ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP): The photographic works of internationally acclaimed art photographer, Mr. Sami ur Rahman on display at the COMSATS Art Gallery (CAG) continues to attract a number of visitors with its innovative designs and compositions.
The exhibition was opened on Thursday at COMSATS Art Gallery (CAG) which is located in the library of Islamabad Campus of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT).
The curator of the COMSATS Art Gallery (CAG), Ms. Farrah Mahmood, informed that the exhibition titled, ‘Eye of The Beholder,’ comprises 42 selected art works that will remain on display till September 30.
The collection on display highlights Sami ur Rahman’s keenness of ‘discovering something interesting from an ordinary place’ along with the attention paid to light and shade detail.
A majority of the photographs were taken various cities of in Pakistan and the rest in India, Italy and Turkey.
One single factor that enhances the creative impact of Sami’s work is his immaculate sense of design and composition – most often achieved by the simplicity of expression and uncomplicated framework through which the image is conceptualized.
The canvas of Sami’s art is wide-ranging in the subjects he chooses to capture. His striking pictorial images portray different times, moods, emotions, seasons and colors.
He goes out and clicks the shutter only when something pleases his eye, heart and mind and this is what distinguishes his work from reportage and calendar photography.
Sami ur Rahman, a retired DIG (Police), is a self-taught photo-artist. He is a recipient of the President’s Award for ‘Pride of Performance’ for Art Photography (2003) and has won over 130 International Awards.
He was also declared as one of the ‘Top 25 Exhibitors of the World’ by the Photographic Society of America.
He is the President of the Photographic Art Society of Pakistan since 1990 and has also taught the craft as well as acted as a Judge for several national and international exhibitions.
The exhibition photographs, which are also on sale at very reasonable prices, will continue till September 30 2016 from 10:00am till 6:00pm daily.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Ambassador of Austria in Pakistan, Dr. Brigitta Blaha on Thursday.
Addressing the art enthusiasts at the jam-packed gallery, after formally opening the exhibition, Dr. Blaha said she was very happy to visit the university’s vibrant art gallery and engage with the community to promote cultural activities.
Recalling her visit to the university a couple of months earlier as well, she praised CIIT for providing this forum to local artists.
Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, Rector CIIT, said he has always encouraged artists in their “search for beauty and truth” and provided them a platform in the form of COMSATS Art Gallery to showcase their innovative talents.
The gallery focuses on a variety of visual art forms of professional artists, designers and architects, including; paintings, Islamic art, calligraphy, miniature paintings, origami, photography, graphic, installations, sculptures and architectural projects.
The gallery has been building bridges between Pakistan and various nations through a number of collaborations with embassies and other art galleries, both local as well as international.
In his vote of thanks, Professor. Dr. Raheel Qamar, In charge CIIT Islamabad Campus, thanked the Ambassador and other dignitaries for their patronage of art.
He said that it was a very auspicious day for CIIT as,it had been ranked at No.01 in Pakistan amongst the 170+ universities, and between 601-800, in the world by Times Higher Education, U.K.
