Spanish Ambassador Visits PHA's Historic Art Gallery

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Sep, 2024) The Spanish Ambassador to Pakistan, José de Ory, on Sunday, visited The Barracks, an art gallery located in the Nasser Bagh and established by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), to view its latest exhibition. The gallery, housed in a historically significant bunker once used by the Civil Defence Department, is currently showcasing the exhibition Water, Plants, and Other Ecologies.

According to a PHA spokesperson, the exhibition, designed by renowned visual artist Hamra Abbas and curated by contemporary artist Imran Qureshi, takes a multidisciplinary approach to explore the relationship between ecology and nature.

During his visit, Ambassador de Ory was shown two large garden-themed works, intricate montages of images from various locations in Pakistan, documented by Abbas over the years. The artist explained that these pieces play on the concept of paradise as a garden in Islamic tradition, and are made from natural stones such as marble, lapis lazuli, jasper, and granite, sourced locally and internationally.

Another highlight of the exhibition is River Studies, based on Abbas’s documentation of glacial river waters in Hunza. The exhibition also includes Porters, a series of miniature paintings featuring ultramarine blue—a pigment made from lapis lazuli, traditionally used in Italian Renaissance art. The paintings depict high-altitude porters from Pakistan who support mountaineering expeditions.

The ambassador was also briefed on the park’s rich history. Originally known as Bandstand Garden and later renamed Nasir Bagh in honor of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, the park is undergoing further development. The PHA has initiated the creation of Lahore’s first public sculpture garden at Nasir Bagh, which will feature outdoor sculptures and permanent installations.

Ambassador de Ory expressed his appreciation for the gallery and the ongoing efforts to promote art and culture in the city, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives in fostering cultural exchange and understanding.