Beyond borders and boundaries

Dear Shilpa Ji, Using the popular Bollywood expression, I shall introduce myself as your "sister who got lost in the Kumbh fair". This is how we show affection to those who share similar concerns for worldly affairs or, in our case, carry similar emotional and historical baggage. People in the Indian subcontinent experienced separation, displacement and disconnection in 1947, living in the same region and even in their own homes. Most of us have encountered this separation through our parents or grandparents. Please note that I am avoiding the terms 'partition' or 'independence' when referring to this event in history as neither term captures the true spirit of what occurred. British-held India was made up of over five hundred princely states and had never been a single nation-state that could be simply cut or divided in half. However, the transition of East Pakistan to Bangladesh represents a form of partition. Moreover, the notion of freedom was not fully realised; we still grapple with the geopolitical and economic constraints of being a former colony. Sovereignty and autonomy remain elusive. Hence, both terms carry suggestive meanings — apparent and actual — much like the works in your recent exhibition at the Ishara Art Foundation. The very title of the exhibition 'Lines of Flight' confronts the much-celebrated line of control between our two countries. It hints at breaking free, escaping and transcending the established norms of bureaucratic diplomacy nurtured by the 'new' and some 'not-so-new' world order along with its arrangements of power and authority. Your previous comments and creations regarding borders and boundaries have significantly influenced my own practice. I, too, have been entangled with the 'twirling, twisting iron cord, spiky, jagged, razor-sharp' barbed wire for quite some time. I embrace it as an embellishment sewn onto my canvases or their 'knotted heads' painted against gilded backgrounds. Wish I could resolve the thorny bristles as you did in your ball of thread that symbolises the length of the fenced border. You are indeed an idealist who sells dreams. The 'Jailed Poet Drawings' resonate with my intimate encounters with Faiz Sb's stories, as shared by Mrs Hashmi, his daughter. I am proud to say that I had already memorised his poems from Zindan Nama before I met Salima, who dedicated her life to upholding her father's ideals of social justice. More recently, I had the opportunity to examine Ijaz-ul Hassan's sketchbooks containing his drawings of the prison cell in Lahore Fort, where he was held for his 'wrongdoings'. Speaking one's mind and soul aloud has often been disapproved by those in power. Your series on imprisoned poets serves as a metaverse where these maestros and many others around the world who have been 'kept and silenced' meet and share songs of rebellion and resilience. Then, there is a dimly lit chamber designated for 'Listening Air', featuring musical compositions of revolutionary poetry that energise all who need it. The most impressive aspect of this installation and the overall exhibition is its ability to thread humanity into a single fabric. There are no barriers of language or colour, no borders or boundaries — just real freedom. The visuals and props are also very playful. The duality of objects and words, such as microphones used as speakers, barrier tape suggesting no barricades and a flag symbolising both freedom and control or safety and danger, all enhance the pictorial and imaginative appeal of the works. The ticking flap boards, displaying meaningless yet thought-provoking phrases, are disruptive to the point of being haunting, only if you are receptive. About the recorded video of the volleyball game between a group of people and security on the Bangladeshi border, allow me to share that we also hear stories of soldiers stationed on both sides of the LOC, up in the mountains, who play cricket with each other to pass the time and alleviate boredom during ceasefire hours. While I cannot verify the details of such accounts, they reflect a common desire for peace and friendship without any restraint, a cause that is close to your heart. Cheers, Bano. Feb, 25

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