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    Munaqqash: I Am Karachi's New Initiative for the Community

    Written by: Rabia Saeed
    Posted on: September 20, 2017 | | 中文

    The transformed building

    A decaying structure, painted with bright rainbow coloured murals and embellished with dolls and kites, stands a stone’s throw away from the National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi. A burst of childlike exuberance is experienced upon seeing this transformed building, almost as if a secret world has been stumbled upon.

    ‘Munaqqash’ is an ever evolving, outdoor, interactive art installation, which consists of an abandoned canteen building transformed using found objects. In modern art, found objects can be anything readymade, which an artist selects and presents with minimal modification, as a work of art. In this case, the walls have been adorned with stuffed toys, kites, hangers and teapots among other things.

    Dolls on the walls

    Dolls on the walls

    Curated by Mehreen Hashmi, and worked upon by artists and volunteers, Munaqqash has been initiated by ‘I Am Karachi.’ It was inspired by the Heidelberg project, which took flight in Detroit, Michigan, in 1986.  The Heidelberg Project transformed vacant houses and lots into artistic spaces, by bringing them to life with sculptures, paintings and found objects. These spaces inevitably drew in the community and encouraged positive change in an otherwise impoverished area.

    The exploration and reclamation of public spaces in Karachi has remained a basic objective of the ‘I Am Karachi (IAK)’ campaign. A central objective has been to encourage citizens to take pride and interest in the already limited spaces for art, theatre and music, which have further diminished over the years. According to Ambareen Thompson, the executive director of IAK, several buildings have been seized by the mafias in Karachi and thus, projects such as Munaqqash are vital in order to sustain the city’s diverse cultural identity.

    One of the colourful walls

    One of the colourful walls

    Munaqqash aims to involve the surrounding communities, allowing them to experience art and culture in an inclusive, creative setting. The project hopes to engage the public in a healthy, constructive manner, inviting them to contribute aesthetically in any manner they wish, possible due to the dynamic nature of the site. The artwork has been developing on site for a few months now, but was officially inaugurated on 14th September, 2017. Karachi’s citizens were invited to observe and experience the rather fanciful installation.

    They also saw a presentation on the aims, struggles and hopes of Munaqqash. The artists who worked on the project include Farrukh Shahab, Nashra Saleem, Safeer Sandeelo, Hina Tabassum, Sehrish Willayat and Sabir Ali. Moreover, workshops were also conducted at various institutions including the Arts Council Karachi, The Garage School, SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls School and Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government Girls School, to raise awareness and gather volunteers. These volunteers were invited to the site to assist the artists in bringing their concepts to life.

    Opening Ceremony of Munaqqash

    Opening Ceremony of Munaqqash

    Curator Mehreen Hashmi believes that the close proximity of the installation to the National Museum will encourage people to visit the building. This will create an interest in other artistic establishments as well, inspiring a renewed engagement with the city’s cultural heritage. The curator was selective while choosing the artists, since their aesthetic language had to contain socio-cultural elements and also be able to adjust outside a gallery space, in a public setting.

    Some of the detailed artwork

    Artwork on a wall

    Elements of Karachi’s socio-cultural and political narrative are embedded throughout the site. Despite the fact that the area is a sanctuary, a multicolored haven amidst the cities turbulent and hostile environment, traces of the latter have seeped into the work. An example is of the whimsical painted vehicle, which sits before the building. Upon coming closer, a withered exterior becomes apparent underneath the bright colors. According to the curator, the car was destroyed during a series of riots, and was discovered in the Ramaswami neighborhood of Karachi. Hashmi decided to incorporate the car in the project, ultimately changing its meaning. Thus, the modified meanings of the found objects intermingle with their histories, forming new, transcendent identities.

    Children visit the site

    Children visit the site

    The once abandoned canteen has been reclaimed and transformed into a vibrant, cultural space. The dolls are clad in shimmering Pakistani outfits, the teapots adorning the walls are covered in an enchanting palette of local truck art and the kites wink nostalgically in the sun, as childhood memories of Basant are fleetingly recalled. Munaqqash is a gift to the public, a place where people are encouraged to come and explore their creativity in a positive and productive manner, allowing their creativity to truly flourish.

     

    All images provided by the writer and Nashrah Saleem Dudha.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

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    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
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    January 2021