A little more Art today, this time in the walled city.
One I liked. It was in an old assembly hall just outside the city. There were some very nice cartographic pieces on paper cutouts, a large one of the world of Tipu Sultan’s grandson, and a massive Boschian 2-parter. A few more forgettable ones, but there was generally something nice about it all.
The other, in the Shahi Hamaam, I didn’t care for. I do think that a lot of modern site-specific installations in historic buildings are just terrible in their complete disinterest in the aesthetics of where they are, or in engaging with the people who are coming to see them. This one had as its centrepiece, in the beautiful frescoed entrance hall, a pile of styrofoam boxes with a black painted boat sticking out with the word zakhm (‘wound’) daubed on the side in white paint, and also possibly marham (healing), going by the artist’s statement. There was some text about how styrofoam is not easily recyclable, begging the question of the afterlife of the installation.
Then there was an installation of photos of Karachi buildings, which the note said was ‘bringing the two cities in conversation’.
Another was a row of glass jars filled with soil, which caused some confusion amongst the visitors, I heard at least a couple of people ask each other if they were perhaps spice jars. No, the artist’s statement said, they were handfuls of soil she had picked up in the midst of an ecstatic dance.
The one I liked best was in a part of the hamaam with a walkway over the exposed water tanks. The artist had put down grubby plaster casts of dead-looking fish. This looked interesting, had something to say that wasn’t terribly innovative but said it in a way that was comprehensible, aesthetically fit the surroundings and used them to create a mood.
In the afternoon I took advantage of having the car and driver and went to buy a few gifts. Also collected the painting I had reframed, which is now looking much better, though still missing something, perhaps a tiny edging of black between the painting and the mount. I wanted to have gol gappay but the place I wanted to go to didn’t open till later in the evening, so that will wait for another day.