Delhi's art circuit is familiar with the nature of Rashid Rana's art practice, that of creating a large image out of a number of smaller images which actually is in conflict with the larger image. In fact, Rashid, one of Pakistan's best-known contemporary artists, expertly negotiates diverse media like painting, video installation, photography, and is a darling on the Indian art gallery circuit too. The associate professor and one of the founding faculty members of the School of Visual Arts, Beaconhouse National University (BNU), Lahore, is in town with what he calls his “first significant curatorial work” — “Resemble Reassemble” — an exhibition culled out of the collection of Anupam and Lekha Poddar showcasing contemporary art practices in Pakistan. Excerpts from an interview with Rashid Rana:
On “Resemble Reassemble”
The 75 works chosen out of the vast collection are diverse and represent the new art from Pakistan spanning the last decade. If we try to find commonalities in a phenomenon called ‘art from Pakistan', there exist none. An art piece may be conceptual, formal or may be meant for a public space. As an artist, I don't believe in any of these divides. It's not an artist's specific show which is usually the case. I have reassembled the collection which has brought forth the resemblances.
On the process
Often the shows coming from a particular region or a country are viewed through a ‘narrow view finder', which leads to a limited reading of these works and thus conceptuality come to dominate the show. When I began work on this project, I realised, it will be a “national survey” kind of a show. So, I strategised it with the intention of shifting the focus of the viewer from the apparent theme. Bani Abidi's two-channel video ‘Shan Pipe learns the Star Spangled Banner' — an old work created after 9/11, is usually read as a comment on America's imperialism but it is also about the bandwalas, their lives. Display design in this case became very crucial. It's a narrative, an abstract story which has to be experienced linearly. Being an artist, I thought of it in a visual manner. For instance, I have put Mehreen Murtaza's ‘Order of the Universe Orchestra II' made with brass horn, speaker and stereo, next to Bani Abidi's video installation and Ehsan-Ul-Haq's ‘Conversations' as I found horn to be the common object in all the three pieces.
On art practice in Pakistan
While working on this show, I realised that the work produced in Pakistan in the last 10 years is more rooted in the local context. BNU has brought a lot of changes. They are setting the new trends. Their thinking and approach is fresh and sans any baggage of history. For example, in the show, you would find that a drawing has been attempted like a sculpture.
(The show will be on at Devi Art Foundation, Sirpur House, Plot No 39, Sector 44, Gurgaon till May 10, 2010)
