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City within City

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“It is impossible to have a society that is civil and educated without public art” (Darren Walker)

If any of you recently had  chance to visit Istanbul Chowk or the surroundings, you may have noticed a new city within city. Yes this is the name of a new installation that now adorns the most central place between old and new Lahore. This installation is comprised of small bird houses grouped to form a tree shaped city of birds.

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Installation city within a city by Atif Khan at Istanbul Chowk

Atif Khan the artist behind this amazing piece reacted to an open call announced in June 2015 by Lahore Biennale Foundation in collaboration with the Commissioner’s Office Lahore, for artist proposals to create an art installation. After a long and rigorous jury process Khan was selected for his project City within a city which is both an extension of his artistic practice and also site specific.

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Landscape of the heart, print by Atif Khan

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Photo manipulation of two works of Atif Khan by Karim Ahmad

Speaking about how this project was conceived Khan says that he was more concerned with the project to be site specific and contextualized so that led to the idea of birdhouses. The Istanbul chowk and surrounding area already is a home to many birds. Public art needs to be site specific it has to fit its site or else it’s a disaster and the fact that this installation fits so perfectly its site makes this work a success. Another main feature of this site and surroundings is the Universities and colleges including National College of Arts where Khan teaches and the presence of cannon installed as monument there bothered him thus he created an installation that highlights the most innocent and peaceful feature of the site.

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Birds at Istanbul Chowk

Another interesting fact about this installation is that it will grow and evolve with time as Khan has planted vines around the installation that will grow on the bird houses making the installation a lot more organic. I think its very intelligent that the work will change with time.

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Installation in progress

An intersection with Government buildings, schools and colleges, a million cars, buses and motorcycles, their horns honking at the same time, lawyers in black suits and briefcases all around, dust and smoke and suddenly you look at this installation that breaks this Urban distortion with its serene and harmless presence. Its like you are an Alice in wonderland.

“It reminds me of my childhood for some reason” said one of the onlookers. One said “its very attractive”. Another commented “Its my favorite Installation in Lahore”. My fascination with this piece is mostly based on the narrative. I believe that the public art is the stories we tell and all the monuments, installations landmarks and sculptures (such as Cannons, fighter jets used in 1965 and 71 war, disproportionate elephants and distorted horses) in Lahore city tell a violent story or power, authority and bloodshed. They have been very cleverly used to design our collective identity as savages. There is no denying that terror is a big part of our identity and culture but we have other stories to tell too. And this installation is a perfect example of the co existence of both these narratives. Public art installations such as this have a potential to provide a new way to experience the city.

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Istanbul Chowk 

Although this installation is admired and enjoyed by many but there are some, who are disappointed because they expected birdhouses to be more functional. “This is not practical for the pigeons…the holes are too small” said one. Another said “The birds will never live in these houses, so what’s the point?” To some it will just be a meaningless decorative installation and to some this piece is just another part of the Government’s beautification of Lahore campaign, but at least its out there for people to like, dislike or have any opinion about it and that’s the beauty of public art.

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Is all public art good? Well I think its too early to ask this question. The discourse of public art is gaining momentum in Pakistan for example Lahore Biennale Foundation is initiating public ventures that are concerned with the engagement of communities and individuals who have no prior background in art. As Ken Lum says “The relationship of public art to social reality is at the crux of the instrumentality of public art” . Although generally public art is considered a public good but when separated from the social or economic reality of the city or neighborhood in which it resides, public art can be a cause of more public harm than public good. And here its too early to say who is it going to serve. For now I think anything happening outside the galleries is another step in the right direction.

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Presence of birds around the installation

The images have been taken from internet, Atif Khan‘s official page and Lahore Biennale Foundation’s page LBF.

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