LAHORE: Lahore has long been the cultural hub of Pakistan, deeply entrenched in various expressions of art. Yet, the city remains obscure on international forums when it comes to engaging artistic practice with diverse publics. Given the limited representation of Pakistan in global media, and the relative scarcity of regional dialogues within South Asia, there is a real urgency to foster a deeper and multifaceted dialogue between Lahore, the region, and the rest of the world.
The two week festival titled ‘Lahore Biennale will take place from 18th to March 31st at seven major venues that engage with the city’s Mughal, Colonial, and Modern layers.
While the concept of a 14-day long cultural program is appealing, even more exciting is that the event will engage over 50 artists from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, as well as from Europe and the United States.
Encapsulating the uniqueness of Lahore as a location, artist projects will be exhibited at venues across the cities that have strong cultural and historical references.
The renowned sites of Lahore Fort, Shahi Hammam, Mubarak Haveli & Tehsil Park, Lahore Museum, Alhamra Art Centre, Bagh-e-Jinnah, and the main Canal road will be turned into sites for compelling visual display.
Lahoris will be able to view works from prominent names in art, including Amar Kanwar, Naeem Mohaiemen, Shahzia Sikander and Shirin Neshat. Artists presenting major new commissions will include Ali Kazim, Awami Art Collective, Aisha Khalid, and Imran Qureshi. In addition, there will be talks and performances that will discuss the subject matter in great detail, while keeping visitors enthralled. Musician Ali Sethi and composer Du Yun will perform on the opening day, while a performance by Salima Hashmi along with a performance reading by Naiza Khan will close the event.
The LB01 will feature several public programs that include the Academic Forum, Commissioned and Curated Exhibitions.