KARACHI, Aug 17: Art became the latest victim of tensions along the Line of Control on Saturday when an exhibition organised by the Mumbai-based International Creative Art Centre (Icac) and Islamabad’s Gallery-6 in Ahmedabad was vandalised by members of an extremist Hindu group.
One Indian newspaper reported that members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad had attacked the gallery showcasing artworks by 17 Pakistani artists. All the exhibits were destroyed in the incident.
The artists whose artworks were on display are: Abid Hasan, Abrar Ahmed, Akram Spaul, Aqeel Solangi, Arjumand Faisal, Hajra Mansoor, Irfan Gul Dahri, Musarrat Naheed Imam, Masood A. Khan, Mughees Riaz, Mudassar Manzoor, Mutaib Shah, Omar Farid, Mansoor Rahi, R.M. Naeem, Sana Arjumand and Wahab Jaffer.
Talking to Dawn, Dr Arjumand Faisal of Gallery-6 said: “Last year we were approached by Icac. They said they liked the paintings put up on our website and offered to do a show in Mumbai.
“…our first show took place in Mumbai at the Maharashtra Kala Academy. Fifty paintings by 17 Pakistani and six Indian artists were exhibited.”
Faisal pointed out that prior to the show, the incident of an Indian soldier’s beheading had happened. There was a lot of buzz about that. Only three of Pakistani artworks were sold. At Mumbai, he said, it was decided that a travelling show would also be held through Ahmedabad, Delhi and Chennai.
“In India they rent out galleries. Ni Gufa Gallery in Ahmedabad (where the latest incident took place) was made by M.F. Husain. The show organisers had… booked it from Aug 13 to Aug 18. On the inaugural day, an Indian artist protested against the show, carrying a placard. And yesterday, around 4pm, I received a call from Ravindra Marya of Icac who told me that 25 men had barged into the gallery and destroyed all the paintings. They even broke the gallery’s doors. I was shocked.
After that his (Marya’s) phone remained switched off. Perhaps he was hiding from the miscreants,” said Faisal.
Source: Dawn
I can understand why Vishva Hindu Parishad (the veritable terrorist arm of the BJP) would destroy a work of arts. But for an artist to protest against Pakistani art is unpthomable. Perhaps he was jealous at the lack of his own talent.
65 years on and the Hnidu mindset remains the same 🙂
If India is destined to be ruled by these kinds, where their spiritual leaders assocaite Hindu zeal with the destruction of their Western Neighbour, the forced conversion of their indigenous Muslims but also Sikh and Chrtistians too.
Where they use women as a tool to cripple the will of the minority community by raping, mutilating and unleashing terror onto the minority to the extent the destruction of Art an expression of a free state.
I have said this before and say this again, Pakistan’s extremist mumbo jumbo is manufactured brought in to destroy Pakistan’s ascension but India’s extermist are all homegrown.
It is a cultural indigenous “inherent” problem, a schizo cultural and nation caught between the idocracy of a mythological religous empire and how a modern Hindu nation eneds to be defined.
The Hindu fanatics of India are cowardly people, who target women and children and the defenceless.
Many years ago in the UK at the height of the Godhra terror at the hands of Hindus at University we met such individuals on campus.
I was too young and too distant from the motherland more accustomerd to the Western lifestyle and saw all asians as brothers. Little did I know a section fo the asian community on campus were rejoicing at the massacre of Muslims and destruction of the Babri masjid as if it were a religious event.
It was only when a friend who was Hindu who I had known since our college and happend to go to the same University made me aware of the venomous propaganda and twisted ideologies of the Hindu Society at out university that I realised the double face of adherents to the Hindu societies at UK Uiversities.
The organiser and leaders were to me the most simplest, and sweetest dudes and could not possible write or say such things.
We paid no heed to the childish literature and propaganda that was bieng sent across to Hindus on campus.
Needless to say once our friend left the Hindu Society she was then harrased and intimidated by these imasculated men who would attack on her vulnerabilities as a lone girl on campus who was friendly to Muslims.
I see these larger Hindu Societies in India with even more fantatical roots in the same light.
Imasculated men who when confronted project themselves as peaceloving, humble people but in groups are like caged animals with a huuuuuuge inferioirty complex.
Such was the case with these Hindus at our University campus terrorising a young girl becuase she refused to
take part in their hate campaigns and lies against Muslims.
I remember how we got invovled and showed just what we were capable of if they continued their harrassment and in no time these imasculated men were no longer threatening to our friend.
Pakistan and Muslims across the world should not silently ignore these imascualted thugs.
Look them in the eyes and show them just what they are.
India is that campus and these fanatics represent the twisted ideologies of that Hindu Society. The more you ignore them the more bold they get with their harrasment.
Pakistani media must recognise the schizophrenic Cha Nakya politics of India and must place Pakistan first.
Pakistanis should stop voting in sell our politicians who have a vested business interest inside India and care little for the sacirifce of Pakistan.
Our fireign policy on India need not change and nothing has changed int he last decade to signify change in India. From politicians, foreign policy and the fanataics on the streets. India is the same as before if not more dangerous for Pakistan as it is for the first time projected with positivety in the West.
With protected borders Pakistan remains at the peril of India’s nefarous designs.
We must stop the nonsense of MFN
Secure our borders Western and Eastern.
Western Border security must be linked to Drone strikes and Indian terror on the Western front and access to ISAf and NATO should be based on this alone.
Our pathetic excuse of a leader eneds to STOP assuming his jurisdiction in pakistan resides in Punjab alone and the problems of Sindh are a PPP problem and Karachi a MQM problem and Khyber and Pakthunkwa problem is a PTI problem.
We are all for a free media but a media that begins to tow the Idnian lie is a security to the state. ]
Why must Pakistan cajole to the Western line they will always tow the “not enough is done” line even when we have sacrificed 100,000 of our own children, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.
Secure Pakistan, take a hold of the institutions and work as ONE UNIT for one purpose for Pakistan.
We must stop these floods almost a yearly where India too is responsible by releasing water from illegal dams in Kashmir to flood Pakistan.
We need to repatriate and pay beyond what is reasonable by way of compensation tot he people of Nowshera and northern regions and build large Dams, a network of dams to collect and divert overflowing from flooding Pakistan.
We must stand vehermently behind our armed forces and brave intelligence.
Brand Pakistan is far more mraketable than brand India, it is simple marketing we need to rebuild brand Pakistan by rebuilding divided and fragmented pillars of Pakistani society.
Let the fanatics grow bolde rin India and hopefully come to power and let India show her shizophrenic persona to the world.
Cha Nakya politics are one of cunning and deceit our politics should be the politics of Teh Rashiduns.
Hey kid.. Calm down will ya.. Dont try to make a mountain out of a mole.. Everybody in India knows that the VHP and Shivsena pigs will never represent actual Hindus or India.. They are just cowards who are mostly concentrated on one corner part of India with no honest identity whatsoever.. What happened in Mumbai was just an attempt by some insane fanatics who tried for some 10 seconds of fame in local media.. Check the national news websites of India.. It is not even a news anywhere in India.. In fact I came to know about this only from pakistani sites..
Dont be weak by reacting to everything.. You are simply beating the air.. 🙂
did you pull the dead rats out of the rust bucket yet?
That must have been some fire work!
Let pakis stop begging first, then probably we may listen to their rantings. Why do pakistani actors, artistes, singers and those requiring medical treatment come to India at all ? Let them stay in their own country. If Ansar really believes in what he has written, let him start a campaign not to let any pakistani come to India for earning or for medical treatment. LOL
@Ansar
I gree with some parts of your comments Ansar. But, lets not lower ourselves to their level. We know not all Hinuds are like them just like most Muslims are not fundamentalist in ther sense they have come to define the word.
Yes we must “secure Pakistan” but we need to get rid of the curretn leadrship and it seems (if we accept that the lections were fair) the public do not want a change.
There are people in Pakistan who are more than capable of marketing Brand Pakistan. Problem is the current political set up does not allow them to come forward for which I blame the people/voters for not voting for change.
Good; let this mentally retarded idiot know that there are other 196 countries where he could have had his presentation and people would have respected and appreciated his hard work; What an IDIOT; this artist is; He should know they dont want any Pakistani to excel and become top class; They will destroy, en-trap (like they did to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, another idiot) and degrade work of any Pakistani which has even a remote chance of success and be one step better than their HINDUS-tani trash;
Good that’s good.
Well Good that’s v good.
These Pakistanis are corrupt, and bygarat. What they r doin in enemy country, flying chankia’s love birds called Amanda ki masha, tasha, Marsha, rasha, dahsa, ghasa, nacha, bhasa? Bygarat sole seller pakistanis
VHP and ShivSena are one bunch of idiots who dont even know the basics of Hinduism and yet they claim to represent it..
Just ignore them and go for a display in Chennai.. VHP and Shivsena dont have any public sympathy there.. In fact most of the Hindus in chennai hate those 2 organisations..
@Jeet
I believe you. But I also see VHP/SS functions are well attended, in droves, not mention the Indian army’s lit towards Hindutvas.
Who gives an eff !!
Pakis can’t paint to save their lives….unless it is about jihad and killing minorities.
Don’t want Paki paintings. Eff off across the border. And take your artists too.
Go on.. chop chop.
give the eff to your women, sicko!
rape as usual
@TheBombMan
On every forum there is always at least one fool that keeps everyone on the forum amused by his stupidity. You’re that fool. Keep us amused. Fool.
Famous paintings will always inspire a sense of culture and history. World renowned artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Vermeer, Renoir, Da Vinci, and Monet have captivated people for decades.
Aww, I love Tim Gunn. He's so nice; and I'm sort of addicted to Project Runway as well, but I totally missed the last season :/.Great advice Emilia, it's deilfnteiy something to keep in mind before I go off on any rants or something. Haha ;p