Dawn Images

A unique and heartfelt exhibition, titled Roses of Humanity, allows visitors in Lahore to stroll through a rose garden made of hand-stitched roses paying homage to 15,000 children killed during the genocide in Gaza.

The tribute installation, organised by Labour & Love in collaboration with Bargain Basement Sale (BBS), offers an immersive experience that showcases love and affection for the resilient people of Gaza, while not shying away from confronting the stark and haunting realities of their daily lives. It is on display at the Alhamra Cultural Complex’s Ustad Allah Bux Gallery 4 till May 18.

A gentle breeze laced with the faint fragrance of roses guided visitors toward the exhibition opening on Friday evening — evoking an eerie sense of collective grief. “As you walk through the rose garden you will see 15,000 handmade roses, all of which have been stitched by the women artisans of Labour & Love,” Nuria Rafique-Iqbal, who conceptualised and provided direction for the exhibition, told visitors outside the gallery on the opening day. “Each such rose represents a child that has died in Gaza since October 7, 2023. Every single flower that you see represents one child,” she explained.

The data comprising the names of all the children killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza was made accessible with the help of the Shireen Observatory, a not-for-profit organisation which tracks killings and attacks by Israeli forces, Rafique-Iqbal, who is affiliated with both Labour & Love and BBS, told the visitors. She shared that “recycled reused cut pieces of fabric” have been used to make the roses. “The roses reflect the diversity of mankind and the beauty of unity forming into one gigantic rose.”

Once the exhibition doors were opened, the rules for entering the gallery were reiterated: no running, no loud voices, no touching the roses. The pasting on the gallery’s door reminded people that they are entering “a space of remembrance”, and they should “enter mindfully”. Visitors were let into the gallery in batches to maintain the sanctity of the garden.

The installation closely resembles a rose garden, with clusters of roses — varying in shape, colour, and texture — planted in bush-like arrangements. As you move gently through the dimly-lit gallery, the intricate craftsmanship of the women artisans commands your attention. But awe soon gives way to sorrow, as you begin to read the names of children killed in Gaza, each delicately inscribed on a plastic tag tied to a rose.

As you go through the garden of remembrance, a nine-minute documentary is played highlighting the efforts made to make the roses from scratch, the artisans who made it happen, and who it is all for — the children of Gaza. Following this, a minute of silence was observed for those children. After this, organisers turned special lights on, transforming the installation into a vivid evocation of the Rosette Nebula, adding a breathtaking dimension to the exhibition experience.

Visitors were then guided upstairs, where the journey continues with photographs documenting the meticulous process of crafting the handmade roses — each available for purchase to support charity efforts. At the top, they are welcomed by planters comprising white acrylic roses and wall hangings bearing pages listing the names of the 15,000 children killed in Gaza. Here, visitors were invited to take part in an act of remembrance: writing the names and ages of an additional 3,800 children — added to the list later — on provided tags, which they then hung on the acrylic rose planters.

The women artisans, present at the opening, shared that these handmade roses were predominantly made in two areas: Sheikhupura and Mehmood Booti, a neighbourhood in Lahore.

Salma Arfa, who led a group of 20 women, said the work was divided evenly between the artisans, adding that they were making around 200 roses a day. Zebunnisa, who was working from Sheikhupura, shared that she delegated the work to women and they completed it at their homes. “These women have children, and they have to take care of their houses,” she said, adding that she didn’t mind artisans working from their homes as long as they were delivering on time. She even shared that the process of making these roses took over six months to complete. “We take pride in working with our hands, we earn for our families and provide for them,” she added.

Outside the gallery, a small stall was also set up selling candles and t-shirts for charity. All proceeds from the exhibition will go to the PCRF’s Gaza Child Amputee Fund. People also have the option of sponsoring a handmade rose on the initiative’s official website. The project aims to help raise funds to provide prosthetic limbs to children whose limbs have been amputated. The installation’s artistic advisor is Sahr Bashir, while Amira Haroon is the curatorial consultant.