BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES

art

Gender roles have long been used to control how we function in the society. Zenana and Mardana have been used traditionally to identify spatial binaries inherent in the way we inhabit physical spaces. The separation of female and male quarters has transitioned from the Mughal era, where the social norm of ‘purdah’ was observed by creating segregation in the lived spaces. It allowed the two genders to practice their customary rituals and render their duties without male intervention. However, we, as a society, have come a long way since, and how we see gender roles have evolved, where urbanisation has merged the Zenana Mardana into one. The limitations on space and the neo-liberal functioning of the society required both the genders to contribute economically to run a household, urging women to step into their masculinity and men to embrace feminity as gender roles become increasingly fluid.

An art exhibition was held recently, at Frere Hall, Karachi revolving around this theme. Phenomena by Pomme, celebrating its 10 years, presented an art show, in collaboration with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Culture Department, honouring masters and pioneers of the modern-day Pakistani art movement. The show was based on a gender-sensitive theme ‘Zenana Mardana’. “For me gender means no walls, I want to feel gentle, not because I am a woman but because I do. I want to feel powerful, not because I am a man, but because I want to be, as a curator, I want every individual to have male and female dynamics and to embody positive traits that suit them regardless of gender,” says Pomme Amina Afzal.

Building on her inner transformation and her observations, she has curated ‘Zenana Mardana’ - A tribute to the master artists: Jamil Naqsh, Sadequain and Ismail Gulgee. To address the movement behind gender equality which has grown tremendously in the last decade, she wanted to bring the new narrative of ‘segregation to integration’ to the forefront. As society accepts new role models, there is a wider acknowledgment of Zenana and Mardana traits in humans. In the art show, which revolves around the blurring of gender binaries, renowned artists were encouraged to share their conceptual work and vision on the proposed subject matter.

Presence of the feminine

Sayeda Habib, whose love for the arts is unparalleled, uses a dessert shrub to investigate the presence of the feminine within the natural world. By work with Rosa of Jurico, Rosa Maria, or Palm of the Madonna, an ancient shrub known for its ability to ‘come back to life’ after appearing to dry out and die. This looks at creative forces that support birth, life, and death. With the use of well-directed lines and the natural colours, her work takes on a life of its own, as it emerges as an independent entity that welcomes the observer to engage, explore and ponder over this natural phenomenon.

Undoing the binaries

Abdul Jabbar took to the spiritual realm to undo the binaries that supposedly help couples find their place in the world. Illustrated figures that appear genderless, giving them bodies that might indicate gender specificity. By keeping the physique neutral, it represented the masculine and feminine side that we all have inside us. This is a symbolic representation of the yin and yang of our personalities; in the spiritual realm, there is no zenana and mardana.

The non-visible boundary

Meher Afroz, with her incredibly intricate work comprising purdah made with colossal paper, which does not signify ‘purdah’ in its literal sense. Instead, she draws attention to the veil of respect between the two genders or this non-visible boundary that coexists in relationships involving both the genders. Be it between a mother and son, father and daughter, husband and wife, etc. It could be seen as a single layer or as a set of layers that keep accumulating as time goes by.

Two wheels of a cart

For Jimmy Engineer, woman and man are two wheels of a cart; when they run in unison, there is the strength of speed, and they reach their destination with success. His work renders both males and females as a chance to reflect on their contribution to a relationship and find ways to integrate at intersections where it might have appeared impossible before. A series of intriguing artworks, his work is that of retrospect.

The art show was truly a masterpiece and raised many points about gender fluidity and biasness. In this way, it was a medium to at least start the conversation with thought provoking artwork.