Islamabad (TDI): The eight-day “Art for Life – Art for Gaza” Artists’ Camp, which commenced on April 30, at the Silk Road Culture Centre, concluded on May 7 with a moving and artistic display of multidisciplinary power performances featuring heartfelt tributes to the people of Gaza and a grand finale charity art auction attended by local and international dignitaries.
The closing evening was attended by Ambassadors from Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Qatar, and Romania, as well as cultural attachés from Iran and China. Representatives from French cultural organizations and cinema were also present. The guests viewed and purchased artworks displayed across the Silk Road Culture Centre.
Highlights of the concluding sessions included Live shadow painting on illuminated canvases by renowned painters, including veteran artist Jamal Shah. These performances accompanied live music and dance, resulting in a unique fusion of visual and performing arts. Alongside, individual artworks created during the camp by participating painters, calligraphers, origami artists, and sculptors were displayed and auctioned, with proceeds pledged to the Embassy of Palestine in Pakistan for the benefit of victims in Gaza.
Before this, a special session hosted by social reformer and author Meera’n Malik and Ahmed Khattak showcased Pak-Palestine musical fusions, live skits, and performances by both emerging and established artists. Notable performances included an elegiac dance by Atif Khan and Group, and a powerful Sufi-rock and interlinear ‘Tehtul Lafz’ recitation by Maddy and Sam.
The SRCCC Drum Circle captivated the audience with a rousing drum performance on a traditional Palestinian song.
The event concluded on a somber note as news of cross-border aggression from India, beginning after midnight on May 7, cast a shadow over the evening. Despite the rising tension, the artists and attendees remained unified in their call for peace and justice in Pakistan, Palestine and the region.
The Artists’ Camp was a non-funded initiative of Silk Road Culture Centre, chaired Jamal Shah, aimed at showcasing artistic solidarity through visual arts, music, dance, and performance. The initiative drew participation from all ages and backgrounds, and succeeded in fostering dialogue, empathy, and support through cultural expression.
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The final two days were particularly poignant, as the Centre became a sanctuary of live multidisciplinary performances. Renowned Pakistani painters painted silhouettes of dancers and musicians in real time on illuminated canvases, transforming fleeting performances into lasting visual tributes.
Alongside, a curated collection of artworks ranging from sculpture and calligraphy to origami and mixed media were displayed and auctioned for charity, with all proceeds pledged to the Palestinian Embassy in Pakistan for humanitarian aid in Gaza.
With the hounds of war at door, the Artists’ Camp closed not in despair but in powerful defiance. It became a space where voices, brushes, and beats came together to echo a collective call for peace, justice, and the shared humanity of the people of Palestine and Pakistan.
Sohail Majeed
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
