Cultural Revival in Karachi; Musical Base Rock Café, Artistic Koel & Intellectual T2F

During 70’s Karachi was the cultural capital of Pakistan. Road side Coffee Houses used to provide a place for intellectual tête-à-tête .Over the period my city has evolved and at the same time global political issues & dynamics have also changed. After passing through transition, today Karachi has engulfed with range of cafes. Surge of cafés is not all about coffee and sandwiches but a new form of culture and entertainment is evolving. There are three cafes playing a pivotal role, THE BASE ROCK CAFÉ, CAFÉ KOEL & T2F. When I think about these three cafes, music, art and intellectual quest comes in my mind. I remember my Tokyo journey, while walking through upscale Ginza; I saw young girls and guys desperately waiting for local stars, right in front of a theater, similarly my New York trip to Broadway theaters and cafes talked volumes about the taste and artistic flair of the people. I could see intellectual artistic persona effect both in Tokyo & New York. When it comes to Karachi, I used to feel that my city is culturally dead, tasteless, heartless and completely de-intellectualized. After the influx of cafés in Karachi I am optimist & have strong belief that these cafés would eventually lead to the revival of 70s coffee houses with contemporary taste of music, art and intellectual freedom.  Base Rock Café (BRC) is a café cum musical oasis for culturally starved Karachi, BRC is not about coffee and music but it offers a launching pad for under ground music talent in Karachi. With best music system, it brings Karaoke, tribute to music icons along with live bands and music competition for music freaks.  Café Koel adds an artistic flair to café scene in Karachi, a café evolved from Noor Jehan’s artistic quest for traditional crafts. It lead to the revival of hand block printed fabric mainly Ajrak prints of Hala Sind. Café offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, one can enjoy meal under a tree or air-conditioned artistic indoor. There is an art gallery along with a boutique of exotic hand block printed fabrics. The Second Floor T2F is a café that provides food for thought besides coffee & sandwiches, an open place for intellectual tête-à-tête. It is run by Peace Niche, an NGO, and brain child of Sabeen Mahmud. It frequently arranges discussions, invites brilliant guest speakers, provides space for book launches and also house range of books available for reading and sale. I would love to see my Karachi, transforming from violence ridden chaotic city image to a fun filled, intellectual & artistic persona. 

"Beyond Women Body", Respect the Sanctity, Its Not for Pleasure

The female body is very delicate thing. In a conservative and patriarchal society like Pakistan, it is often used as a commodity. It is used is a symbol of desire plastered on vibrant billboards. And it is a force that can give birth to new ideas and change. Nausheen Saeed, a professor of sculpture at the National College of Arts, Lahore, presented her sculptures “Beyond Body”, an exhibition of six casted full body sculptures of women that opened at the Canvas Art Galley . Each sculpture mesmerized me, sculptures speaking volumes about abuses and discrimination against women in our society. Here are few;

Thanks to our friend Abro for sharing thought provoking arts.

Captivating Peeru’s …Am Missing Lahore

I remember during my last visit to Raiwand Road Lahore, I made a brief stop over at Peeru’s Puppetry Museum & Café. I loved the idea ‘originated by Usman & Samina Peerzada’, Peeru’s a place 25km away from main city, surrounded by green farmland, cool atmospheres and delicious BBQ food. Music shows are also frequent features, to me it is Lahore’s Arabian Sea Country Club.

Amazing puppets from all over the world, simply makes the place unique and different. I find Lahore, place, people, and food way too different from Karachi. Lahore is inviting, appealing yet my friends term Lahore a Punjabi city, they do not like ethno-centric towns…..to me it is very dear and tempting.

I wish I were part of recent thrilling music show at Peeru’s , came to know that bands such as MHB, EP, Rubber Band, Overload, Lemon Fuzz, Jal, Ali Zafar and Noori showed enthralling performances.

I wish I were there…..am missing Lahore :-(

Hafiz Poetry is Simply Ecstatic

Hafiz is an ecstatic poet, i have never seen so sweet poetry...just wanted to share.... Persian version simply mesmerizes me;

صـلاح کار کـجا و مـن خراب کـجا
بـبین تـفاوت ره کز کجاست تا به کجا
دلـم ز صومعه بگرفت و خرقـه سالوس
کـجاسـت دیر مغان و شراب ناب کجا
چـه نسبت است به رندی صلاح و تقوا را
سـماع وعـظ کـجا نغمـه رباب کجا
ز روی دوست دل دشمـنان چـه دریابد
چراغ مرده کـجا شمـع آفـتاب کـجا
چو کحل بینش ما خاک آستان شماست
کـجا رویم بـفرما از این جـناب کـجا
مبین به سیب زنخدان که چاه در راه است ک
ـجا همی‌روی ای دل بدین شتاب کجا
بـشد کـه یاد خوشش باد روزگار وصال
خود آن کرشمه کجا رفت و آن عتاب کجا
قرار و خواب ز حافظ طمع مدار ای دوست
قرار چیسـت صبوری کدام و خواب کـجا


Where is sensible action, & my insanity whence?
See the difference, it is from where to whence.
From the church & hypocritical vestments, I take offence
Where is the abode of the Magi, & sweet wine whence?
For dervishes, piety and sensibility make no sense
Where is sermon and hymn, & the violin's music whence.
Upon seeing our friend, our foes put up their defense
Where is a dead lantern, & the candle of the sun whence?
My eye-liner is the dust of your door and fence
Where shall I go, tell me, you command me whence?
Take your focus from your chin to the trap on the path hence,
Where to O heart, in such hurry you go whence?
May his memory of union be happy and intense
Where are your amorous gestures, & your reproach whence?
Make not restlessness & insomnia, Hafiz's sentence
What is rest, which is patience, and sleep whence?

Why Hundreds strip naked for Spencer Tunick ....Awesome Installation Art

I love art, it has very subjective boundary one may find various parts of art as vulgar or revealing. In the past we have seen nude sculptures, all across Rome or Europe and few of Renaissance master pieces also reveal human body. It is form of express which depicts the freedom and nature. Even ancient Hindu temples depict tantric and Kamasutra related statutes.

To me I have one word to define Spencer Work, Superbly Natural and Abstract…..

I am one of the die hard fans of installation artist…..Spencer Tunick, the way he captures the group of naked human bodies on street or at public places….is simply abstract.

He is best known for his installations that feature large numbers of nude people posed in artistic formations. In these images the nude form becomes abstract due to the sheer number so closely placed together. Known as installations, they are often situated in urban locations throughout the world.

One thing I like about Spencer, while capturing the abstract nude subjects he always has three requests: no sunglasses, no smiling, and no underwear.The latest work by New York photographer Spencer Tunick gathered 1,840 people, baring it all in Austria’s Happel Stadium on Sunday. It was “Stay very still. Don’t move,” kind of work and crowd followed. Much of the hours-long photo shoot had little to do with soccer, with naked volunteers assuming different poses at the behest of the artist.

Whole artistic experience is simply amazing .

It reminds me the exotic installation art ....way back......presented by NCA artisit Mr Jamil Baloch at Gaddani. He depicted the hunger and poverty of locals in the midst of mega development.....in Balochistan.

Groovy Artistic Hindi Tattoos; Awesome Non Verbal Expression

These days there have been discussions in my class regarding the power of non verbal expression. In my thoughts i was intrigued by the power of non verbal gestures, speaking volumes even without spurring a single word.

Recently I was watching a tennis match…….Italian tennis player Mara Santangelo displayed a Hindi tattoo saying "jeet" -- or "win" -- on her neck during a second-round match at the Bangalore Open in India , it was so powerful and encouraging message that invigorate the vigor to be on the top with big JEET “victory”.

I am so much intrigued by the trend for the translation of tattoos appeared to take off…it is a recent phenomenon. Individuals primarily opt for a translated tattoo as the art involved in reproducing the fonts is generally extremely elegant and the translations, once tattooed onto the body can look both artistic and attractive.

Second to this, is also the fact that the translations chosen are less likely to ‘go out of fashion’ The translation of a name, once tattooed onto a body is time insensitive.

I am thinking of getting a non permanent Hindi Tattoo……rather would be getting a tattoo box with so many non permanent foreign characters….feel like giving it a try and feel the elegance and power of non verbal expression.

It may sound weird; let it be…skeptics live in their own small little oasis.