KB19 organisers distance themselves from ‘controversial’ exhibit

Say ‘Killings Fields’ installation didn't coincide with this year's theme anyway

KARACHI: A day after the 'Killing fields of Karachi' - an art installations by Adeela Suleiman - was forcibly shut down by mystery men at Frere Hall, the organisers of Karachi Biennale 2019 came up with a clarification on Monday, saying the exhibit "did not coincide with the theme of this year's art showcase".

The installation comprised 444 stone pillars representing those killed in suspect police encounters by the infamous former Malir SSP Rao Anwar. It also featured a short documentary featuring Muhammad Khan, the father of Naqeebullah Mehsud who was allegedly killed in a fake police encounter on Anwar's orders.

Calling it an 'unrelated' matter, the organisers, in a statement, said the exhibit in question was not compatible with the ethos of KB19 whose theme is 'Ecology and the Environment'.

"The Karachi Biennale is a platform for artists both emerging and established. We are against censorship of art and believe that expression is very subjective to the viewers' interpretation of the artwork.

Mystery men shut down exhibit on ‘Karachi’s killing fields’

"With regards to the exhibit in question, we feel that despite the artist's perspective, it is not compatible with the ethos of KB19 whose theme is 'Ecology and the Environment', and feel that politicising the platform will go against our efforts to bring art into the public and drawing artists from the fringe to the mainstream cultural discourse," reads the statement.

Adeela Suleiman, the creator of the removed art installation, however, insisted that the concept of her exhibit was completely in line with the theme of this year's biennale. "They did not refuse the concept of my installation in the beginning because it was the ecology of violence," she told The Express Tribune.

"You cannot separate art from politics … art is political, you cannot separate the environment from politics. Does everything that goes wrong with the environment have nothing to do with politics or industrialisation?" she questioned.

"Similarly, the loss of human lives is a loss of the land and it has everything to with politics. You cannot separate any of this from politics which is why it was accepted in the first place. But, if they've suddenly decided otherwise then I cannot say anything," Suleiman added.

The controversy

On Sunday, the installation was forced to be closed for public viewing by unknown persons who ordered the Frere Hall administration to lock the hall where the documentary was being screened.

Karachi Biennale 2019 opens at Bagh Ibne Qasim

Later, the 444 stone pillars depicting the victims of suspect police encounters were demolished by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) staff for 'being in bad taste'.

Apologetic tone

Meanwhile, the biennale's organisers concluded their statement with an apologetic tone, expressing disdain towards the last minute change of plans, which were rather alarming.

"We hope the artists' community will understand that our platform, as has been illustrated through our projects is purely to promote art to build a large public audience and any public event has to work within certain agreed with boundaries. To ensure a sustainable future of Karachi Biennale, it is imperative that we focus on its mandate to connect art, the city and its people."

Nevertheless, the move to shut down the installation may have been aimed at stopping people from seeing the installation but it backfired spectacularly as soon after the incident, it became viral on social media and people are still talking about the 'controversial' piece of art that had touched the nerve of powerful quarters. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2019.