'BONSAI' (Japanese: "tray-planted") are living dwarf trees trained to grow in containers. Bonsai specimens are ordinary trees and shrubs, not hereditary dwarfs. They are dwarfed by a system of pruning roots and branches and training branches by tying with wire. The art originated in China, where, perhaps over 1,000 years ago, trees were cultivated in trays, wooden containers, and earthenware pots and trained in naturalistic shapes. Bonsai, however, has been pursued and developed primarily by the Japanese.

Bonsai may live for a century or more, and be handed down from one generation to another as valued family possessions. Medium or average bonsai can be produced in as little as three years whereas, small sized bonsai require 5 to 10 or more years to train.

The demonstration will include :

• Brief introduction of 'Root Over Rock' style.
• Tips for the selection of rock.
• Selecting the most suitable trees.
• Preparing a tree for the composition.
• A few short cut techniques that help create a composition in just a few years!

Abu-Bakar started on his own to experiment with this art in 1985. His Bonsai's have been greatly appreciated at Islamabad's horticultural events. In this program, he will briefly inform us about this art which will be followed by an interesting demonstration of techniques used to create a stunning Root-over-Rock Bonsai. We all have seen and admired trees clinging to high mountain clifs where their roots are spread over the rocks. Now imagine if we can replicate the same composition in miniature!

Mark your Calendars!

OPENING EVENT 2021-2022

6.30 pm onwards

GUESTS WELCOME!

An opportunity for you to join the ASG or renew your membership at a special discount!

Purchase the limited edition of the 2022 ASG Calendar and other publications!

( In case of rain... move inside!- SOP's Essential)

‘THE FLOWERING DESERT: TEXTILES FROM SINDH’

A Multimedia presentation- Nasreen Askari

“Even now the antiquity of Sindh’s textiles tradition, which goes back to 5000 BC, is terribly under- exposed and not studied. It has been subsumed under a generic classification of Indian art and culture if it is appreciated at all…”

The presentation focuses on a private collection of textiles from Sindh, Pakistan, which, according to some scholars, was the crucible in which the textile traditions of Gujarat and Rajasthan were forged. Sindhi textiles are unique inasmuch as they reflect a dimension that combines the harshness of the terrain with a quest for a mythical and unattainable beauty. The collection is recognized as being of outstanding merit , it has featured in exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

‘The Flowering Desert: Textiles From Sindh’ reveals an alternative narrative of the region best known abroad for the unruly, sprawling mass of its capital city, Karachi, and the drama of its most famous family, the Bhuttos….Fifty years of documenting Sindh’s visual history has culminated in a project for the wife & husband team- Nasreen and Hasan Askari, who ardently believe in the “soft power” of culture. By shining a light on the arts and crafts of its rural hinterland, they are aiming for reverence at home, for a tradition that has often been overlooked or dismissed…

About the Presenter: “My interest started quite a long time ago, sometime in 1970,I went from the privileged schools of Karachi to university in Jamshoro, a complete wilderness, I saw costumes and textiles I’d never seen before, through the motifs, colours and styles there were whole vocabularies communicated in whasaw. Within textile arts, Sindhi works stand very high. It’s just so little known and understood. The greatest strength is not just the skill but the authenticity. In a sense, I hope this will go some way to show that…’

Nasreen Askari is the Founder/ Director of the Mohata Palace Museum, Karachi. She is described as one of Pakistan’s most ardent cultural ambassadors. Her enthusiasm and reputation is unparalleled. She hopes that the traditional textiles from the province of Sindh will be appreciated- not just as quirky national heritage- but as art in their own right. She has dedicated her life’s work to the preservation and elevation of the bold, dramatic and painstaking embroidery and block prints of the artisans in Pakistan’s second biggest province.

Venue: Shamadan Lawn, Serena Hotel, Islamabad.(In collaboration with Serena Hotel)

For further information : ASG office 2802343 (Tue-Sat: 11am-2pm)/asianstudyg@gmail.com

‘Rawul Pindee: The Raj Years’- a voyage through the mists of time… - Ali Khan

A multimedia Presentation

A sense of nostalgia prevails throughout the presentation for a bygone era as it evokes the Colonial period through a treasure trove of vintage photographs, long forgotten historical facts and figures that have shaped the history of Rawalpindi and its surroundings…..

Concert: Khumariyaan – The Band ‘The Intoxication of Sound’

The Magic and Power of Dance

Swat: The Priceley State 1917-1969 - Adnan Aurangzeb

A multimedia presentation

“The Resourceful Fakirs”- Fakir S. Aijazuddiun 

A multimedia presentation/ Book launch

‘Cultural Expressions’: A Journey into the Sufi Realm of South Punjab: ‘- Sajida Vandal 

Multi- media presentation/ Book Launch, Craft Exhibition