around the world. They have travelled the globe with their art, and share an impressive collection of over 100,000 works, which include crockery, furniture and truck paintings.
Enamel on canvas, by Mumtaz Ahmad
The IVS gallery had not many visitors on a Wednesday evening, given that holidays have started on campus. In light of this, there was a certain thrill to observing these astounding works by myself in an air-conditioned gallery on a hot summer evening. The two well-lit atriums of the gallery featured colorful paintings atop walls which could not have been completed in just a week-long workshop. The intricate floral patterns, detailed scenic backgrounds and brightly worked pictures of local animals and veiled women set in with the relaxed atmosphere. The basic aim of Truck Art, or ‘Phool Patti’ as it was initially called, is to develop complex images by synchronizing western designs with those of Pakistan’s folk culture. The images displayed at the IVS gallery effortlessly fulfilled this purpose, embedding deeper meanings into the paintings by bringing in each artist’s unique mindset and regional heritage. Many Foundation Program painters also drew mountains, valleys and rivers as backgrounds, alluding to the Pashtun origins of most truck drivers.
Intricate floral patterns in a village setting, by a Foundation Program student
Upon closer inspection, one could vividly observe the flawless detail in each of these hand-made works. The tone-perfect strokes around the edges of many paintings evoked a glistening aura, swiftly informing the viewer of the meticulous work that goes into Truck Art. The aluminum foil (or chamak patti) used at the corners of several canvasses enabled a quick shift of gaze to virtual images of shiny trucks, rickshaws and buses occasionally seen on the roads of Karachi. Mushy one-liners on the paintings, such as ‘faasla rakh, warna pyaar hojayay ga’ furthered this connection with emotion-ridden slogans on the back of many local locomotives in the city.
According to IVS Gallery manager Anbrin Qureshi, the current exhibition is one of around 25 events scheduled for the year. She lauded the “extraordinary brilliance” of the students who have created these artworks in such a short time period, making Off the Road the first ever IVS exhibition to showcase works by current enrollees.
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
Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir
Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir, 27 October 1947, when Indian military troops forcibly occupied Kashmir illegally, claiming a fraudulent ‘Instrument of Accession’ which never existed as documented by eminent British historian Alastair Lamb! Kashmir & Palestine are examples of illegal occupation & continued Resistance to Repression! There are so many commonalities in Kashmir & Palestine: both under brutal military occupation of foreign powers, both are facing an indigenous, popular, spontaneous & widespread Resistance & Uprising, both are in violation of UN Resolutions which haven’t been implemented, both are witnessing an attempted change in the demographic balance, both are facing the use of rape as a weapon of war, both are testimony to double-standards & hypocrisy of Western powers on human rights & fundamental rights, and both conflicts have an element of racism and Islamophobia, while enduring peace, security and stability will remain elusive in both regions, South Asia & Middle East, until these issues are resolved in accordance with popular aspirations.
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