People Of Karachi Are Painting Stunning Works Of Art

[dexter]

The People Of Karachi Are Painting Stunning Works Of Art Over Hateful Graffiti On Their City’s Walls

As part of their “I Am Karachi” campaign, several artists have taken to painting over the city’s walls, which are splattered with sectarian, religious, and political hate messages.

by Imaan Sheikh

I Am Karachi” to reclaim public spaces by promoting arts, sports, culture and dialogue. Their newest aim is to reclaim the city’s walls and bring back its positive general environment.

Faraz Fayyaz

Faraz Fayyaz


Wajiha Naqvi, the leader and manager of this campaign, talked to BuzzFeed about their “Reimagining the Walls of Karachi” initiative. Young artists have come together to paint over the hate with beauty.

This old photograph shows a wall covered in ads for black magic.


I Am Karachi

This reclaimed wall now displays a nostalgia-inducing Pakistani envelope with popular stamps.

I Am Karachi


“The effort is to reclaim the walls of Karachi which are often covered with hate graffiti towards certain ethnic groups and political sloganeering,” Wajiha told us in an email.

Azhar Ibrahim

Azhar Ibrahim


The chenak teapot unifies Karachiites for their love of good old dhaba chai.

Tahir Chakera

S. Aamer

 

[dexter]

Tahir Chakera


“We want to replace them with images that illustrate/depict positive values,” she further said.

Faraz Fayyaz

Taher Chakera


Wajiha said the greatest struggle of this project has been the process of creating a sense of belonging and ownership in Karachi.

Azhar Ibrahim

Tahir Chakera


Her goal is to demonstrate that through a cohesive social and cultural movement, I AM KARACHI can positively serve the whole city.

Tahir Chakera

Children stand beside a geometric drawing of Mazar-e-Quaid, the tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

Tahir Chakera

 

[dexter]

Tahir Chakera


In Pakistan, public spaces such as walls and rickshaws have been long-used to spread hatred. Wajiha wants people to “understand that the same vehicles could also be used to push out a more positive and tolerant message instead.”

Azhar Ibrahim

Azhar Ibrahim


“For this particular project, there have been challenges of getting the city administration on board, mobilizing labor and artists, particularly in vulnerable areas where such an open and public project can be a security risk,” she said.

Tahir Chakera

Tahir Chakera


“It is a risk especially considering that we were removing political and religiously charged graffiti, both of which have been a source of conflict and violence based narratives. These include (and some of the harsher messages) messages against religious and ethnic minorities and politically divisive slogans,” she further added in her email.

One of the risks of the project is that Wajiha and her team are erasing politically and religiously charged graffiti, which have been sources of conflict and violence, and replacing them with the exact opposite – sources of beauty and unity.

I Am Karachi

source: The People Of Karachi Are Painting Stunning Works Of Art Over Hateful Graffiti On Their City's Walls

 

[truthseeker2010]

Keep up the good work guys.......

May Allah keep you away from harms way.....

 

[Muhammad Omar]

Wah

Good work guys when the Gov is Busy in Sleeping these guys doing something good.. Hope People don't write Slogans again on these paintings

 

[Siddharth]

Tahir Chakera


“We want to replace them with images that illustrate/depict positive values,” she further said.

Faraz Fayyaz

Taher Chakera


Wajiha said the greatest struggle of this project has been the process of creating a sense of belonging and ownership in Karachi.

Azhar Ibrahim

Tahir Chakera


Her goal is to demonstrate that through a cohesive social and cultural movement, I AM KARACHI can positively serve the whole city.

Tahir Chakera

Children stand beside a geometric drawing of Mazar-e-Quaid, the tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

Tahir Chakera

Awesome. Appreciated!!!!

 

[Dubious]

 

[Sipahi]

Excellent Karachites ... Love you guys ... Ab mardana kamzori, bawasir aur Kaale Jaado se nijat mile gi kaafi had tk

 

[B+ Dracula]

Appreciated such colorful MURALS on wall.....it depicts rich culture to an outsiders ......for a moment ...i envisage myself in Brazil/Argentina streets