(Karachi) On the evening of the 22nd of February, luxury publishers Still Waters Publishing launched poet Faraz Maqsood Hamidi and his debut collection of contemporary poems in the English language entitled SKIN. This anthology marks the luxury publishing house’s second title after the critically acclaimed coffee-table book entitled “Revived: The Journey Within” launched in Karachi and Lahore last year.
SKIN was introduced to an exclusive audience including eminent poetess Zehra Nigah, writer Fatima Suraiya Bajia, designer par excellence Bunto Kazmi, Shahid Sajjad the sculptor, Zubaida Tariq celebrity chef, Zeba Bakhtiar, Shaheen Salahuddin celebrity anchor, Fareshteh Aslam, Kamiar Rokni, Bilal Maqsood from Strings, Shandana Minhas, percussionist Gumby, video director Sohail Javed, model Nadia Hussain, Yousuf Bashir Qureshi, Nida Azwar, choreographer Imran Kurehishi, Omran Shafique from Mauj and Poppy Agha at the independent art venue of choice, Commune Artist Colony in Karachi.
In keeping with its international support for the culture of writing was Montblanc’s collaboration with Still Waters Publishing for the launch of SKIN. Their presence signalled their global commitment as patrons of the literary arts and they presented a limited edition Montblanc fountain pen, the Scott Fitzgerald 7376 to Faraz Maqsood Hamidi. Still Waters Publishing honoured Imran Aslam as a senior and influential writer that evening with a Montblanc anniversary edition pen 36709. All poetry readers were also presented with contemporary Montblanc jewellery and Scenium ballpoint 35887 ballpoint pens as tokens of appreciation.
Post Reader’s Theatre, Faraz Maqsood Hamidi conducted a book signing for both edition of the book: a limited edition coutured by designer Yousuf Bashir Qureshi of the YBQ Design Studio and a paperback version of the book for retail. The book signing was followed by red carpet interview opportunities.
Speaking about his book, poet Hamidi said “25 years of writing poems has fine-tuned two instincts: Internally, a steady impulse to hear untold stories that wish to surface as poems. And, externally, a huge enthusiasm to measure the world in meter and rhyme.
SKIN, in paperback, will be available for a retail price of PKR 1,000 in Karachi at the Canvas Art Gallery, Galleria 919 and Zennaini and will be available in Lahore from 10 March 2009 at The Shoppe, Iqbal Book Corner, Anees Book Corner and will also be available in Dubai soon at 50Ëš at Souk Al Bahar.
Still Water Publishing launch “SKIN†by Faraz Maqsood Hamidi to much acclaim.
