Informal magazine July 2018 09 Informal Magazine JULY 18 | Page 22

INTERVIEW
By: Farooq Ahmed
Dr. Rifaat Saif Dar is the Faculty
Incharge - Director Institute of Visua
Art & Design - Department Head o
Fine Arts at Lahore College for
Women University
A Dive into Creativity and Fine Arts with
DR. RIFAAT SAIF DAR
Q. Tell us something about your academic and
professional carrier?
Ans. Going back in the memory lane, I did my FA in
Fine Arts and scored highest grades, than later on I
did my Bachelors and Masters Degree from Punjab
University and achieved gold medal in it. I did my
PhD from Lahore College for Women University
and since then I’m associated with this great
institution. In the field of teaching I initially started
up with regular teaching, but after my PhD I got
strong footing in my profession.
Q. Share few thoughts about your department?
Ans. Being the Head and Director of Fine Arts
Department, let me share - this department was
among those few departments that were
recognized and operationized during the
establishment of Lahore College in 1952 and a
little while after this period department of Fine
Arts had an evolutionary growth. Now, due to the
blessings of Allah Almighty our administration is
serving in six sub-departments.
Q. Art is hereditary. Do you also have Arts in
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your genes?
Ans. My family background is all related to Arts
and Culture. This journey begins with my
grand-father, who served as the head of
handlooms in Kashmir. Similarly, my father
served as the Director of Lahore Museum for
several years. I spent my artistic childhood with
my father and got the chance to learn things
about our unique culture. It was due to the
cognitions of my upbringing which develops my
interest in the field of art.
Q. How much potential do you see in the field
of “Art”?
Ans. Being a student it might look as a sturdy
decision to pick this field. The field of Arts in our
society where there had been Martial Laws,
where there is rigid Islamic believes and where
Arts is taken as an anti-Islamic and Western
teachings - makes it a bit stiff for students to
truly explore the potential of this field. Biasness
towards this field made me more passionate to
change the fatal concept about the field of Fine