[Music] you
you
you [Music]
when you hear the word border what are
when you hear the word border what are some of the images that flash through
some of the images that flash through
some of the images that flash through your mind what’s your immediate gut
your mind what’s your immediate gut
your mind what’s your immediate gut reaction where does it take you do you
reaction where does it take you do you
reaction where does it take you do you think of immigration lines passports and
think of immigration lines passports and
think of immigration lines passports and the process of crossing borders into
the process of crossing borders into
the process of crossing borders into another country do you think of
another country do you think of
another country do you think of checkpoints barbed wire Border Patrol
checkpoints barbed wire Border Patrol
checkpoints barbed wire Border Patrol and the process of blocking people from
and the process of blocking people from
and the process of blocking people from entering a nation-state do you think of
entering a nation-state do you think of
entering a nation-state do you think of physical boundaries or psychological
physical boundaries or psychological
physical boundaries or psychological ones is the idea of borders always
ones is the idea of borders always
ones is the idea of borders always grounded in reality or can it be a
grounded in reality or can it be a
grounded in reality or can it be a figment of our imagination I’m an artist
figment of our imagination I’m an artist
figment of our imagination I’m an artist and filmmaker and I was born in Lahore
and filmmaker and I was born in Lahore
and filmmaker and I was born in Lahore it’s the cultural metropolis treasured
it’s the cultural metropolis treasured
it’s the cultural metropolis treasured in the Indian subcontinent and now a
in the Indian subcontinent and now a
in the Indian subcontinent and now a major city in Pakistan Lahore is old
major city in Pakistan Lahore is old
major city in Pakistan Lahore is old congested noisy it’s summers are
congested noisy it’s summers are
congested noisy it’s summers are unbearably hot that is until the monsoon
unbearably hot that is until the monsoon
unbearably hot that is until the monsoon rains arrive they roll down from the sky
rains arrive they roll down from the sky
rains arrive they roll down from the sky in thick sheets of water and wash
in thick sheets of water and wash
in thick sheets of water and wash everything Lahore is mangoes magical
everything Lahore is mangoes magical
everything Lahore is mangoes magical crickets and nights steeped in the sweet
crickets and nights steeped in the sweet
crickets and nights steeped in the sweet scent of jasmine it’s the city where
scent of jasmine it’s the city where
scent of jasmine it’s the city where myth and reality brush up against each
myth and reality brush up against each
myth and reality brush up against each other continuously but I actually grew
other continuously but I actually grew
other continuously but I actually grew up in Belgium in the cool and sleepy
up in Belgium in the cool and sleepy
up in Belgium in the cool and sleepy suburbs of voluble Sanibel that’s when
suburbs of voluble Sanibel that’s when
suburbs of voluble Sanibel that’s when life became exclusively French and my
life became exclusively French and my
life became exclusively French and my childhood a blend of Christmas cookies
childhood a blend of Christmas cookies
childhood a blend of Christmas cookies European pop music if you can believe it
European pop music if you can believe it
European pop music if you can believe it and a uniformly accepted sense of what
and a uniformly accepted sense of what
and a uniformly accepted sense of what it meant to be Belgian I was the only
it meant to be Belgian I was the only
it meant to be Belgian I was the only student of color the only Muslim in my
student of color the only Muslim in my
student of color the only Muslim in my class for most of primary school and
class for most of primary school and
class for most of primary school and that created a strange disconnect in my
that created a strange disconnect in my
that created a strange disconnect in my own understanding of who I was a double
own understanding of who I was a double
own understanding of who I was a double consciousness so to speak we shifted
consciousness so to speak we shifted
consciousness so to speak we shifted back to Pakistan for a few years and
back to Pakistan for a few years and
back to Pakistan for a few years and then after college I moved to the US and
then after college I moved to the US and
then after college I moved to the US and fell in love with New York
fell in love with New York
fell in love with New York not only could I feel and respond to its
not only could I feel and respond to its
not only could I feel and respond to its energy its high concentration of people
energy its high concentration of people
energy its high concentration of people and ideas but I also found its mishmash
and ideas but I also found its mishmash
and ideas but I also found its mishmash and multiplicities to be oddly
and multiplicities to be oddly
and multiplicities to be oddly reassuring they aligned very closely
reassuring they aligned very closely
reassuring they aligned very closely with my own interior diversity being
with my own interior diversity being
with my own interior diversity being from so many different places and
from so many different places and
from so many different places and therefore from no particular place at
therefore from no particular place at
therefore from no particular place at all as you can imagine borders are
all as you can imagine borders are
all as you can imagine borders are meaningless to me they divide and limit
meaningless to me they divide and limit
meaningless to me they divide and limit by speaking in a very colorless binary
by speaking in a very colorless binary
by speaking in a very colorless binary language we have citizens and
language we have citizens and
language we have citizens and undocumented aliens we have legal versus
undocumented aliens we have legal versus
undocumented aliens we have legal versus illegal human beings we look two lines
illegal human beings we look two lines
illegal human beings we look two lines drawn in the sand in order to form a
drawn in the sand in order to form a
drawn in the sand in order to form a movable national identities in order to
movable national identities in order to
movable national identities in order to separate what is known and safe from
separate what is known and safe from
separate what is known and safe from what is foreign and dangerous yet human
what is foreign and dangerous yet human
what is foreign and dangerous yet human beings are anything but fixed or easily
beings are anything but fixed or easily
beings are anything but fixed or easily definable each and every one of us is
definable each and every one of us is
definable each and every one of us is complex and full of contradictions our
complex and full of contradictions our
complex and full of contradictions our gender sexual orientation education
gender sexual orientation education
gender sexual orientation education profession the languages we speak the
profession the languages we speak the
profession the languages we speak the books we read the religions we embrace
books we read the religions we embrace
books we read the religions we embrace or don’t embrace the partnerships we
or don’t embrace the partnerships we
or don’t embrace the partnerships we choose to form in marriage or otherwise
choose to form in marriage or otherwise
choose to form in marriage or otherwise how we parent or connect with our
how we parent or connect with our
how we parent or connect with our neighbors and community whether we smoke
neighbors and community whether we smoke
neighbors and community whether we smoke or not exercise or not vote or not all
or not exercise or not vote or not all
or not exercise or not vote or not all of these decisions these affiliations
of these decisions these affiliations
of these decisions these affiliations and ways of being in the world
and ways of being in the world
and ways of being in the world I like discrete circles that overlap and
I like discrete circles that overlap and
I like discrete circles that overlap and continue to stir and form new
continue to stir and form new
continue to stir and form new intersections that define us what a
intersections that define us what a
intersections that define us what a ridiculous notion it is then to combine
ridiculous notion it is then to combine
ridiculous notion it is then to combine millions of people with millions of
millions of people with millions of
millions of people with millions of shifting identities and call them one
shifting identities and call them one
shifting identities and call them one monolithic nation based presumptuously
monolithic nation based presumptuously
monolithic nation based presumptuously on the geometry of maps I worked on a
on the geometry of maps I worked on a
on the geometry of maps I worked on a film about the partition of India for
film about the partition of India for
film about the partition of India for more than seven years and therefore I
more than seven years and therefore I
more than seven years and therefore I had plenty of time to think about
had plenty of time to think about
had plenty of time to think about nationalism and borders what used to be
nationalism and borders what used to be
nationalism and borders what used to be the
the
the continent or most of South Asia was
continent or most of South Asia was
continent or most of South Asia was colonized by the British for two
colonized by the British for two
colonized by the British for two centuries as their global power began to
centuries as their global power began to
centuries as their global power began to dissipate and the call for independence
dissipate and the call for independence
dissipate and the call for independence became louder and louder the British
became louder and louder the British
became louder and louder the British decided to leave India in 1947 along
decided to leave India in 1947 along
decided to leave India in 1947 along with plans for a very quick exit they
with plans for a very quick exit they
with plans for a very quick exit they also drew lines that cut across villages
also drew lines that cut across villages
also drew lines that cut across villages and farmland and created a Muslim
and farmland and created a Muslim
and farmland and created a Muslim majority Pakistan and a Hindu majority
majority Pakistan and a Hindu majority
majority Pakistan and a Hindu majority India as people began to move across the
India as people began to move across the
India as people began to move across the border in the midst of complete chaos
border in the midst of complete chaos
border in the midst of complete chaos riots broke out between 12 to 20 million
riots broke out between 12 to 20 million
riots broke out between 12 to 20 million people were displaced and more than 1
people were displaced and more than 1
people were displaced and more than 1 million killed in a matter of months
million killed in a matter of months
million killed in a matter of months after the partition both India and
after the partition both India and
after the partition both India and Pakistan had to reinvent themselves
Pakistan had to reinvent themselves
Pakistan had to reinvent themselves almost in opposition to each other what
almost in opposition to each other what
almost in opposition to each other what had always been a deeply diverse place
had always been a deeply diverse place
had always been a deeply diverse place now had to be reimagined as two separate
now had to be reimagined as two separate
now had to be reimagined as two separate countries with sharply defined singular
countries with sharply defined singular
countries with sharply defined singular identities those who didn’t fit in were
identities those who didn’t fit in were
identities those who didn’t fit in were forcefully integrated by using state
forcefully integrated by using state
forcefully integrated by using state violence it’s such a contradiction the
violence it’s such a contradiction the
violence it’s such a contradiction the partition was supposed to take care of
partition was supposed to take care of
partition was supposed to take care of the minority problem by separating what
the minority problem by separating what
the minority problem by separating what was different but in fact it only
was different but in fact it only
was different but in fact it only exacerbated the persecution of
exacerbated the persecution of
exacerbated the persecution of minorities in both states respectively
perhaps it’s my rebellion against
perhaps it’s my rebellion against boundaries and sameness which have
boundaries and sameness which have
boundaries and sameness which have propelled my work in the direction of
propelled my work in the direction of
propelled my work in the direction of multimedia collage my last series of
multimedia collage my last series of
multimedia collage my last series of artwork was called
artwork was called
artwork was called this heirloom and not only did it blur
this heirloom and not only did it blur
this heirloom and not only did it blur the edges between different materials
the edges between different materials
the edges between different materials and cultures it also crossed over
and cultures it also crossed over
and cultures it also crossed over separations in time and space I
separations in time and space I
separations in time and space I recreated my own family history by using
recreated my own family history by using
recreated my own family history by using old photographs and placing my ancestors
old photographs and placing my ancestors
old photographs and placing my ancestors in landscapes that were unquestionably
in landscapes that were unquestionably
in landscapes that were unquestionably South Asian my mother’s family is
South Asian my mother’s family is
South Asian my mother’s family is originally from India my father’s family
originally from India my father’s family
originally from India my father’s family is from what became Bacchus
is from what became Bacchus
is from what became Bacchus by locating my ancestors on the wrong
by locating my ancestors on the wrong
by locating my ancestors on the wrong side of the border I was able to subvert
side of the border I was able to subvert
side of the border I was able to subvert and overcome geographic boundaries and
and overcome geographic boundaries and
and overcome geographic boundaries and limits this for example is my maternal
limits this for example is my maternal
limits this for example is my maternal grandfather he went to a legal
grandfather he went to a legal
grandfather he went to a legal University in India he spoke fluent
University in India he spoke fluent
University in India he spoke fluent English Bordeaux and Sanskrit he was a
English Bordeaux and Sanskrit he was a
English Bordeaux and Sanskrit he was a lawyer but also an excellent tennis
lawyer but also an excellent tennis
lawyer but also an excellent tennis player he passed away soon after the
player he passed away soon after the
player he passed away soon after the partition my mother believes he died of
partition my mother believes he died of
partition my mother believes he died of a broken heart I never knew him
a broken heart I never knew him
a broken heart I never knew him I’ve seated him in Lahore in Pakistan in
I’ve seated him in Lahore in Pakistan in
I’ve seated him in Lahore in Pakistan in front of one of the gates to the walled
front of one of the gates to the walled
front of one of the gates to the walled city this is my paternal grandfather he
city this is my paternal grandfather he
city this is my paternal grandfather he owns some land in central Punjab on the
owns some land in central Punjab on the
owns some land in central Punjab on the Pakistani side and studied English
Pakistani side and studied English
Pakistani side and studied English literature in Lahore in Pakistan I still
literature in Lahore in Pakistan I still
literature in Lahore in Pakistan I still come across some of his books in my
come across some of his books in my
come across some of his books in my father’s library I’ve placed him in
father’s library I’ve placed him in
father’s library I’ve placed him in front of the JAMA mosque in India art
front of the JAMA mosque in India art
front of the JAMA mosque in India art can help us imagine a better world and
can help us imagine a better world and
can help us imagine a better world and that’s what I tried to do with this
that’s what I tried to do with this
that’s what I tried to do with this series it’s a bridging of memories but
series it’s a bridging of memories but
series it’s a bridging of memories but it’s also an effacement of borders I’m
it’s also an effacement of borders I’m
it’s also an effacement of borders I’m sure many of you are thinking if not
sure many of you are thinking if not
sure many of you are thinking if not borders then what what about love I like
borders then what what about love I like
borders then what what about love I like its capacious nests its ability to come
its capacious nests its ability to come
its capacious nests its ability to come clean about all that has happened in the
clean about all that has happened in the
clean about all that has happened in the past in order to move forward together
past in order to move forward together
past in order to move forward together love has no use for walls or borders
love has no use for walls or borders
love has no use for walls or borders it’s about diffusion melding harmonizing
it’s about diffusion melding harmonizing
it’s about diffusion melding harmonizing it doesn’t hem in it spreads outward
it doesn’t hem in it spreads outward
it doesn’t hem in it spreads outward Adrian rich speaks beautifully about the
Adrian rich speaks beautifully about the
Adrian rich speaks beautifully about the edges that blur in one of her poems when
edges that blur in one of her poems when
edges that blur in one of her poems when I hear those words I visualise edges
I hear those words I visualise edges
I hear those words I visualise edges that bleed and blur into one another
that bleed and blur into one another
that bleed and blur into one another criss crossing lines and feels a lot
criss crossing lines and feels a lot
criss crossing lines and feels a lot like collage work rich talks about human
like collage work rich talks about human
like collage work rich talks about human boundaries she talks about how the
boundaries she talks about how the
boundaries she talks about how the body’s pain is not the same as the pain
body’s pain is not the same as the pain
body’s pain is not the same as the pain on the streets yet it’s possible for us
on the streets yet it’s possible for us
on the streets yet it’s possible for us to connect our
to connect our
to connect our own personal experience to that of
own personal experience to that of
own personal experience to that of humanity if we watch the edges that blur
humanity if we watch the edges that blur
humanity if we watch the edges that blur if we negotiate the distance between us
if we negotiate the distance between us
if we negotiate the distance between us and are able to see ourselves in the
and are able to see ourselves in the
and are able to see ourselves in the other I know it takes confidence it
other I know it takes confidence it
other I know it takes confidence it perhaps even a certain level of courage
perhaps even a certain level of courage
perhaps even a certain level of courage it certainly forces us to step out of
it certainly forces us to step out of
it certainly forces us to step out of our comfort zone but in the end it’s so
our comfort zone but in the end it’s so
our comfort zone but in the end it’s so worth it for once we dare to love
worth it for once we dare to love
worth it for once we dare to love there’s no more room for fear or borders
there’s no more room for fear or borders
there’s no more room for fear or borders thank
thank
thank [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment