Daily Times

KARACHI: Two-time Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy showcased her immersive exhibition Home 1947 for the second time in Pakistan at Dolmen Mall, Clifton.

Following a phenomenal response to the installation at the Heritage Now Festival in Lahore, HOME 1947 is now open to public and will remain so until January 15, 2018.

Home 1947 was first showcased at the Manchester International Festival in the UK earlier this year; the installation was co-commissioned by the British Council as part of its programming to celebrate 70 years in Pakistan and its work to strengthen cultural ties between UK and Pakistan.

Home 1947 is a deeply personal exploration of the lives and stories of the millions that were displaced in 1947 during the creation of two new independent states, India and Pakistan. Through a series of short drama and documentary films, a gallery installation, and a reimagining of a century-old house, recreating the long-lost sights, sounds and smells of what millions once called home, it explores this world not through the words of historians and politicians, but through the eyes of those who lived through it.

Home 1947 is a deeply personal exploration of the lives and stories of the millions who were displaced in 1947 during the partition of India. Through a series of short drama and documentary films, a gallery installation, and a reimagining of a century-old house, recreating the long-lost sights, sounds and smells of what millions once called home, it explores this world not through the words of historians and politicians, but through the eyes of those who lived through it

At the opening, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said, “Home 1947 is an ode to my grandparents’ generation whose stories I grew up listening to. As you walk through the installation, imagine the journeys people made, the conversations that were interrupted, the broken friendships and promises, the playgrounds children left behind, the empty corridors of their homes and those suitcases of memories locked away forever. Home 1947 is a deeply personal reflection of the events of 1947.”

The British Council in Pakistan is proud to support artistic talent in Pakistan and in particular to support development of this innovative installation which explores the universal themes of home and migration and so resonates with people in the UK as well as those in South Asia.

At the opening of the installation, British Council Sindh & Balochistan Director Christopher Hunt said, “The British Council creates opportunities for the people of the UK and Pakistan by working in the areas of education and cultural exchange. It has been a privilege to work with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to bring this outstanding installation to Pakistan. Home 1947 has really moved its audiences and its opening in Dolmen Mall is testament to our efforts to make this powerful experience accessible to as many people as possible. I am confident that the people of Karachi will appreciate and embrace the nostalgia that Home 1947 offers.”

The writer can be reached at daniaijaz@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, December 25^th 2017.