July Issue 2010

The Second Floor (T2F) is known to showcase Pakistan’s young talent that is yet to emerge on the popular scene, and on June 22, it uncovered a new gem from the field of fine arts: Scherherezade Junejo. She is a recent graduate of National College of Arts, Lahore, but her work would never reveal that about her.

Her debut show titled ‘The Fashion Show’ was an extension of her thesis show ‘The Infection’ and seamlessly combined her love for dance, theatre and, of course, art. The collection’s theme centred on the human body, its contortions and postures with a particular emphasis on how light and space interacts with it. Scherherezade claims her work is a satire on the materialistic world we live in, and her message was very evident in her stark, daunting visuals. Her brush strokes exude confidence and deft skill, and are a testament to the talent of a seasoned rather than a budding artist.

Admirers of her work were abundant on the opening night, and three of her eight pieces were bought within the first hour of the evening. The crowd comprised NCA and IVS graduates, aside from the many artists, musicians, family and friends who had come to support her. To further enhance the artsy fervour, a local band, Mame-Saab, performed three tracks composed especially for the evening. The mood and tone of the music was mostly eastern classical fused with contemporary instrumentation, which complemented Scherherezade’s artwork wonderfully.