Laundry, family life, cookery... all unremarkable aspects of everyday life that we probably don’t give a second thought to. Yet when they take place in Pakistan, they embody a glimmer of hope against the backdrop of war and terror that has unfortunately become the everyday in Pakistan.
This is the aim of Gallery II’s latest exhibition ‘Gup Shup’, which continues its international tour following from its debut on International Women’s Day 2009 at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Inspiring and uplifting, Gup Shup is a collaborative project between Cath Braid (designer for social enterprise Polly&Me), Rolla Khadduri (Development Consultant) and women’s embroidery collectives in Chitral, a small village set deep in the mountains in Pakistan. Cath has been based in Pakistan since 2000, and wanted to present Pakistan in a positive light, through an artistic revelation of the normal, everyday lives of the women living there.
Meaning ‘chit chat’ in Urdu and Hindi, Gup Shup comprises tapestries, bags and purses made by the women’s embroidery collectives that depict the artisan’s daily lives. However it is much more than just a display of the women’s work. The exhibition represents a whole process by which Cath and Rolla have worked with these women, encouraged storytelling through visuals such as familiar packaging and Henna that are central to the everyday lives of these women, and transcribed these stories into exquisite, vibrant embroideries that are made by these women, about these women, for these women.
Visually striking, and beautifully imperfect, these pieces convey the positive and hopeful side of Pakistan through a revelation of the normality of these women’s everyday lives. The pieces exhibit beautiful skill and craftsmanship, vibrant colours and a truly personal element that makes each piece unique to the woman who has created it – the piece tells her story. This project aims not to change the women, but to allow them to explore their potential and creativity by simply telling the stories of their everyday private lives, a process intent on dispelling any myths that Pakistan is a country solely consumed by misery and despair.
The bags and some of the tapestries can be purchased, and all the funds raised will go straight back into the women’s communities. This exhibition is one that will challenge all of your pre-conceptions of Pakistan, and allow you to consider the beauty and art to be found in your own everyday lives.