Pakistani artists find inspiration in turmoil

Interest in modern Pakistani art is blossoming on the heels of a boom in Indian and Chinese work.

Pakistani artists wants us to look at their country and see the Islamic conservatism, fervent patriotism, postcard mountain landscapes. And then they wants us to stop and look again.

Their work tackles contradictions -- a theme popular among modern artists grappling with national identity -- but since the September 11 attacks in New York flung Pakistan into the world spotlight, people are paying attention.

Artists part of a wave of contemporary Pakistani artists gaining global recognition, with some using their craft to tackle thorny issues such as terrorism, religious extremism, women's rights and nationalism.

Instead of being cowed by a Taliban-led insurgency killing more than 1,000 people in the last year and stifling art in much of the country, contemporary artists are finding inspiration in the turmoil.

Peculiar circumstances have always led to interesting art.

15 Pakistani artists showing 55 works at "Hanging Fire: Contemporary Art from Pakistan", an exhibition at the Asia Society in New York which is one of the first shows of its kind outside the subcontinent.

Interest in modern Pakistani art is blossoming on the heels of a boom in Indian and Chinese work. One of Rana's a Pakistani artist canvases fetched more than half a million dollars at auction in New York, reportedly the most paid for a piece of contemporary Pakistani art.

"President (Barack) Obama declared Pakistan the most dangerous place in the world, yet in the past decade a flourishing art scene has developed," Asia Society museum director Melissa Chiu told AFP by email from New York.

"This exhibition is a way of bringing attention to this new generation of artists. While Pakistan might be in the news for political instability and terrorist violence it is also home to this extraordinary creativity."

But despite growing overseas acclaim, contemporary art reaches very few people in impoverished Pakistan. Only about 54 percent of people can read and write, and there is little state funding for the arts.

In the conservative northwest, more popular forms of entertainment such as dancing, singing and traditional truck painting have incurred the wrath of the Taliban and other religious extremists who want to impose Sharia law.

They don't find art-making threatening. It is a small group of people from a class. In that way it does not bother anyone.