Eminent artist Rashid Rana’s “My East is Your West” Lahore/Venice project exhibition opened at the Liberty Market ground on Wednesday.
The event, a joint production of Rashid Rana and Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF), was inaugurated by Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani. The exhibition will continue till October.
Rashid Rana’s works are featured in this year’s Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious art events of the world. The artist’s room in Lahore and an exactly replicated space in Venice allow viewers in both countries to interact through live internet feed.
The Italian ambassador lauded Rashid Rana for being one of Pakistan’s leading contemporary artists, a pioneer in visual art and presenting the first large-scale public project of its kind in the country.
“Rashid, you have concretely realised what I myself as a diplomat tries to do every day: portraying a more far-reaching image of Italy to Pakistan,” the ambassador said.
Cianfarani highlighted the power of art, in all its expressions, in bridging gaps in mutual knowledge, thus bringing the two countries closer to each other.
“I have never thought of bringing the people of two countries closer through my art when I started learning visual arts 20 years ago,” Rashid said while talking to Pakistan Today. He said he was honoured by the presence of the city’s elite which had gathered at the exhibition venue to view the project.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Khurshid Kasuri, Saleema Hashmi, Dr Salman Shah, Dr Umar Saif and other dignitaries of the city graced the event with their presence. The event will be open for everyone from 1pm to 9pm every day for five months.
