LB04

Open call for poets: Conference of the Stray Birds invites contributions from across Eurasia

Conference of the Stray Birds will present its inaugural collection of poems at Lahore Biennale 04: The Shape of Coexistence, taking place in spring 2027. The collection reflects on the legacies and possible afterlives of twentieth-century internationalism across Eurasia. Of particular importance to us are the internationalist writers’ conferences that took place across Soviet Central Eurasia in the post–World War II period. At these gatherings, writers and poets from different countries came together to share ... More

Programs

Zinda-dil-a’an-e-Lahore – Billboard Project

Zinda-dil-a’an-e-Lahore – Billboard Project is an initiative of Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF) in partnership with Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and Kinetic Pakistan. Curated by Qudsia Rahim, Executive Director, LBF; artworks of 16 participating artists were displayed between 24 Nov 2020 - 4 Dec 2020. Lahore is one of Pakistan’s cultural capitals and home to the arts and literature. As a response to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, the Lahore Biennale Foundation in partnership with the Punjab Horticulture Authority invited artists to take over billboards in various parts of the City as an artists’ response, and to ... More

Public Outreach

Community Meetings

The objective of these meetings is to engage the art community, or public communities, in a conversation that enables them and the Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF) to critically reflect upon their practices and related concerns. The LBF is cognizant of the fact that it cannot function in a vacuum and relies on the community to ascertain areas of need, so it may deliver accordingly in the most effective manner possible. Opportunities for such discussions are few and far apart in the artistic spaces at present; to counter that, the focus is on encouraging their frequency and enabling productive dialogue.

Aave 1
Publications

Kabootar Awaay Jawaay

A comprehensive glimpse into the enduring cultural practice spanning Punjab and the Emirates, allowing the reader to delve into the meticulous preparations undertaken by breeders as they select and prepare their pigeons for competitive matches, giving insights into the hierarchical structure of practitioners, from masters (ustads) to students (shagerds), showcasing the dedication and years of practice required to attain senior positions.

Programs

Zero Waste Initiative

The Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF) is committed to fostering sustainable practices through its Zero Waste Initiative, aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of our projects and daily operations. As part of this commitment, we have implemented a comprehensive waste management system that emphasizes recycling, repurposing, and responsible disposal methods.

Programs

Lahore ki aik Dastan – لاھور کی ایک داستان

Memory - Legacy - Migration The Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF) in collaboration with the British Council presented a three, day site specific art exhibition featuring work by artist Farida Batool and curated by Tanvir Hasan. This exhibition is situated in one of the city’s historic buildings—the Dyal Singh Mansions, on Mall Road — a building that has stood silently and watched the city and its people change. 

Public Outreach

artSPEAK | Borderlines: On Performative Practices

A discussion with Zoya Siddiqui and Farwa Hassan. At the first ever artSPEAK event, emerging artists Zoya Siddiqui and Farwa Hassan were invited to share their experience as the recipients of the Theertha Performance Platform Award, and to expand upon how their practice related to performance art. The talk took place at Gallery 39K on June 8, 2015. Zoya Siddiqui, a visual artist, is a recent Beaconhouse National University graduate based in Lahore. Farwa Hassan graduated from the Beaconhouse National University in 2014 and has showcased her works in Lahore and Islamabad. Zoya Siddiqui, a visual artist, is a recent Beaconhouse National University ... More

Research

LBF Research Fellowship: Building A National Film Archive

Announced in Summer 2018, the Lahore Biennale Foundation Research Fellowship was open to any individual or collective interested in researching any aspect of modern or contemporary art and visual culture of Pakistan. Award selection was based on the clear identification of the research methodology and archives used, and the relevance of the topic in contributing new knowledge and insight. A public announcement of the award resulted in many submitted applications. The final selection was made by an independent jury. Artist Hira Nabi was the recipient. The total amount awarded for the 2018 cycle was Rs. 300,000. The distinguished mentor for this ... More

Publications

Everything is Embedded in History

A singular feature of our lives has become collecting and the ensuing dissemination of personal narratives in an already pluralistic, diverse world. New media and personal outpost satellite services seem to have overridden the exclusive and insular rights of established media groups and publications. Media hierarchies seem to be fading away rapidly. Copyrights, ownership, authorship of information are open to discussion. The ever-elusive question of the reliability and validity of empirical truth has been outstretched beyond the realm of the present, into inquiring past history and subsequently the future concerns. The collection and documentation of information, data, images, text and ... More

Publications

Lahore Biennale Reader 02

Between Jan 26 and Feb 29, 2020, the Lahore Biennale 02 was exhibited at multiple sites across Lahore, Pakistan. Hoor Al Qasimi curated the work of over eighty artists and collectives under the theme of Between The Sun And The Moon, emphasizing participation from the Global South and with a stress on artists and works from Africa, Central Asia, West Asia and their diasporas. The multifaceted Biennale program included exhibited works, performances, participatory settings, publications ... More