Pictures present brings Balochistan’s spectacular panorama to capital’s gallery – Newspaper

ISLAMABAD: A solo pictures exhibition titled ‘In the name of You – a love letter to Balochistan’ opened on the 8B2 Gallery, organised by The Artistic Scene in Chak Shahzad on Saturday, presenting 9 years of labor by younger photographer Ilyaas Alla Bashk.

The exhibition, which continues until October 5, brings collectively landscapes and tales from distant components of Balochistan that stay largely unseen.

Speaking on the opening, Ilyaas shared his journey in pictures that started 9 years in the past in his hometown of Pasni. “There were always challenges, financial and otherwise. But coming from a region where access is so limited, I felt the need to show its geography. My geography is beautiful, and I want to show it beautifully,” he stated.

He added that a lot of his reminiscences have been tied to moments of each surprise and loss. “There were times when I lost entire collections of work, memories stored in my GoPro, drone, or camera. At first, such tragedies broke me. But over time, you learn to normalise even the hardest losses. Nature flows like air and water, and I have learned to move with that flow.”

Curator of the exhibition and editor of The Antistic Scene, Zareen Khan, who has been working within the discipline for 15 years, stated the method of bringing Ilyaas’s work to Islamabad was removed from straightforward. “When he approached me online a year ago, I began talking to galleries. It is very hard for new talent to find space here,” she famous.

Ms Khan added that the web disruption in Balochistan made coordination extraordinarily sluggish for them, taking months to make the exhibition doable.

“That gave me a glimpse of the challenges Ilyaas must face”.

She urged the Islamabad public to help rising artists. “If we do not support them, our talent will leave the country. Beyond brain drain, there will be creative drain as well,” she added.

Among the guests was Agha Imran, who stated he felt a private connection to the work. He shared his earliest reminiscences in Kalat, Pasni and different components of Balochistan. “I have a deep attachment to Balochistan, and I am glad to see it highlighted here in capital,” he stated.

On show have been works reminiscent of The Last Man of the Burnt City, a picture capturing resilience amid desolation; What Should I Paint on Canvas, if not Love, portraying Mahal Baloch in conventional apparel towards the backdrop of the long-lasting three pillars; and I Found You, throughout the Starry Night, the place the Milky Way stretches over Shadikaur’s rock formations.

With its evocative landscapes and private narratives, ‘In the name of You – a love letter to Balochistan’ provides a uncommon window into Balochistan that continues to be each geographically wealthy and largely unseen.

Published in Dawn, September twenty first, 2025