Activities 2015-2017

With immense time devoted to stimulating conversation around public access to art, this two-week long art experience is the culmination of two years of planning and engagement with artists and institutions within and outside Pakistan. Here is a snapshot of KB17 activities from 2015 to 2017

November 2015

Panel discussion on KB17 to inform audiences about the vision and curatorial strategy of KB17 at the Karachi Conference.

December 2015

Two-day workshop by Ms Antje Wrinkler, Project Manager of the Berlin Biennale, aimed at training the KB17 team on organising an international art event; in collaboration with the Goethe Institut.

December 2015

Public talk by Ms Antje Wrinkler on the history and evolution of the Berlin Biennale at the Goethe Institut.

Febuary 2016

Panel discussion on KB17 at the Karachi Literature Festival; shared KB17’s vision of the ‘Reel on Hai’ public art project to sensitise a wider audience to art.

Febuary 2016

Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT) joined the New North South Network (NNSN) - a network that connects museums, art galleries, and art events across the globe.

March 2016

KB17 made a presentation introducing its vision to influential collectors and sponsors of art projects at an event hosted by KB17 patron, Ronak Lakhani.

March 2016

Workshop for Orangi school children by New Media artists, Wolfgang Spahn and Stefan Kovats, with support from the Goethe Institut.

March 2016

Discussion with architects and artists on ‘Reclaiming Public Space’ at T2F; focused on using art to reactivate social life in public spaces throughout Karachi.

April 2016

Talk on KB17 at Habib University; focused on sharing the theme and vision of KB17 with students.

April 2016

KB17 meeting with Mikala Tai, Director of the Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney.

April 2016

Public talk by Alnoor Mitha, Founder and Curator of the Asian Art Triennale, Manchester and Curator of the 2016 Colombo Biennale.

April 2016

Artists met with curators from Manchester Galleries under a NNSN program; an opportunity for local artists to share their portfolios with curators seeking artists for upcoming shows.

May 2016

Talk and presentation on the history of public art in Karachi, public art projects abroad, and the impact of public art on communities.

May 2016

KB17 began research for an Artists’ Directory, spanning Karachi and parts of Sindh, as a document of the current art scene and an important tool of research; 30 art students from five art schools participated in the summer research internship.

May 2016

KB17 participated in Peacetech Exchange (PTX), Pakistan and was declared one of four winners.

June 2016

KB17 launched the ‘Reel on Hai Project’ with an open call via social media; artists, designers, and architects were invited to transform reels donated by Pakistan Cables into public art.

July 2016

KB17 held the fundraising event, ‘Art Ki Talash’; participants, who
were charged a participation fee, went on a scavenger hunt in search of sites and buildings with cultural significance in Karachi to help reacquaint people with the city’s heritage.

July 2016

KBT received its official registration; trustees were nominated and office bearers were elected from the group of founders.

July 2016

Amin Gulgee (Chief Curator) and Bushra Hussain (Secretary of the KBT) represented KB17 at the Liverpool Biennial and an NNSN Meeting in Manchester.

October 2016

Panel on ‘Art as City and City as Art: Changing Spaces’; dialogue on the rising importance of urban spaces in creating and locating art.

November 2016

Talk by Professor Bernhart Schwenk, Chief Curator of Contemporary Art, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich at T2F; in collaboration with the Goethe Institut.

November 2016

CEO, Niilofur Farrukh introduced KB17 at the Istanbul International Art Fair.

December 2016

Chief Curator, Amin Gulgee visited the Colombo Biennale where he met curators and presented the curatorial vision of KB17.

December 2016

KB17 organised an evening dedicated to the memory of Dr Akbar Naqvi, Pakistan’s eminent critic, who had recently passed away, at the Chawkandi Art Gallery.

December 2016

Chief Curator, Amin Gulgee visited the Prince Claus Award Ceremony in Amsterdam; a very special ceremony in memory of Sabeen Mahmud, whose influential project, T2F, was awarded the prize.

December 2016

Talk by internationally acclaimed artists, Aisha Khalid and Imran
Qureshi, at Karachi Grammar School, College Section; an opportunity for students to engage with inspirational artists.

January 2017

Launch of KB17 in a public event at the Sadequain Gallery, Frere Hall; attended by Deputy Mayor, Arshad Vohra as Chief Guest and other eminent citizens, diplomats, artists, and partners.

March 2017

Workshop by Pakistani-Canadian Artist, Faisal Anwer, for students of NJV School and Orangi colleges; trained students on using phone cameras to build strong personal narratives.

March 2017

Talk by Pakistani Canadian Artist Faisal Anwer at NED University, City Campus on his interactive public art projects that combine technology and art.

March 2017

Artists, Tazeen and Faisal Anwer, talked about their work at the Visual Studies Department, Karachi University.

March 2017

First Round Table organised by discursive committee in collaboration with Alliance Francaise, titled ‘Pakistan Women’s Movement as Witness’; artists and activists talked about developments and challenges in women’s issues since 2000.

March 2017

Second Round Table titled ‘Testimonies from the City’; artists, architects, and activists talked about the concerns of the city.

April 2017

Open call for Performance Art at KB17; artists from all over Pakistan were invited to submit proposals.

April 2017

Workshop for NJV School Students by Malaysian artist, Ivan Lam; over 50 students engaged in hands-on activities.

April 2017

Third Round Table titled ‘Resisting Erasure with Poets and Artists’; artists and poets talked about their recent work and the influence of poetry on their art.

April 2017

Panel Discussion on ‘The Algebra of Memory’ was held at Pioneer Book House; a session with young poets and artists on the importance of memory in their work.

May-August 2017

Second cycle of research for Artists’ Directory conducted with interns from art schools.

May 2017

Performative work by artist, Sara Pagganwala; part of a simultaneous performance in several countries that was documented and included in the Venice Biennale, the world’s earliest and most prestigious art event.

May 2017

Fourth Round Table titled ‘With and Without Rupture: Art and Music Since 2000’; exponents of classical music, western music, and experimental music conducted the discussion in collaboration with artists who innovate with the use of sound and music.

May 2017

Launch of KB17 Photo Contest titled ‘22 Million Points of View’; invited citizens to submit images of Karachi via instagram.

July 2017

Workshop for PechaKucha artists; 16 artists from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, and Tando Allahyar were selected from 80 countrywide entries by a jury and invited for a workshop and final jury selection of 10 finalists.

July 2017

10 Finalists of the PechaKucha contest announced at a public event; widely attended by artists and prominent citizens, with the Consul General of France as Chief Guest.

February 2016

Panel discussion on KB17 at the Karachi Literature Festival; shared KB17’s vision of the ‘Reel on Hai’ public art project to sensitise a wider audience to art.

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