Ambiance Boutique Art Hotel launches in Karachi with ‘Living Art: Episode Two’ – an immersive theatrical performance

Get ready to explore an art boutique in K-town!

Ambiance Boutique Art Hotels recently launched its second property in Pakistan in the city of lights, Karachi. The grand opening included a launch party with crème de la crème of the industry in attendance. Not only the stunningly designed property of the Boutique Hotel and its distinctively-curated art collection were on display but also a unique immersive theatrical performance titled Living Art: Episode Two was part of the experience. An entire block of the hotel was converted into a ‘walk-through’ theatre, allowing guests to interact with performing actors.

Hosted by Kasim Kasuri, CEO and Chief Design Curator of Ambiance Hotels, the event’s highlight was the theatre performance Living Art: Episode Two, directed by theatre actor Vajdaan Shah which bridged the gap between the visual and performing arts.

Boasting a creative and distinctive style, the Living Arts performance was an amalgamation of 18 different stories inspired by the artwork displayed at the Ambiance Hotel, each of which was selected by the Ambiance Curators’ Committee which includes Prof. Salima Hashmi, former Principal, National College of Arts; Prof. Shehnaz Ismail, founding member of Indus Valley School; Adeela Suleman, Director, Vasl Artists’ Association and Ambiance’s own Kasim Kasuri.

Dignitaries and prominent faces were seen at the opening ceremony, including former senator Javed Jabbar and Ms. Shabnum Jabbar, senator Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, economist Ishrat Husain, civil rights activist Jibran Nasir, former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri, Beaconhouse chairperson Nasreen Kasuri, Wajid Jawad, renowned architect and furniture designer Yousaf Shahbaz, Sharmila Faruqi and Hasham Riaz Sheikh to name a few.

The launch party was bustling with faces from the TV and fashion fraternity as artists gathered to celebrate the occasion. Amid the glitz and glamour of celebrities, socialites and fashionistas, a number of designers, corporate leaders, journalists/bloggers and media personalities also attended the event.

Sanam Saeed, Mohib Mirza, Ayesha Omar, Maria Wasti, Asim Raza, Saqib Malik, Asad Ul Haq and Farah Haq, Tariq Amin, Fifi Haroon, Rukaiya Adamjee, Tapu Javeri, Nubain Ali, Shamoon Abbasi, HSY, Khadijah Shah, Maheen Karim, Saba Ansari, Fouzia Amaan, Sachal Afzal, Khoji, Fatima Hasan, Mahvaish Rehman, Misbah Momin, Asad & Laila Premjee, Adil & Saima Haider, Adnan & Nida Tapal, Raza & Mehreen Agha, Chandni Saigol, Marium Ahmed, Farah Leghari, Simeen Tapal, Mikaal Habib, Ushna Malik, Rashmi Kumari, Aatiqa Lateef, Mehr Hamid, Ali Ahmed, Asim Butt, Mahjabeen Obaid, Iman Habib and Farah Kapadia Mehboob were present amongst others.

Moyena Niazi, hotel architect; Sabeen R. Shiraz, interior designer of the hotel and Deepak Perwani, the hotel’s official stylist who also designed the staff uniforms also graced the event with their presence.

Staying true to its name, the Ambiance Boutique Art Hotel’s first grand performance showcased art in its purest form of storytelling. Audience members walked through several rooms to follow the trajectory of the performances. Guests got a chance to interact with these performing artists who were immersed in narrating interwoven stories individually, in couples or groups. The tales included vivid themes of sibling separation, lost love, the trauma of war, regeneration and celebration replete with mad scientists; fembots, singing robots, guns, operating theaters and surgeons in scrubs and cake; all buoyed by intense action and believable depictions. There were four time slots to enjoy the show, between 6:30pm and 10:30pm.

The guests also enjoyed delicious snacks and drinks in between the acts. Ambiance Express, a
first-of-its-kind complete hotel restaurant, was open to serve a carefully curated menu of global comfort food. Guests savoured sushi, grilled chicken strips and chocolate brownies along with refreshing mint and beetroot juices. Later, invitees attended a rooftop celebration party hosted by Kasim and Sophia Kasuri replete with cake-cutting, a live DJ and an artist couple, Safwan Subzwari and Marium Kamal working live on an vibrant oversize canvas.

Speaking on the occasion, Kasim Kasuri, who describes himself as a ‘serial art collector’ commented: “We built Ambiance to redefine hospitality by offering curated experiences to its patrons as Pakistan’s first network of boutique art hotels. Art is center-stage at the hotel, not just in terms of the paintings on our walls but in terms of our overall design aesthetic. While staying at Ambiance, you get to live, breathe, and immerse yourself in visually and aesthetically appealing art in multiple forms.”

It is now established that Ambiance Boutique Art Hotel offers artistic aesthetic and comfort alike. The newly-launched hotel, a green oasis situated in Clifton Block 5 in the heart of Karachi, showcases over 200 original works of art from emerging and mid-career Pakistani artists including Atif Khan, Mohsin Shafi, Sonia Chundrighar, Beygum Bano, Tooba Ashraf, and many others.

The deluxe boutique hotel is divided into four spacious blocks, currently has 24 rooms, 10 of which are already operational. In the near future, the management plans to offer guests 42 luxuriously-appointed accommodations including the upcoming ‘Ambiance Garden Suites’, each one featuring a lush green private garden. A spa amongst many other facilities are also expected to be launched.

Renowned for their thoughtfully-crafted interiors and soulful vibe, Ambiance Boutique Art Hotel first launched in Lahore in October 2020. And is now ready to welcome guests in the metropolitan city.

Pakistan’s pioneering production and PR agency, Catwalk Event Management Productions by Frieha Altaf, were responsible for orchestrating this unique launch event in Karachi and its PR. With its 32 years of experience in the industry, the team managed to put up a grand show which will be remembered for a long time.