KARACHI: The first Karachi Biennale will be organised from Oct 22 to Nov 5 at 12 venues, announced the CEO Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT) Niilofur Farrukh at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday.

Ms Farrukh said biennales took place in more than 100 cities of the world, signifying their association and relationship with those cities. It’s primarily an art exhibition held at different places in different ways. The first biennale in the world was organised in Venice more than a century ago after which it spread to other parts of the globe. In the last two decades it gained tremendous popularity in developing countries. One of the reasons was that people wanted their art to be shown in their countries.

More than 140 local and international artists would be exhibiting their work at Karachi Biennale. Twelve venues were chosen for the purpose, six of which were, Ms Farrukh said, on Bandar Road (now M.A. Jinnah Road), and one of which was NJV School. Pioneer Book House, Jamshed Memorial Hall and Frere Hall were some of the other places she mentioned. There was also Capri cinema at which a film made by a Canadian artist would be screened. Apart from exhibitions, activities had been planned for schoolchildren and families.

Trade union activist Karamat Ali said for the last 30 years Karachi had been a victim of wear and tear (toot phoot). Extremism had taken its toll on the city. Art provided us with an opportunity to think, and helped us come out of the atmosphere of fear.

Journalist Ghazi Salahuddin said Karachi was dubbed by some a “dangerous city”. It needed to be a living, breathing town. We must understand the importance of public spaces. Art inculcated in us a sense of belonging and introduced us to beauty. “I hope it will make some difference,” he remarked.

Chief curator of Karachi Biennale Amin Gulgee said he and his team had been working on the project since August last year. He especially mentioned five of his young colleagues. He told the media they worked with no funding and everyone did their bit on a voluntary basis. “[They say] Karachi is a dangerous, dirty city but everywhere in the world I went I received nothing but love. Everybody was willing to come to Karachi.”

Aquila Ismail said art education for children did not only mean that they were learning how to make art but also enabled them to see the beauty and ugliness of the environment.

Chairperson KBT Almas Bana said even an illiterate person would be able to appreciate pictures, which meant that the language of art was there before we began to write and read. He highlighted that Karachi Biennale was Pakistan’s first such event [not just Karachi’s].

Asma Ibrahim said when their team set out to plan the event they had three objectives: how to take art to the common man; how to take it to the level of schools; and how to combine art and heritage.

The event is free of charge and will be formally inaugurated on Oct 21 at NJV School.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2017