Pursukoon Karachi, an initiative of KOEL Gallery, is a not-for-profit organization that is determined to safeguard the exquisiteness of the third largest city of the world – Karachi.
On November 22nd, 23rd and 24th the civil society of Karachi specifically the artists, architects and musicians seek to celebrate the bliss we Karachites proudly call ‘home’, through the lens of art.
Curated by Noorjehan Bilgrami with Arshad Faruqui, the three day event will take place simultaneously in National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA), Arts Council and Cantt Station Karachi.
Pursukoon Karachi has already started the good work with an initiative that went by the name ‘Hatiyar Nahin Pyar’ that established a singular significant notion’; weapons and especially firearms need to be shunned and rejected from the society let alone the increasing acceptance for Guns or their glorious manifestation as “kid toys”.
The exhibition of destroying Toy Guns in public was carried out at the end of the official press conference held earlier on the 7th of November.
This event can hopefully be deemed ‘first’, of many more to follow. As per schedule the first edition of the event will encompass several projects in its toll of three days including the ones in Arts Council; like a Canvas based project with 53 participants called ‘Ahad Karo’ which is going to be Co-ordinated by Meher Afroz, Restoration and cleaning of the famous Cantt Station – a 120 year old national heritage, ‘Resilience of the City’, an exhibition of photography by Arif Mehmood who would document and capture the lives of ordinary people with his camera lens, ‘Balconies of Karachi’ another photographic tribute but to the metropolis itself by Tapu Javeri, ‘Aman Ke Rung’ an anti-violence theme inspired accolade by the five leading schools of the city and many more.
Along with with the ones to be hosted by NAPA like; Shehr-e-Mann an 18 installation project with 42 participants, Samandar Ki Cchhori by Ehteshamuddin, Mahwash Faruqi, Ali Rizvi and Asma, I Protest-Masla Kya Hai, Ali Baba Chalees Chor, an original music composition made on flute, an installation project with an empty metal frame within which artists and architects expressed their ideas through any medium they wanted, a performance based on common people’s videos of their happiest moments in Karachi and other projects in Cantonment Railway Station like Umeed ka Safar – an initiate taken by Pursukoon Karachi to restore the national treasure Railway Station a colonial era architectural chef-d’oeuvre, Mera Karachi Mobile Cinema, Nuqta e Nazar and Seher e Samma a mix of modern and traditional Qawalli and much more.
The event will commence at 3:00pm Friday November 22nd at Arts Council Auditorium and is an open invitation for all. The event will continue till 7 pm on the first day followed by Saturday and Sunday when the event will commence 11 am all the way down till 11pm.
The objective of the three day event – hosted by the country’s finest architects, artists, sculptors and writers – is simple, yet progressively difficult in their execution. Pursukoon Karachi’s has a Nobel impartial; the city needs a day-off from the anger, hatred and helplessness that it has gotten accustomed to for so long. And just perhaps, this effort may spark a light in the oblivious future of the City of Lights that now comes in lieu of conversation only for its horrors.
The official objective of the event is the restoration of the era of peacefulness, bustling trade and enduring heritage in the city. The intention is to instill the notion of peace amongst students by working with educational institutions from all parts of the city.
The event is an occurrence of worth in the chapter of the grand metropolis Karachi, however its affects and effectiveness is still to surface.
If you want to attend the event then you can check the schedule here or on Pursukoon Karachi’s Facebook fan page.
