The Immersive Art Divvy Date @ Sagar Theatre~LAHORE BIENNALE LB02

 You can make new friends at forty. I found that when i met Ayesha, who is a part of My Tribe.

We got in a conversation. Two years later were still talking and listening :)

We love going on our art dates. Whether it’s painting together or in a group or catching an exhibition. So with the Lahore Biennale LB 2020, It was only understood that we make a day of it. 

Friendships are based on the ability to be your unique self and having an appreciation for abundance. We are so lucky to have that. Ayesha and I love art, crafts, food, local cafe’s, walking and the cinema are our haunts. 

We were delighted to go on a Sunday to Foundation Art Divvy’s “Sagar Theatre on Queen’s Road”, curated by Zahra Khan in collaboration with LB02 & the Art Plaza. 

The Divvy platform was established in 2016 by a brilliant mother-daughter team, Asma Rashid and Zahra Khan. It aims to promote the contemporary art of Pakistan around the world through exhibitions in public spaces. 

For us the exhibition was like that the heaven had arranged a private show for just us! No crowd. Just two friends on a silent journey of discovery, being welcomed by the very charming and knowledgeable Zahra, who has put together an excellent collection of immersive art. 

The Sagar Theatre on Queen’s Road has been a childhood favourite for me where i came to watch films like Indecent Proposal! It was built in 1933 and is amongst Lahore’s oldest cinema and theatre houses. With its stunning art deco building, grand staircases, doorways and architectural details this building should be peserved as a heritage site that is still in use. I wish they had an exhibition on the building’s story itself, as it is a mesmerizing piece of art history and theatre culture. 

It has been through tremendous transitions and like good wine has aged well. The eerie boards, clock on top of the grand staircase entrance, the magnificent art deco doors; even the broken cinema theatre seats that have artistic value and a journey. Just imagining elegant couples ball room dancing in the first floor Ballroom hall, in the 50’s gave me goosebumps.

The building then became the Plaza Cinema from the 70’s onwards, showing select English films. The owner, Mr Jahanzaeb Baig has brilliantly created the Art Plaza for Creative Arts within the Plaza Theatre.

I remember when i came back after years and had a sense of deep déjàvu. Its like i had been up and down those staircases just posing all over the space...so flimi... me n Ayesha too:)

I came here to catch two shows by the Colony, a performing art and dance initiators that featured Natasha Noorani & the Mekaal Hassan Band. A complete Ballroom hall with grand chandeliers and a mirrored wall, high ceiling and windows full of Lahore’s  young, old, beautiful and musical singing and enjoying. Always a treat to watch this mad hedonistic mix! 

The Immersive Art Exhibition features the work of 16 artists and is an excellent utilization and experience of walking through the unique spaces chosen and the artists installations of Zeerak Ahmed, Komal Ajazuddin, Ali Baba, Affan Baghpati, Sophia Balagamwala, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Malcom Hutchison, Amra Khan, Saba Khan, Hira Nabi, Seema Nusrat, Abdullah Qureshi, Aroosa Rana, Sahyr Sayeed, Mohsin Shafi and Masooma Syed. Films were by Anam Abbas, Madiha Aizaz, Umar Riaz and Saim Sadiq. 

Each individual installation has been carefully curated to make the space come alive. 

Ali’s Babas meditative sculpture in the center with the water drop hitting the forehead Erosion 1, was an impactful choice for starting the exhibition.

Affan Baghpati’s imaginative use of old forgotten by some, everyday,  piece of art and utility objects with a historical twist had us swooning over Surmaydanies, Nutcracker, Pandans that i still use thankfully use in my household.  

Hira Nabi’s Single Screen Shadi is a melaconic take on an old cinema house being used for a shaddi venue.

The mesmerizing Miniature stage sets by Masooma Syed transported me back to my childhood fairytale cutout books. Find my eye in the top pic!

Saba Khan presented a wonderful photographic series of Mr Moti Sagar’s home and garden torn down. 

Sophia Balagamwala’s sculptures of past leaders who refused to let go of their power, was witty and amusing.

Aroosa Rana’s View Within immerses the viewer with the viewed and we loved becoming yet another layer of viewers. 

Amra Khan’s boudoir red room was a favourite with its gender fluid paintings and the mirror dress up spaces, props and shower area. 

Komail Ajazuddin’s  divine Chapel of Gilded Rage had us swooning with its ethereal dramatic quality and catholic art.

Malcom Hutchison documentary style photography’s on the transgender community and their relationships was photographic art.

Each artist had a diverse and individualistic work in various mediums . Their response to the building is a mesmerizing and theatrical study of their artistic expression and imagination. 

We left the exhibition in a deeply contemplative but celebratory mood. So proud of how the brilliance of our history artists, architecture and promoters has woven a unique tapestry that we can all be so proud of as Pakistanis.