ISLAMABAD – American Ambassador David Hale welcomed 100 young Pakistanis to an Open House at the American Embassy on Wednesday, showcasing the new artwork installed under the US Department of State’s Art in Embassies (AIE) program.
More than 40 pieces, by both American and Pakistani artists, make up the permanent collection. Pakistani band Khumariyaan performed a fusion of local and international music.
Ambassador Hale welcomed the guests, saying, “Art helps us see our world from new and varying perspectives. The language of art is universal – crossing borders and speaking to us regardless of nationality.”
President John F. Kennedy formalised the AIE program at the Department of State in 1963. Today, AIE is a public-private partnership engaging more than 20,000 participants globally, including artists, museums, galleries, universities, and private collectors, and encompasses more than 200 venues in 189 countries. Professional curators and registrars create and ship about 60 exhibitions per year, and since 2000, more than 58 permanent collections have been installed in American diplomatic facilities throughout the world.
Prominent Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi, recent winner of the State Department’s 2017 International Medal of Arts, also has works displayed at the American Embassy.
The International Medal of Arts is awarded to artists who demonstrate an enduring commitment to the Art in Embassies mission of cultural diplomacy through the visual arts and international cultural exchange.
The American Embassy supports arts and music programming through a variety of initiatives. Each year, with U.S. government support, dozens of Pakistani artists participate in programs in the United States and Pakistan.
