Vidha Saumya

Email from Ms. Vidha Saumya dated 22 April 2010,
to Ambassador Madanjeet Singh, Founder, South Asia Foundation.

Dear Sir,
 
My warmest greetings to you.

It gives me immense pleasure to speak to you about my trip to Lahore and Rony James Martin’s new work that was shown at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai.

It was my sincerest wish to visit Lahore, I had been wanting to go back since my return in June 2008. However I had to move on with my courses here and also take steps towards my professional progress. My course at Srishti School of Art Design and Technology, Bengaluru got over in December 2008 and I joined an art gallery in February 2009 as a gallery co-ordinator. I would jump at every opportunity to know more about Lahore, would get tremendously excited whenever somebody from Lahore visited India. Considering the fact that visiting Pakistan had become increasingly difficult and would involve a good amount of hassle and unpredictability I wanted to be in Lahore for a reason that would justify the efforts taken.
 
I sent one of my works in October 2009, to GREY NOISE art gallery, Lahore for a group show.



The response was good and I was offered a solo show at the same gallery. This followed 5 months of intensive studio time. The visa procedures went so smooth all thanks to Madam Salima Hashmi, Madam Riffat Masood. Madam Riffat Masood was so very kind to promptly reply to my queries, often silly ones.

The time in Lahore went like a breeze. It was so pleasant to be back in Lahore, though I ddin’t meet many old faces I met lots of new ones. Umer Butt the Director of GREY NOISE showed me a completely different side of Lahore. I attended The Lahore Fashion week, soon after my arrival, followed by a Mehndi ceremony followed by an amazing dinner.

It was so wonderful to be showing in Lahore at GREY NOISE because the gallery is so open to new ideas and completely defies conventions. The opening went great. Madam Hashmi was among the first to grace the occasion. The show and the work were very well received. Asim Akhtar who’s an Art Critic came all the way from Islamabad to see the show. We spoke at length about my first trip to Lahore, why I love Lahore so much, About Saadat Hasam Manto and Ismat Chughtai along with Sadequain and my latest work. I was overwhelmed by the responses. The show was covered on Art Forum a leading online and print publication on Art.





The trip ended shortly, I really really didn’t want to come back so soon. All the time in Lahore went in just registering the fact that I was in Lahore. It was so unbelievable, almost dream like.
 
On a more practical and serious note, I have expressed my desire to keep going back to Lahore either to conduct short courses in Illustration or be there for my own research and work on Lahore. It wasv also my desire to visit other parts of Pakistan and know more about the country. The MFA programme also is very very interesting and I would have loved to be a part of it.
I do look forward to many opportunities to visit Lahore.
 
I also wanted to tell you about Rony’s progress. I have been in touch with Rony, though not very consistently since our return from Lahore. Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai where I work as a gallery coordinator was looking for some new artists recently. I showed the gallery directors some of Rony’s works that he had done at BNU. They were very impressed and asked him if he would like to participate in an upcoming group show. Rony was invited by the gallery. He was put up in my home and it was very nostalgic to be working together. We spoke endlessly about Lahore and how much both of us longed to be there at least for sometime every year. Rony’s art-work titled RELAX ( see picture2)was an old wooden dining chair covered completely with grass. It was really appreciated for its novelty, innocence and intense hard-work. An art critic even knelt down to smell the grass and then realized that it was plastic. The chair was one of the most favoured works in the show with adults and kids dying to sit on it.Rony also deeply wishes to be back in Lahore often.
 
I really look forward to the Alumni Meeting of the students on Madanjeet Singh Group Scholarships in all the SAARC countries to be held in Pondicherry, India in October 2010. It is such a wonderful idea. When I met Madam Hashmi in Lahore we also discussed how we should have these meeting every year in different SAARC countries, this would enable us to visit these cities and would be convenient for all of us from time to time.
 
I truly appreciate SAF’s efforts towards empowering and enabling us with such wonderful opportunities and wide exposure to different cultures. I have made some of my closest friends during my stay in Lahore and I look forward to many such occasions to know more people.
 
My stay in Lahore has not just benefited me but my colleagues, friends, parents, relatives and all people I know now know a different side to Pakistan. They are at least more open to the fact that what is portrayed of the country in media manipulation and mostly our own prejudices. My earlier project GUFTAGU: GUTARRRGOON a book of conversations with rickshawallas in Lahore and Mumbai was an attempt to very casually yet strongly put across a thought that would make us more welcoming towards people from Pakistan.
 
Sir, I can never thank you enough for this scholarship that had a great impact on me. It had been my innermost desire to visit Lahore since I had grown up listening to ‘Jin Lahore nayi vekhya, wo jamya nayi” It also makes me believe no wish is unattainable if sincerely wished for.
 
Thank you
Warmest regards.
 
Vidha Saumya
Mumbai

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