World Culture Festival: Art, comedy, concert send audience into frenzy on day 10

KARACHI: The day started with an art exhibition titled "The Legacy, Vision of the Old Masters & Contemporary Painters of Pakistan", which was held at the Ahmed Parvez Art Gallery.

The exhibition was inaugurated by the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi, Provincial Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Archives Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, and ACP President Muhammad Ahmed Shah. UAE’s Consul General in Karachi, Bakheet Atiq Al Rumaithi, was also present on the occasion.

The UAE envoy, expressing his views at the Ahmed Parvez Art Gallery, said that Ahmed and Zulfiqar organised an incredible festival in Karachi.

"I appreciate Pakistani artists who were also present at the Dubai Art Festival. The young generation of Pakistan is very talented, and there should be exchanges between artists from Pakistan and the UAE. I am grateful to the media for showcasing the festival worldwide, and I hope that in the future, you will see joint projects between Pakistani and Emirati artists," said Zulfiqar.

The exhibition featured 29 masterpieces from Pakistan’s art masters and 32 works from the young artists, including renowned artists such as Anwar Maqsood, Farrukh Shehab, Shehzad Baloch, Laila Shahzada, Zubaida Agha, Abdul Rehman Chughtai, Anwar Jalal Shamza, Mansoor Rahi, Ustad Allah Bakhsh, Mrs Anna Molka, G Mustafa, A Islam, Kebriya, Mansoor Aye, Bashir Mirza, Wahab Jaffer, Ozzir Zuby, Sardar Muhammad, Zulfiqar Zulfi, Ambar Romasa Nagori, Murtaza Bashir, AB Nazeer, Yasir Noor, Kabeer Atta Muhammad, M Jawad Ahmed Jan, Raza Ali, and Ajab Khan. 

Comedic play sends audience into fit of laughter

Following the exhibition, the audience were sent into a fit of laughter by a comedic play "Are You Lovin’ It", which was set in an imaginary theme park, WacDonald’s Land.

The play explored the fast food industry as a symbol of globalisation and its global impact with the story delving into contemporary social issues in Japan. 

Directed by Kayo Tamura, the production — by blending traditional theatrical techniques like Kabuki and Japanese swordplay with modern pop culture elements such as Gothic Lolita — offered audiences a unique glimpse into contemporary Japanese culture.

Day ends with concert

The day ended with a concert which left the attendees ecstatic with different styles of music and performances. It started with renowned Sindhi artist Sattar Jogi playing been, followed by Shahzeb Ali's performance.

Following this, Gumaan — an instrumental band from twin cities — captivated the audience with their charged music. After this, DJ Natalia brought her beats to the festival, leaving the people dancing to her music.

The mega concert then proceeded by singer Mai Dhai — a classical singer hailing from Sindh's Tharparkar. After her, Aashir Wajahat took to the stage to spread love through his music, followed by Bayaan's music to mark conclusion of the day.

Geo and Jang group are the media partners of the ACP in the World Culture Festival. Tickets for the event can be easily obtained from the ACP and Ticketwala service.