Daachi: From handcrafted paper to abstract art

Pakistan

Daachi: From handcrafted paper to abstract art

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By Maleeha Mengal

The Daachi Arts and Crafts exhibition that kicked off in Lahore on Saturday featured a diverse and colourful display of works by entrepreneurs and artisans from across the country. Organised by the Daachi Foundation, the three-day exhibition held at the Model Town Community Centre included arts and crafts ranging from handcrafted materials, apparel to innovative styles of furniture, paintings and much more, all with the aim of providing the artisans of Pakistan a platform to flaunt their craftsmanship.

PARWANA: Preserving the art of paper making

Among the amazing displays at the exhibition, HIMA ^ Verte’s Parwana stood out for its beautifully handcrafted paper products.

Nada Hassan says Parwana aims to preserve the art of paper making. “Parwana is firmly focused on making handmade paper which comes in with best properties to ensure that they are environmentally friendly,” she says while speaking to Dunya News.

Parwana uses recycled cotton rags and paper, as well as other plant-based materials such as marigold flowers. Photo: Parwana Beautiful Handmade Paper Pakistan’s Facebook Page

Brainchild of Ali Hassan Habib, who previously headed WWF-Pakistan for the past nineteen years, HIMA ^ Verte focuses mainly on preservation of environment. The organisation is also actively working on solar panels and green energy.

Parwana, See-Sea, Shama are various projects part of HIMA ^ Verte’s venture, working on handmade paper making, compliance consultation for environment, and solar energy for cleaner living respectively.

See-Sea assists clients to help meet compliance to environmental standards, assisting in research. The organisation focuses on assessment of carbon footprint produced by an industry and to develop policies which will enhance the energy conservation. HIMA ^ Verte also focuses on energy efficiency solar energy in factories and in residential area.

The intricate and simple yet elegant book binders, diaries and small note books are just a few of the products made by handmade paper that were on display at the exhibition.

Parwana uses recycled cotton rags and paper, as well as other plant-based materials such as marigold flowers. The handmade marigold paper was one of the highlights of the display.

Simple yet elegant book binders, diaries and small note books were on display at the exhibition. Photo: Parwana Beautiful Handmade Paper Pakistan’s Facebook Page

“The idea is to revive the craft of paper making and to preserve the old methods of book binding,” Nada explains. With the art of binding books diminishing, she says PARWANA is trying to preserve it.

Portraying the oneness of God

Paintings ranging from colourful midnight sky of northern Pakistan to abstract art, a graduate of Punjab University, Sadaf Bilal, displayed her paintings at the Daachi Foundation’s exhibition. The most captivating paintings were those from her thesis which focused on the oneness of God.

Of her 26 paintings part of her thesis, Bilal explains all of them were to inspire and explain how everything in the dark has a ray of light - the light of Allah. Pointing towards one of her paintings the painter explains, “I have used different techniques and imposed spirals and waves to reflect on the oneness of God”. “I have painted spiral mandala, which was my first painting, and in the middle of that round spirals was a small, Alif laam meem.”

The most captivating paintings were those from Bilal’s thesis which focused on the oneness of God. Photo: Maleeha Mengal

Her paintings have also depicted different religions and the role of women in these.

Bilal’s paintings also reflect her passion to show how Islam has focused on the role of women in a balanced fashion, something which she portrays in an abstract manner.

Of her 26 paintings part of her thesis, Bilal explains all of them were to inspire and explain how everything in the dark has a ray of light - the light of Allah. Photo: Maleeha Mengal

Pointing towards her master piece, the young painter shows how the painting of a woman in the middle of the spirals shows that Islam has given women everything ‘in balance’, and how their roles were before Islam.

“In the painting you can see the depiction of polytheism. We see that women were subjected to many inhumane acts without giving them respect or dignified roles in the society,” she explains. “Then you see how the West has overly modernised the roles of women…but Islam is the one religion which gives prosperity, respect and balances everything.”

“This was part of my thesis where I tried to explain why Islam is the best faith.”

The young painter explained how the painting of a woman in the middle of the spirals show that Islam has given women everything ‘in balance’, and how their roles were before Islam. Photo: Maleeha Mengal