Life in Pakistan is a struggle on daily basis, just making through the day is heroic enough, a feeling shared by most of its citizens. Having completely submitted ourselves to the currents of a rotten social, political and economical structure, floating and steering with this flow, we have become so helpless that it seems almost useless to exert our bodies and mind or to show any signs of diligence, perhaps we are waiting for the promised savior. But amongst us are a concerned few that haven’t given up and continue to voice their concerns peacefully, show resistance, talk about reformation and do not remain unaffected by the killings of hundreds and thousands of citizens. These concerned citizens who are not yet completely heartless, unlike some of us, are the subject of Nashmia Haroon’s work, titled ‘Times of Dissent’, at Rohtas 2, Lahore, from 9th March – 17th March, 2011. She has photographed peaceful protests and demonstrations of people who have walked the streets to voice their angst without a political motive.
We do know that art does not exist in vacuum and is highly informed by issues that have a profound impact on the way we operate in relation to the socio-political reality of our everyday lives. Furthermore, we are confronted with the problem of an increasingly dark portrait of the country and its people, represented through the local as well as international media. Not to say that this projected image is entirely false, but this flood of negativity associated with the country (also represented in popular Art, through the repeated use of stereotypical imagery, such as; bearded men, burqa clad women, missiles, guns, e.t.c) merely replicates that oppressiveness, while reinforcing the stereotypes instead of challenging them. Where as, Haroon’s work, is a display of photographs that speaks of all the above mentioned issues, but through an unfamiliar/non-stereotypical imagery. It speaks of a softer image of Pakistan and its people, which is perhaps more poignant and palpable as compared to the otherwise repeatedly projected imagery that doesn’t even shock us anymore. This presence through absence is best exemplified in a photograph, titled ‘a Prayer for Pakistan’, which is a photograph of people gathered around the liberty roundabout to light candles and say a collective prayer for the well-being of the country. The image speaks of violence, injustice, sense of insecurity and hopelessness prevalent in the country without the use of a violent image, existing some where in between abstraction and description. It allows the viewer to “fill in the blanks” and a close looking at these photographs makes one a silent witness as well as a participant with Haroon in her meanderings through these protests. In the eyes of the photographed subjects, is a touching sense of sorrow accompanied by an underlying feeling of strength.
Photography is a medium whose status in the realm of fine Arts has continuously been contested ever since the invention of the camera. It wasn’t until the 20th century, that photography became accepted by the gallery system as Fine Art. Some people would still argue whether photography is an art or a new form of documentation seen by the eye instead of the mind but we live in an age where all standards of judgement about art have been challenged through the breakdown of conventional modes of artistic expression. Photography is perhaps the most fitting visual form for the subject, precisely because it is a medium that makes references to journalism, a medium that is suitable for documenting the plight of the everyday life, a medium whose truth is never questioned for it is an evidence of reality, a moment frozen in time, while recategorizing documentary or otherwise functional photographs in an art context.
The work raises some important questions about ‘art’, ‘photography’, ‘documentary’, their roles and our social responsibilities that requires a discussion which might not be possible in this essay.
We do know that art does not exist in vacuum and is highly informed by issues that have a profound impact on the way we operate in relation to the socio-political reality of our everyday lives. Furthermore, we are confronted with the problem of an increasingly dark portrait of the country and its people, represented through the local as well as international media. Not to say that this projected image is entirely false, but this flood of negativity associated with the country (also represented in popular Art, through the repeated use of stereotypical imagery, such as; bearded men, burqa clad women, missiles, guns, e.t.c) merely replicates that oppressiveness, while reinforcing the stereotypes instead of challenging them. Where as, Haroon’s work, is a display of photographs that speaks of all the above mentioned issues, but through an unfamiliar/non-stereotypical imagery. It speaks of a softer image of Pakistan and its people, which is perhaps more poignant and palpable as compared to the otherwise repeatedly projected imagery that doesn’t even shock us anymore. This presence through absence is best exemplified in a photograph, titled ‘a Prayer for Pakistan’, which is a photograph of people gathered around the liberty roundabout to light candles and say a collective prayer for the well-being of the country. The image speaks of violence, injustice, sense of insecurity and hopelessness prevalent in the country without the use of a violent image, existing some where in between abstraction and description. It allows the viewer to “fill in the blanks” and a close looking at these photographs makes one a silent witness as well as a participant with Haroon in her meanderings through these protests. In the eyes of the photographed subjects, is a touching sense of sorrow accompanied by an underlying feeling of strength.
Photography is a medium whose status in the realm of fine Arts has continuously been contested ever since the invention of the camera. It wasn’t until the 20th century, that photography became accepted by the gallery system as Fine Art. Some people would still argue whether photography is an art or a new form of documentation seen by the eye instead of the mind but we live in an age where all standards of judgement about art have been challenged through the breakdown of conventional modes of artistic expression. Photography is perhaps the most fitting visual form for the subject, precisely because it is a medium that makes references to journalism, a medium that is suitable for documenting the plight of the everyday life, a medium whose truth is never questioned for it is an evidence of reality, a moment frozen in time, while recategorizing documentary or otherwise functional photographs in an art context.
The work raises some important questions about ‘art’, ‘photography’, ‘documentary’, their roles and our social responsibilities that requires a discussion which might not be possible in this essay.
