ISLAMABAD: A week-long photo exhibition titled ‘Once there was, and once there wasn’t – Styrian Tales from the Silk Road’ focusing on the Silk Road countries’ Fairy Tales was inaugurated here on Monday at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).
Austrian Charge d’Affaires, Hannes Machor, Austrian curator & artist Dr.Maryam Mohammadi and DG PNCA Muhammad Ayoub Jamali inaugurated the photo exhibition.
The exhibition features works of the Austrian curator, artist and photographer Maryam Mohammadi who has picked six countries from the Silk Road— Iran, India, China, Mongolia, Georgia and Greece to depict the rich cultures and ancient history of these countries through their peculiar fairy tales.
The woman who narrated the stories is currently living and settled in the Austrian state of Styria which is also her home.
From each story, Maryam Mohammadi picked two scenes and used staged photography to visualize them—a technique she has been using for the last 20 years.
She has tried to highlight the cultures, traditions, unique history and anecdotes of these wonderful countries. For each Fairytale there was a QR code that allowed the visitors to listen to the story in German (Austria’s national language).
The exhibition which will continue until October 13, gives ample details about the Silk Road countries, their exotic landscapes, trade, travel, cultural encounters, and mystical and magical elements—all through their Fairy Tales.
“As a photographer my work goes through stages—conceptualizing, creating the art and presenting it,” she said, adding, however, the project is not complete until the audience like you, engages with it and forms its own interpretation.
Earlier, welcoming Maryam Mohammadi to Pakistan for the maiden exhibition, Austrian Charge d’Affaires Hannes Machor hoped through the exhibition people would come to know the Austrian migrant women’s life, culture, heritage and tradition.
