I CONDUCTED THIS PARTICULAR PERFORMANCE ON THE STREETS OF LAHORE’S RED LIGHT DISTRICT ON THE 8TH OF MAY 2006 AFTER SPENDING 4 WEEKS ENGAGING WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
I HAD HELD MEMORIES OF THAT SPACE DURING THE SEVENTIES WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN LAHORE.
I HAD IN THE RECENT PAST LIVED IN AFGHANISTAN WHERE I WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH COMMUNITY PROJECTS.
MY INTENTION THROUGH THIS PERFORMANCE WAS TO REGISTER, ANGST AT AMERICA’S INSIDUOUS PRESENCE IN OUR REGION.
IN MY VIEW THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THE USA’S MILITARY INTERVENTION IS TO CONTROL THE GE-POLITICAL SITUATION FOR THEIR ECONOMIC BENEFIT, REGARDLESS OF INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION.
I HAD KEPT IN MIND FORMS OF POLITICAL AND MILITARY OPPRESSION IN THE SHAPE OF COLONIAL AND INTERNAL DICTATORSHIPS THAT HAVE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ESTABLISHING THEIR PRESENCE IN THIS REGION CONSISTENTLY.
I CHOSE THE MOST OBVIOUS OF SYMBOLS THE AMERICAN FLAG IN THE FORM OF A CAGE TO ENCLOSE MY HEAD TO SUBVERT THIS GIVEN OR UNIVERSAL CONCERN. WHILST I WALKED BACKWARDS THROUGH THE STREETS AND THAN BACK INTO AN ENCLOSED HAVELI WHERE THE TEXT OF THE FUNDEMENTAL
RIGHTS OF MAN’S LIFE LIBERTY AND DEMOCRACY WERE REITERATED BY MY COLLABORATOR, AN OLDER GENERATION AS A REMINDER OF HISTORIES PAST AND CONVIENTLY MISPLACED WHICH ECHOED MY YELLING.
AS A MARK OF PROTEST GROUPS OF DEMONSTRATORS BURN THE AMERICAN FLAG PERIODICALLY FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS IN THIS REGION.
AMERICA IS THE GREAT SATAN BUT THE GREATEST ATAN IS PERHAPS WE WHO PERMIT THEM TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO DOMINATE OUR WORLD VIEW.
NILOFAR AKMUT
MAY 2006
CREDITS
THE ARTIST WOULD LIKE TO THANK PROFESSOR IQBAL HASSAN FOR COLLABORATING AT SHORT NOTICE ON THIS PROJECT WITH CONSIDERABLE INSIGHT.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER FARIDA BATOOL WHO INSPITE OF BEING PREGNANT FOLLOWED ME IN THE STREETS TO RECORD THE PERFORMANCE.
