DUBAI: From skillfully crafted bronze pieces to delicately fashioned lamps from Himalayan pink salt, The Bazaar is a place that offers a wide range of Pakistani crafts to people visiting the country’s pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020.
While the building’s colorful exterior has attracted thousands of people since the beginning of the global event, The Bazaar has become one of the most popular destinations within the facility.
According to the organizers of the place, over 40 products, representing different facets of the Pakistani culture, are displayed here to encourage investments and promote commerce.
Most of the items are from Koel, a homegrown store pioneered by Noorjehan Bilgrami, an artist and the principal curator of the Pakistan Pavilion.
Among the unique products for sale here are the intricately carved bronze items which benefit from Tanba Kari, a technique that dates back to 7,000 BCE. In its contemporary form, the craft is practiced by artisans in Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Lahore.
Bronze items made by using an indigenous craft called Tanba Kari are displayed at The Bazaar for visitors at the Pakistan Pavilion as Expo 2020 continues in Dubai, UAE, on October 27, 2021. (AN Photo by Asma Ali Zain)
The Bazaar offers visitors truck art as well that is also referred to as the art that moves. Truck art is a highly flamboyant representation of Pakistan’s culture.
Among other popular items at the venue are the country’s blue pottery products. The craft, also known as Kashikari, features beautiful hand-painted and glazed decoration pieces and cutlery done by craftsmen from Multan.
“The response has been outstanding and people have been praising the pavilion as well as the vibrant bazaar,” Afroz Abro, who looks after the Pakistan Pavilion’s marketing and programming, said on Monday.
Traditional blue pottery products are displayed at the Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, UAE, on October 27, 2021. (AN Photo by Asma Ali Zain)
“I am amazed at the artwork and products that are for sale here,” Claire Ross, a visitor to Pakistan Pavilion, told Arab New. “I have especially picked up some truck art pieces because I loved the use of the vibrant colors.”
A visitor checks a tea kettle at the Pakistan Pavilion in Dubai, UAE, on October 27, 2021. (AN Photo by Asma Ali Zain)
Dubai Expo 2020 is the largest and most diverse exhibition in the region with participation from over 190 countries, multilateral organizations, and businesses. The expo commenced on October 1 and will last till March 31, 2022.
