ecently, Expo Centre Lahore hosted a mega exhibition of building materials together with a convention of architects, arranged by the Institute of Architects of Pakistan and sponsored by AW Architects’ World. The three-day event, titled IAPEX 23 Lahore, was composed of well-researched and organised seminars, conferences and showcases. An art exhibition, titled Datum 2.3, was an important part of it.

The work on display encompassed the fields of art, design and architecture. It had been put together in carefully curated spaces that alluded to the contemporary blurring of the boundaries of these disciplines.

For the uninitiated, the IAP is a registered organisation run by a small group of practising architects. Its objective is to look after the professional interests of architects and those of the public in general that are concerned with the building profession, and to establish contact with other national and international professional bodies of architects and home builders.

At IAPEX 23 Lahore, there were well-lit and extravagant displays by renowned local and international companies and organisations such as United Gypsum, Jawa Paints, Ya murpen (from Turkiyë), Banu Mukhtar and Interwood. Datum 2.3, curated by Aarish Sardar, showcased artworks by 12 artists and designers that had been placed alongside various pavilions of the exhibiting brands at the Expo Centre. The team of advisors comprised renowned practitioners from the three coinciding disciplines, such as Rashid Rasheed, Risham Syed, RM Naeem, Imran Qureshi and Rabeya Jalil.

Contemplating multiple perspectives — as a designer, artist and curator — Sardar categorised the objects on display in the Russian-Doll principle which added complex layers of ecology, recycling and repurposing of waste to the show. The creative practices were camouflaged behind the opulence and luminosity of interactive stalls with vendors selling top-notch products for domestic comfort and were visible to only those who were aware of the convergence of art, design and architecture and their historical, environmental and social values in our culture.

Datum 2.3 marked a breakthrough intervention of a cross-disciplinary exhibition in Pakistan. It emphasised the revolutionary possibilities of recycled wood, metal, ceramic and porcelain tiles through artistic inquiries and presented novel solutions for a world facing ecological challenges.

Datum 2.3 emphasised the revolutionary possibilities of recycled wood, metal, ceramic and porcelain tiles through artistic inquiries and presented novel solutions for a world encountering ecological challenges.

The visual experience of some items was enhanced by the incorporation of digital and immersive technology overlaid onto the tiles and porcelain products. For instance, the work of video artist Ammar Faiz incorporated a white porcelain oval tub placed in a dark room. Upon a deeper look, one found an ethereal projection of figures of children running in the formation of some folk Punjabi game. A catcher chased the group of players from one curve of the elliptical tub to another while taking short intervals to catch their breath at the round draining point connecting the physical realm with the virtual space.

The work also drew a parallel between the disposable nature of the physical object and the diminishing of indigenous games owing to the ever-increasing penchant for video games.

Wajeeha Batool’s sculptural installation highlighted themes of ecological concerns with the integration of digital interventions. The repurposed black tiles took the shape of a rectilinear lotus flower placed inside the visual projection of pixelated water, transforming the organic essence of life into inflexible and calculated structures that suggested the impact of technological avenues on the living environment.

Sara Aslam had utilised redundant building materials to create a synthetic habitat by germinating grass and plants on recycled matter. Sameen Agha’s minimal roof structure hung on diagonally placed pillars conjoined with recycled wood and niches of ceramic tiles that alluded to the dichotomies of fragility and strength of the material and the idea of a home.

ood and tiles are seemingly breakable, but when placed together they radiate resilience. Perhaps, the most popular artwork displayed at Datum 2.3 had been developed by Sidra Khawaja, who had created an interactive immersive experience with light and recycled tiles. The identical rectangular tiles were laid on adjacent grids in an open space. Their movement paralleled the function of light switches. While toggling the “buttons” up and down, the visitor became a co-creator of the installation of light and shadows.

In the final analysis, Datum 2.3 brought a fresh perspective to ‘discarded elements,’ evoking a sense of rejuvenation and inventiveness. Every artwork on display was evidence of creative ingenuity and our collective accountability towards the restoration of our planet. Sardar’s curatorial interposition showed how conventional building materials are salvaged and expanded beyond their banality to become potent representations of creative sustainability.

The writer is an interdisciplinary artist and educator based in Lahore