Everything you need to know about Lahore Biennale 2018
The Lahore Biennale is being held by from March 18 to March 31 with the support of the Punjab government and other sponsors.
For the public, the Lahore Biennale will open from March 18; however, a private viewing would be held today (Saturday). There would be a tour to Alhamra Art Gallery at 10am and film screenings, tour of artworks on display at Syeda Mubarik Haveli and Tehsil Park at 3pm.
The inaugural event of Lahore Biennale will be held at Hazoori Bagh at 5pm. At 6pm, there would be a guided tour of artworks at Lahore Fort and the introduction of Aga Khan Museum Project by Imran Qureshi. It would feature a preview of Shazia Sikander’s installation with performances by Ali Sethi and Du Yun.
On Sunday (March 18), opening of public art projects at Bagh-i-Jinnah will take place at 11am. After a performance by Mehreen Murtaza, there will be tours to artworks at Bagh-i-Jinnah and Lahore Museum, a preview of artworks by Imran Qureshi and Aisha Khalid at Shahi Hammam at 5pm, a qawwali at Masjid Wazir Khan at 7am.
On March 18, a symposium on abstraction convened by Mariha Lookman at Syeda Mubarik Haveli will be held at 10am and the Academic Forum and Art Speak at Alhamra Art Centre at 3pm.
The closing performances include a sketch by Salima Hashmi, a performance reading by Naiza Khan and dramatic readings by Zambeel.
Lahore Biennale Foundation director Qudsia Rahim says: “Our vision for the biennale is a decentered one which means that instead of curatorial authority being divested solely in one person, we have chosen to work through collaboration”.
The exhibitions and events for biennale will be held at Delhi Gate, Shahi Hamam, Sibeel Wali Gali, Masjid Wazir Khan, Lahore Fort, City Cinema, Yousaf Sali Haveli, Naqsh School of Arts, Mubarik Haveli, Mall Road, National College of Arts, Tollinton Market, Alhamra, Amrita Sher-Gil Residence, Lawrence Gardens, Canal Bank road from Dharampura underpass to Punjab University.
Over 50 artists and collectives will participate in the biennale, including those based in Bangladesh, India, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Sri Lanka as well as from Europe and the United States.
Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2018
