Danyore
Five channel video installation
2020-21
As a dual citizen (Pakistan and United States), Mahwish Chishty has focused her research on border relations of these two countries for almost a decade. Last summer, Ms. Chishty embarked on a journey from Lahore (her hometown) to Danyore (a small town in the Northern Pakistan towards Khunjerab Pass which is the world’s highest elevation border crossing and the friendliest border in Pakistan) in search of one individual, Ali Ahmedi. Ali is a local civilian from Danyore who has been sweeping the graves of Chinese workers for many years to pay respect and to honor their sacrifice. This cemetery is the final resting place for 88 Chinese workers that lost their life building the ‘Peace highway’ in the Karakorum ranges.
The complexity of Pak-China relations as a direct and indirect result of the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) project are captured in this five-channel video installation. Ms. Chishty sees this project as an extension of her previous projects that combine her interests in Pakistani traditional folk art/culture and contemporary politics: Wagah border series, Drone art series and Basant, Let’s go fly a kite.
Some stills from the video:
