PESH AWAR: Pakistani artist Hira Ali has won the prestigious Cultural Exchange Award at the 4th ISFS International Folk Gifts Innovative Design Contest in Shanghai, China, showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage on an international platform.
Her achievement brings together traditional art forms from Pakistan’s remote mountain communities and contemporary global fashion, earning appreciation from art circles in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Her award-winning entry, titled Folk Hues: Kalash and Jinshan Colour Fusion, impressed the international jury by blending the intricate indigenous embroidery of Pakistan’s Kalash Valleywith the vibrant, narrative-driven brushwork of Shanghai’s historic Jinshan Farmer Paintings. Ali shared details of her achievement with Dawn through WhatsApp from China following the announcement.
Organised by the Shanghai Fashion and Accessories Society under the theme ‘Algorithm’, the competition invited domestic and international designers to reinterpret folk traditions from different cultures through contemporary wearable designs. Participants used items such as baseball caps, scarves, T-shirts and socks as creative canvases.
The initiative aimed to promote crosscultural dialogue, sustainable design and artistic collaboration among scholars studying at Chinese academic institutions.
Ali drew inspiration from the Kalashcommunity of Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is known for its distinctive cultural practices, endangered language and traditional textile designs.
The community’s cultural heritage has global recognition. Its traditional knowledge and practices of observing the sun, moon and stars, known as Suri Jagek, were inscribed on Unesco’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2018.
‘I selected Kalash civilisation as my creative inspiration because of its authentic and distinctive textile motifs.
I wanted to transform this indigenous heritage into contemporary apparel designs and showcase its unique tribal character on a global platform,’ Ali said.
She combined traditional Kalash patterns with Jinshan Farmer Paintings, afolk art form that originated in Shanghai’s Jinshan district in the late 1950s. Known for its vibrant colours, bold compositions and depictions of rural life, the art form gained wider recognition after a national exhibition in 1980. It is also recognised as Shanghai municipal intangible cultural heritage.
Despite their geographical, historical and linguistic differences, Ali said, the two traditions shared a common artistic spirit, reflected in their vibrant colours and close connection with everyday life and the natural environment.
The final evaluation meeting was held at Donghua University in Shanghai, where Ali’s academic mentor, Wu Pengxiao of Shanghai University, also received the Excellent Tutor Award in recognition of his guidance and contribution to the cross-cultural initiative.