Wagah Border series

Watercolors on paper
20” x 15” each painting
2015 - Ongoing

Wagah/Atari (Pakistan/India) border displays an everyday ritual around sunset that is witnessed by thousands of patriotics on both sides of the border. Pakistani Rangers show off their rehearsed performance in which their moves are well coordinated with the Indian soldiers. They celebrate the ritual of separation while lowering the flags and closing the border for the day, which reopens the next morning for people to cross migrate.

The ritual is highly seductive where both soldiers are continuously trying to out-do each other. In this series of paintings, I am removing the background and the physical presence of border itself to highlight the tension and play of power.