Staff Reporter
A 286-foot-high public art mural, claimed to be world’s tallest, was unveiled in Karachi, it was reported on Sunday. The mural titled ‘Rising Blue’ made by Italian artist Giuseppe Percivati is part of the Internatinonal Public Art Festival (IPAF), an initiative of ‘I Am Karachi’. Speaking on the occasion, Italian Consul-General Anna Ruffino said Percivati had worked in Karachi before at IPAF and also worked in several other countries such as the US, Portugal, Australia and Japan. The mural is titled ‘Rising Blue’. The CG said the mural was a message of peace and friendship, as well as a cry of alarm for the environment. The subject was the conservation of mangroves in Pakistan, especially along the coast of Sindh, which was why it was a great gift to Karachi, Ruffino added. Percivati said the project took about nine days to paint but months for preparation. He first came last July to find a location and as soon as he saw the TPL Tower (Centrepoint), he said: “This is perfect place.” She thanked the people behind the project, especially Ambareen Thompson and Amin Hashwani, executive director and president of ‘I Am Karachi’, for lending their support to him. “Karachi is a beautiful city but has been neglected a bit. It’s called the City of Lights but sometimes it’s more like a city of dust. People of Karachi are beautiful. The city can be as beautiful as Milan, Rome or London,” he remarked. Terming the mural an iconic example of public-private partnership, IPAF Chairman Jameel Yusuf said the 286-foot-tall mural is the world’s tallest, tracing the stunning Karachi coastline. Describing the artwork’s symbolism, he told the audience that the mangroves supported Pakistan’s ecosystem as a breeding ground for marine life and birds. KPT Chairman Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar said he was proud to be a part of the project in supporting ‘I Am Karachi’. Ms Thompson said her team had been working for the past four years to change city’s narrative.
