ISLAMABAD: Pakistani artist, Shabir Ahmed Mir, has masterfully created the spirit and resilience of the 2022 earthquake victims in Turkey through his work, “Life,” showcased at the Kommogene Biennale 2024, received critical acclaim.
Shabir Ahmed Mir was invited to an art and sculpture exhibition, the second Kommagene Biennale, based in the city of Kâhta in Adiyaman, one of the provinces most destroyed by the disaster. This year’s event commemorated the trauma and suffering of those affected by the earthquake 2022 and honored their perseverance.
View this post on Instagram
The event’s theme, “Rising,” inspired Shabir Ahmad Mir to show the pain of the people by the use of local materials and crafts from the province. His work, created from mattress springs, features the “details of life” and the remarkable perseverance of people who have faced lots of hardships.
View this post on Instagram
In an interview with a private television, he shared his experience of creating the piece from scratch, saying that it took three days of build-up under difficult circumstances. He spent 16 days on the site, with a considerable amount of time to selecting materials. He added that the most difficult part was constructing the sculpture on the island, which barren land with no shade, and in scorching heat. It took almost three days just for the build-up, Mir explained.
Mir, a recipient of numerous accolades, regards his participation in the Turkish Biennale as a great honour. Biennale, reflects not only his artistic zeal but also the resilience and perseverance of the people of Turkey.
The Kommogene Biennale 2024, which started on August 24, will be open to art lovers to visit and view the displayed pieces until November 8, 2024.
Powerful Earthquake in Turkey
A powerful earthquake struck Adiyaman and 10 other provinces in southern Turkey on February 6, 2022, resulting more than 50,000 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless as it destroyed an equal number of buildings, leading to a long and severely painful recovery.
