By Aarti Dev
Pasni, the coastal city of Makran and a small fishing port in Gwadar district, known for its art and literature is called ‘Lucknow of Balochistan’. It is rightfully called when best actors, artists, poets, authors and painters are produced by this very city. Sand-art is steadily gaining popularity amongst the youngsters of this city.
Meet one of the most skillful and talented artists, Nazir Ahmed from Pasni, who has nobody to compete his class when it comes to sand-art competition on Pasni beach every year. Ahmed, 38, hasn’t taken any formal training from any institution yet he is no less than any other professional artist.
However, Ahmed gives the rank of his teacher and mentor to the late Shukar-Ullah, who is a famous and well-known in Balochistan for his camel art work. Ahmed is applying what he had acquired from his mentor’s experience and training.
Ahmed told PakVoices, “I’ve never got the opportunity for my painting exhibition because of lack of resources and encouragement by the government.” However, everyone appreciates and acknowledges his skill at the local level. He has made many artifacts and sculptures of sand-art using clay and has received a huge admiration.
For making sand art, sand is gathered by a shovel then made harder through water and after sculpting it is cleaned with a brush.
Ahmed said, “I’ve expertise in fine art, but to meet the needs of life I paint sign boards and do other commercial work as well.”
“Sand sculpting is a unique form of art and many children are also taking a keen interest in this art,” a local art teacher Miran Qazi had told PakVoices in March this year during the sand art competition.
The fishermen locality is producing most talented artists as most of the sand sculptures are made on the coast of Juddi.
According to other local artists, “We are making use of this art on self-help basis as no platform or government’s patronage is available to help us highlight this rare form of talent”.
Aarti Dev is working with PakVoices as a citizen journalist from Pasni, Gwadar.
All photos provided by the artist
Translated by Salman Tahir
