By Abid Usman
ISLAMABAD: Amateur artists on Sunday lauded the ongoing training courses in folk crafts and folk music organized by National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa).
A series of training courses in folk crafts and folk music was started from May 10 with an objective to promote traditional skills and inculcate awareness among the masses, particularly youth/students about the indigenous folk culture of Pakistan.
An artist Fareeha Shah said,”Its a platform where one could portray his or her artistic skills in a better way under the supervision by master artisans.”
She said those registering themselves in such courses would have an opportunity to refine their skills and to highlight their work in an appropriate manner.
Another artist Rizwan Raza said,”These courses are not supposed to be easy but it is acknowledged that NIFTH is providing trained teachers to teach these courses to emerging talent.” Rizwan briefed about the folk art that reflects the cultural life of a community.
The art form encompasses the expressive culture associated with the fields of folklore and cultural heritage. He said that tangible folk art can include objects which historically are crafted and used within a traditional community adding that intangible folk arts can include such forms as music and art galleries, dance and narrative structures.
Rizwan said: “Each of these art forms, both tangible and intangible, typically were developed to address a practical purpose once the purpose had been lost or forgotten, there usually was no reason for further transmission unless the object or action had been imbued with meaning beyond its initial practicality.” –Agencies
