Photographic exhibition ‘Ancient Silk Road Kingdom of Kucha’ opens

Islamabad: A travelling photographic exhibition “Ancient Silk Road Kingdom of Kucha” opened at COMSATS Art Gallery on Friday.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Chief Guest for the event Worthy Rector COMSATS University, Islamabad Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tabassum Afzal. The Guest of Honour Zhang Heqing – Director China Cultural CenterPakistan – joined the event online.

This travelling exhibition documents the charm of Xinjiang China and has been show cased in China earlier. The photographic exhibition provides a glimpse into the history, the culture, and the magical nature of Kucha.

The exhibition is divided into six parts showing the ruins of The Subashi Temple; The Kizilgaha Beacon Tower; The Tainshan Grand Canyon; Yardang Landforms; Duku Highway; The Big and Small Longchi Ponds Scenic area; Apricots of Kucha; Kucha Folk Costums, and The Earthenware of Kucha.

Speaking at the event the honorable Rector COMSATS said:” It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of this exhibition organized by the COMSATS University Islamabad Art Gallery during a really challenging time of the COVID-19. We have strictly followed the SOP’s and have uploaded this show online for its wider coverage. This exhibition showcases the landscape of China and these exquisite photographs are breath taking. It’s always a pleasure to work in collaboration with our beloved friend China and I look forward to more of such collaborations in future.”

The guest of Honor Zhang Heqing joined the show online and praised the efforts of COMSATS Art Gallery and China Study Center for organizing this show on a short notice. He expressed his pleasure over organizing online event and said it is the need of time to stay connected online and keep working. He emphasized on need of mutual online collaborations and said he looks forward to more mutual future collaborations to further strengthen the bond shared between both the countries.

Curator of the show and In Charge COMSATS Art Gallery Farrah Mahmood said: “I would like to thank the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Cultural Counselor for bringing this show to Pakistan which showcases the beautiful landscape of China. Miniature and Calligraphy are two traditional forms of art which are common between China and Pakistan and I believe both the countries should collaborate more often to bring both countries culturally together. Also, In recent COVID times when artists from both countries cannot visit for art promotion I would recommend online collaborative exhibitions.”