So what was your experience in Lahore?

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News 11th March 2008
Flash!!! Flash!!! Flash!!! So what was your experience in Lahore? How did you come up with the idea of children? What do you think of the art scene in Pakistan? Very refreshing!!! Very impressive!!! You could have done better!!! Oh no!! I wanted that drawing!

I couldn’t believe all that my eyes and ears were witnessing on the 21’st of February 2008. All the hard work had finally paid off. 16 out of 25 drawings got reserved on the day of the opening. My excitement knew no bounds.
It was funny that till the time of the opening I felt nothing, but as soon as I had changed into the new white Kurta to shine for the evening, I felt my butterflies entering my stomach and then they just stayed. I couldn’t contain all the attention and appreciation that flowed in my direction.

Mam Hashmi walked in to inaugurate the opening; her timing was perfect since a lot of crowd had gathered by then. She was requested by Mathieu Pinel, Director of Alliance Française to give a little talk on the occasion. As usual it was a lovely little speech with equal importance given to everyone related to the occasion, and very flattering words for me and Alliance Française. What could have brought me more happiness? I thought to myself. Yes I surely missed my parents and my friends and I so wished my parents to be around and see how I had created a little space for myself in a new country.

Talking about a new country and new city, I must say that it has been more than lovely staying here. The soft spoken tone of the people, the shalwar kameez and the beautiful women are just some obviously noticeable features of Lahore. However Lahore’s richness lies in its people, its architecture and its history. All these factors keep adding to the character of the city. My attempt is to experience this richness, to assimilate all of it inside me and to give my response. Lahori Bachchey was my second successful attempt.

Two newspapers published an article on the exhibition. David Alesworth, Faculty member at BNU and an Art Critic said, “The work is a quickie, but interesting. All the work is done in gray scale and the drawings looks like specimens. The time and place as the title give them a photographic look.” Prof Salima Hashmi said, “The works are like vignettes. Each picture tells a separate story and they have the potential to be developed into a complete story. The drawings are like mosaics that combine to make a series telling an elaborated story of a city through its children.”		  


I feel content and happy and I fall short of words to thank Ambassador Madanjeet Singh, South Asia Foundation, Beaconhouse National University, Prof. Salima Hashmi for giving me the opportunity to come to Lahore and be able to see for my self why it is said, “ Jisne Lahore nahin dekha, samjho who janma hi nahin.”

Vidha Saumya