A street artist dressed up in a golden coloured outfit stands alongside a road as a part of his performance amid light rain showers in Islamabad on Friday.

When 18-year-old Mohammad Ahsan arrived in the federal capital to find a job, little did he know that a series of coincidences would soon turn him into the city’s new and unique performance artist, the “Golden Man of Islamabad.”

Painted from head to toe in gold, Ahsan stands on street corners attracting considerable and positive attention, not just from passersby, but also from authorities.

While his sort of performance is not a new thing — “living statues,” as they are known, are common in Europe and many other Asian countries — Ahsan is the first one to be spotted in Islamabad.

He has gained popularity ever since Islamabad’s deputy commissioner, Hamza Shafqat, posted his photo on social media recently, granting him special permission to perform around the city.

Originally from Karachi, Ahsan travelled to Islamabad several months ago to look for work. But despite countless efforts, he could not find employment, and on a day when he was about to give up, he began to browse videos on TikTok to cheer himself up. It was there that he saw clips of Girjesh Gaud, who performs as a living statue in Mumbai, India. So, he decided to create his own style.