Seventeenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

Art exhibition and appreciation have often been restrained in the exclusive gallery spaces patronized by privileged classes especially in our region i.e., the subcontinent. Also, unfortunately in Pakistan, the autocratic agencies have taken concrete measures to always discourage any artistic and creative effort fostering democratic, tolerant, and pluralistic value in public spaces. Critical discussions on urban public spaces and public art have been strategically discouraged with the help of strict regulations, propaganda, and surveillance, all in the name of civic wellbeing and national interest. Art and artists, therefore in our part of the world, have rarely felt comfortable as being a part of general public discourse and public space. Amid such an environment a creative endeavor titled “The indifferent A (4) rt” was curated in Lahore. The aim of the project is to challenge the notion of power and agency associated with patronized art by fetching art exhibition, creation, and appreciation out of the confined gallery space into a democratic domain of public space. The paper, by taking the “Indifferent A(4)rt” as a case study, aims to demonstrate how public spaces and public art can create bridges between people and thereby foster convivial culture. With the help of mapping, photographs, and empirical observations the research establishes that the collaboration of art and public forums can reinforce the democratic value in society. The collaborative and community-based participatory methodology employed to materialize the project is also discussed in detail.