Tribute to people killed for their belief, ideology

LAHORE
In an unprecedented fashion, the Awami Art Collective held a unique exhibition at the Jinnah Park where they paid a tribute to those who have lost their lives in Pakistan over the last 30 years due to hatred based on religion, sect and ideology.
The public art exhibition titled ‘We, Who Were Murdered In Dark Alleys’, accentuated the massacre of citizens of Pakistan over the last 30 years because of their belief, ideas or profession. It aims to create a discourse on violence through an interactive medium by which citizens can make a self-commitment to never again allow violence in their name.
The exhibition will remain on display till the 16th of June 2015.
The one of its kind exhibition attracted a large audience as everyone visiting the park over the weekend went through the special circular walkway created as the exhibition alley by the Awami Art Collection.
“It maybe the best initiative to stimulate progressive discourse in society; I’m currently experiencing mixed feelings as at one end one is saddened going through such violent history while at the other hand I’m overwhelmed by the originality of the idea and the inception of such a step,” said a visitor.
Awami Art Collective is a group of concerned academics, artists, activists who consider important to intervene in the public space for the case of peaceful existence and celebration of diversity.
Masters in International Public Policy, Johns Hopkins University, Rahim-ul-Haq, who is one of the brains behind the exhibition, said that there was a need for the true representatives of this society reclaim the public space from the extremist mindset which defies intellectual growth. He was of the view that for the past few decades the domain of public discourse had been dis-incentivised by security threats, silencing through killings.
The artists and intellectuals of a society can reclaim the public space encroached upon by fear and this is the need of the hour to create a counter narrative to the extremists ideology in our society.