Pakistan’s thriving arts and culture scene is not limited to lucrative fashion, big stars, bigger films and less-than-average content created in the name of entertaining the masses. Fortunately, this space is inhabited by plenty of people who are doing terrific things, the kind that make us realise the shape of things, as they were and as they can be.
Pakistan’s thriving arts and culture scene is not limited to lucrative fashion, big stars, bigger films and less-than-average content created in the name of entertaining the masses. Fortunately, this space is inhabited by plenty of people who are doing terrific things, the kind that make us realise the shape of things, as they were and as they can be.
A case in point is two-time Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s (SOC) Home1947 exhibit. The first immersive experiential exhibition from the acclaimed filmmaker, it is premiering at the Manchester International Festival 2017 as this piece is being written, making it the first time that a Pakistani filmmaker is showcasing at this particular platform.
The exhibit, which is collaborative by design, is a showcase of stories from people who left their homes and crossed borders during the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent - in the form of photography, sound design short documentaries and installations.
More than 10 million people were displaced during the partition of the Indian subcontinent and this exhibit is one that will bring various personal stories and perspectives into focus.
Home1947, a mixed media installation curated by SOC and co-commissioned by the British Council Pakistan includes several collaborators including The Citizens Archive of Pakistan, The Partition Museum, Townhall, Amritsar, Kamal Khan of Gali Films, Ahsan Bari, Taha Malik, Ali Asghar Alavi and Mobeen Ansari.
Launching this brilliant showcase at the MIF17, SOC was on the ground alongside Raania A.K. Durrani, who is Director Arts at British Council Pakistan and is also the co-founder of Salt Arts. While at MIF17, SOC also spoke to historian David Olusoga during a one-on-one panel session that fell under the label, ‘We Need to Talk About Power’.
One disappointing development, however, was that Sanam Marvi did not take the stage on Saturday. Though she was scheduled to perform at MIF17 as part of Sangam 2017: An Evening of Sublime Sufi Music, her performance was cancelled after Marvi could not make it to the UK due to visa issues.
Described by SOC as “an ode to our grandparents generation”, Home1947 opened on Saturday (July 1) and will be on display till July 9. The timing of this exhibit is perfect as Pakistan is celebrating 70 years of independence this year.
