SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
Spotlight
Clicks and mortar
Cover Story
Storm in a teacup
A traditional family business finds new life — and diversifies — online
One photo of girls at a dhaba kickstarted a conversation about women in public spaces
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21 Feature
A livelihood from leaves
Interview
The imitation game
Artist Muhammad Zeeshan takes on a critic who ruthlessly calls out plagiarism
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Residents of a drought-hit district find innovative ways to make a living
38 Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people 46 Reviews: Movies 49 Human Resources: The balancing act
Magazine Incharge: Dilaira Dubash. Senior Subeditors: Sanam Maher and Ali Haider Habib. Subeditor: Komal Anwar Creative Team: Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Mohsin Alam, Talha Ahmed Khan, Hira Fareed, Maryam Rashid, Eesha Azam and Sanober Ahmed Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk 4 Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PHOTOS COURTESY JBNJAWS PRODUCTIONS
Amjad Bhatti
Miraal Sara, Hussain Shah and Kiran Chaudhry
Shah premieres in Karachi and Lahore Sadia Afzal
Jahanzaib Shafique and Nimra Haroon with their daughter
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Madiha Qaiser
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Kamran Faiq
Mehek Raza Rizvi and Marya Javed
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Kiran Khan and Anoushey Asad
PHOTOS COURTESY JBNJAWS PRODUCTIONS
Sarfaraz Niazi, Ali Noor, Samina Khan, Nooray Bhatti and Mandana Zaidi
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Ahmed Ali Butt, Humayun Saeed, Deepak Perwani, Asad Ul Haq, Adnan Siddiqui, Hassan Sehryar and Sikander Rizvi
Jami
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Anoushey Ashraf
Fouzia Aman
Nadeem Mandviwalla
PHOTO COURTESY LOTUS CLIENT MANAGEMENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Capri Cinema hosts a premiere of Dekh Magar Pyaar Say in Karachi
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Shahzad Naseem and Emaan Shahzad
Shahima Rehman
Iqra Nasim and Faryal Hafeez
PHOTO CREDITS ASIF MANZOOR
NUR Student Leadership Program celebrates its 20th annual closing ceremony in Lahore
Nasra Iqbal, Fizza Rana, and Mrs Rana
Sabene Saigol
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Gulalai Khan and Roomi Aziz
Asma Rao, Beenish Kashif and Mavra Mushtaq
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Karen, Betty and Helen
Launch of Samsung Galaxy Note5 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ in New York
Mary, Patricia, Barbara and Jennifer Zeina and Yim Mun
Kamran Nishat and Farid Jan
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Janie, Linda, Simone and Elizabeth
PHOTO COURTESY CATWALK EVENTS & SAVVY PR
Fawad Khan, Hasaan Khalid and Frieha Altaf
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Gucci and Dawood Global Foundation host LADIESFUND’s Girls Night Out 2015 in Karachi Hamza and Anam
Bina Ali
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Sarwat, Fatima, Nadia, Tara, Shaheen and Maliha
PHOTOS COURTESY TUD PR
Amna Aqueel Sarwat Gillani
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Mohsin Feroze and Zeba Bakhtiar
PHOTOS COURTESY TUD PR
Hina Aamir
Amber Aarij and friend
Sahibzadi Mahin Khan Maria A Khan
Shazya, Shireen, Mehwish and Afiffa
Moneeza Butt
17 SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
Clicks and
mortar
A traditional family business finds new life — and diversifies — online BY HUSAIN KARRAR | DESIGN BY MARYAM RASHID
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he idea for my business came from the unlikeliest of places — your squeamishness. One hot summer night in June 2013, a friend — and successful entrepreneur — was chatting with me about Pakistan’s rapidly growing e-commerce industry. When a market grows in this way, everyone connected to the market grows with it. I immediately got to thinking about how I could be a part of this growth. I happen to work for a family pharmaceutical company and we own and market a few contraceptive brands. I know from experience that buying contraceptives from a pharmacy or supermarket is considered a taboo in Pakistan and it occurred to me that people may prefer to buy contraceptive material online, from the privacy of their own home. My friend and I agreed that there was only one way to find out — start a website. And so, CondomShop.pk was created. We offered our customers a simple premise: shopping for contraceptives in Pakistan is not a pleasant experience, but we promise to make it so. Even in circles where this taboo is slowly breaking, there is always the underlying tension of being spotted by a close friend or relative whilst shopping for such products. Additionally, our research shows that the market in Pakistan is flooded with counterfeit products and since most customers are concerned with purchasing the product and rushing out of the shop, they are often deceived into buying expired or second- grade and even third-grade stock. There would be no such haste online.
Some of the most successful start-ups address an unmet need or solve a problem that hasn’t been solved yet. I really thought we were doing this and everyone who heard about the venture was excited for the same reason. Our team of three had a very slow start and there was a steep learning curve. I knew nothing about building or running an e-commerce website and had no investment that allowed me to hire a professional. I hired one person to help me run the store, used my rudimentary Photoshop skills and hosted e-commerce content management system (CMS) to build the online shop. My wife — and now business partner — played a crucial role in selling the idea to our friends and family and kept me motivated through the early stages. We started off with one order a day. For a long time, we hovered at two to three orders. When I look back at that time, I think it would have been the perfect time for me to quit. No one would have questioned my decision. But then, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Today we average over 12 orders a day and our e-commerce family has grown. In November 2014, my wife and I launched our second online store for a leather goods brand, Bear Necessities. We believe the market for leather goods in Pakistan is dominated by a few very exclusive brands which offer the same corporate look, and there aren’t enough options for handmade, vintage and natural-looking leather bags and wallets.
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Once again, there was a steep learning curve involved in this venture as we knew next to nothing about leather. To this day, we face the most trouble from our suppliers and offering consistent quality is our biggest challenge. It helped that we were extremely frugal throughout the process of setting up and running these online stores. All initial investments were made on my credit card, which was maxed out very fast. From that point we only reinvested what we were earning, and while that has made our growth process slow, it has allowed us to be very calculated and risk-free. Today, that sole condom shop has expanded to become part of the E-Tail Company (etc). We are a team of five now and we’re already working on launching our third and fourth online store. While many entrepreneurs have had to take the leap from a stable, 9-5 job into a solo venture, I was lucky in that I was working at my family business when I started work on E-Tail. I never had to quit my job and I could slowly ease into the new project. As I was in charge of marketing at my family business, it was easy to translate those marketing principals to e-commerce. However, there were a lot of skills — like digital marketing — which I had to pick up and learn by doing. Juggling both jobs means that there are no fixed working hours, simply because I’m working all the time. When you own your business, and especially if you’re emotionally vested in it, you work during any free time you get because there is always something to do. Stepping into a field I had no experience in was not easy. I learned the most from talking to friends, influencers, customers, and doing my own research. When you’re passionate about something, you’re constantly looking at everything through the lens of that particular thing. For everything you read or hear, you ask yourself, “How does this apply to my business?” I feel that level of dedication is necessary to succeed. Something that I continue to struggle with, however, is meeting new people — I would just rather not do it. But
Make it work: Chase opportunities, not dreams: Everyone dreams of becoming an astronaut, very few of us get to become one. Learn to identify opportunities in and around your industry and use them to grow. Entrepreneurship is largely about catching hold of opportunities. Learn to sell: As the founder, no one can generate the passion you can. People also want to hear from you. In the early days especially, you need to sell to all kinds of stakeholders. Have a mentor: Having a mentor is a game-changer and a competitive advantage. Hire positive people: Positivity keeps you going in the worst of times. Negative people are like acid and suck all your energy. Positivity attracts positivity and makes work fun. At the end of the day, you’ve got to have fun. Do not reinvent the wheel: Use the technology that’s out there. Leverage other people’s hard work. It’s all about comparative advantage and eliminating inefficiencies. ‘Done’ is better than ‘perfect’: Don’t waste time over something which doesn’t even matter all that much at this stage. Business is a process of continuous improvement. You will never be satisfied. You’ll never get ahead if you don’t get started. Persevere: No one made it big without hard work. Get ready for the long haul. You quit, there’s no going back — it’s that simple.
when you’re the person in charge, you have to put yourself out there to find out about and grab new opportunities. You lose out if you don’t. This is where my wife has really contributed to the business, as she is a lot more outgoing than I am and a lot better at PR. Someone at the top has to play this role. People have mostly been encouraging about my foray into e-commerce. There are some people, however, who will always doubt whatever you do, but one should generally try to avoid such people. Most of the time, their doubt just motivates me to succeed even more. And on days when I have doubts about work, I remind myself that there’s never a dull moment on the job. Just the other day, for instance, I got an email from a potential customer for contraceptives, who asked, “Do you sell X-Ray glasses?”
Husain Karrar is the Director at Biogenics Pakistan and partner and CEO at the E-Tail Company.
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COVER STORY
One photo of girls at a dhaba kickstarted a conversation about women in public spaces BY FERYA ILYAS | PHOTOS COURTESY GIRLS AT DHABAS
Sadia Khatri did not think her casual hashtag #girlsatdhaba, added to a photo posted on Facebook from her trip to a local tea shop would mean anything. For the love of tea, she and her friends frequent dhabas, roadside tea stalls that are mostly dominated by men but never closed to women. The photo and the accompanying hashtag sparked a conversation within her social circle about how women at dhabas are seen as an anomaly. Soon, Khatri and her friends were receiving invites for doodh patti from others eager to visit dhabas. As interest in the photo grew, a friend suggested that the photo be made public online so other girls could share their photos from dhaba outings. Thus, the site ‘Girls at Dhabas’ was created and two months later, the girls have a presence on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and over 3,000 followers. That’s a lot of people curious to see photos of girls and their beloved doodh patti. When I meet four of the ‘Girls at Dhabas’ — Khatri, Natasha Ansari, Rabeea Arif and Najia Khan — to exchange thoughts about gender, public spaces and chai, they tell me they’re still surprised by the reaction to the hashtag. “Dhabas are a part of our lives,” says Arif, a visual arts teacher and graphic designer. “We have always been going there and also noticing how few women go there to drink tea.” While Buzzfeed applauded the girls as leaders of “a movement to reclaim public spaces for women” and one Indian media outlet described chai sessions as “an act of defiance and liberation”, the girls are quick to reject these labels and plaudits. “We honestly did not know where this was going,” explains Khatri, who works for an advocacy group in Karachi. “The growth (of the project) is very organic and we would like to keep it that way at least for some time.” The project has been receiving submissions from girls in various South Asian countries, particularly India. “We have been approached by groups interested in similar initiatives and those are the conversations we want to engage in,” 28 Khatri adds. SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
As the girls and I map out the reality of women in public spaces, words like ‘safety’, ‘tolerance’, ‘acceptance’ and ‘shame’ are tossed around the dimly-lit, ethnicallydecorated basement room of Ansari’s house. Tying together these concepts, sociology student Khan explains how many women feel vulnerable in their own cities. “We are always assessing how safe a place is — we look at lighting, location, and number of women,” she explains. “We are constantly on guard,” Khatri summarises. While they acknowledge these fears, these women also believe the red line is in one’s head most of the time. “We go to dhabas and we have never been turned away,” says Khatri. “The dhaba owners certainly have no problem having us around. There are a few people who stare at us and are curious but it is not like women cannot go there.”
As the women behind ‘Girls at Dhabas’ grapple with what all the attention they are receiving could mean, Indian writer and academic Shilpa Phadke stresses the significance of such efforts. “These movements make visible certain acts that, while many may be doing them, are seen to be something that ‘women do not do’ — especially in the South Asian context,” explains Phadke, who is the co-author of Why Loiter: Women And Risk On Mumbai Streets, a book that plots how women from different classes and communities use India’s urban public spaces. “Making the point that women do indeed have a good time in public spaces, including in places seen to be largely masculine, transforms something about the way we see these spaces.” A faculty member at Tata Institute of Social Sciences in India, Phadke discusses research conducted in Mumbai from 2003 to 2006, saying that it was discovered that although in some spaces women appeared to be present in fairly large numbers, they never amounted to even half the crowd. “At the highest, we counted 28% of women in some spaces during the daytime and particularly at rush hour going home,” she
‘Girls at Dhabas’ was set up by Sadia Khatri, Natasha Ansari, Rabeea Arif and Najia Khan.
“Though women might appear to be around, we are few enough for it to still be an event” Author Shilpa Phadke
Hitchhiking on a tractor in Spiti Valley.
explains. “At night and in some spaces, it was as low as 3%. Women also tend far more to be mobile, i.e. moving, rather than remaining stationary, loitering or just waiting.” Phadke explains that in South Asia, ideologies around honour often dictate women’s location, further compounding the lack of visibility of women in public. Giving insight into the attention ‘Girls at Dhabas’ has received, she concludes, “Though women might appear to be around, we are few enough for it to still be an event and if this is the case in Mumbai, other cities are sure to demonstrate greater differences.” Anthropologist and social commentator Kamran Asdar Ali, who is based in the US, also admits there are fewer women in public spaces than there ought to be, and being a woman even in the most cosmopolitan city of Pakistan — Karachi — has its challenges. He drives home the point through a nostalgic trip into the past, quoting famous Urdu writer Intizar Hussain from his memoir Chiraghon ka Dhuan. “Intizar Hussain mentions how in the 1950s, he and writer and politician Haneef Ramay would stand on Mall Road in Lahore and watch a sea of cycles with braids going towards Punjab University’s old campus,” Ali says. This memory of the Lahore of a certain era is shared by many who speak about women seen all over the city riding their bicycles to work or to their colleges, he adds. “But things have changed and we do live in a very different moment in history,” Ali feels. However, the anthropologist points out that despite factors which make women feel unsafe in public spaces, social changes in the last few decades have forced a large percentage of women from all classes to work in the traditional and nonformal sectors of the economy. “Due to economic pressures and the dissolution of extended families in urban areas, many more women are working for wages than in the past,” he explains. “Women are leaving domestic spaces to work in the expanding service sector, as office workers, in fast food chains and as teachers. Similarly, in urban areas, the poorest women leave their homes to work as domestic servants, urban labourers, sweepers, or nannies. So, there surely is an increase of working women in public life.” Ali says that the city mostly threatens these women with harassment in the narrow alleys of industrial townships, in long waits at bus stops of the unpredictable public transport system and in the discriminating work culture that needs to be negotiated due to the compulsion of earning a living. He feels that elite women have the social protection that class bestows on them and they can inhabit parts of the city that are considered ‘safe’ while also venturing into ‘unsafe’ zones. “Perhaps there are some who venture to the ‘other side of the tracks’ but there too class gives them protection and they may be treated as an aberration in the social and
cultural milieu of the area,” he explains, adding that a woman who lives in a low income neighborhood may not be allowed the same transgressions that women from the elite neighborhoods may be able to get away with. Khatri concurs, explaining to Buzzfeed that “the women we do see on the streets are usually women belonging to the lower class.” ‘Girls at Dhabas’ attempts to redress this social divide at least in public spaces. “Working-class women are forced to be in public while upper-class women are shielded — they are essentially shuttling from one confined space to another,” Khan says. “Fewer women [irrespective of their background] in public spaces means women not taking ownership of those spaces, which is a worrying trend,” Khan articulates.
Discussing the visibility of women in public spaces, Ali says that while women from lower class neighborhoods are constantly leaving their homes to go to their work, these women seldom have the ‘freedoms’ that class bestows on women from higher social-economic groups. “Urban public life in Pakistan for lower-class women does not always allow
‘Girls at Dhabas’ has organised two street cricket matches for girls in Karachi since August.
them the ‘pleasures’ of the ‘modern’: cinemas, cafes, parks, concert halls, beaches or the promenade which they can enter of their own volition,” he explains. Phadke agrees that while women of different classes, races, castes, ethnicities and religions in South Asia experience public spaces differently, they all tend to have restricted access to public spaces in comparison with their male counterparts. “We need to struggle for access to public spaces for all marginal citizens but we must acknowledge that across class and other identities, women are marginal citizens in public spaces,” the author says. Thus, Ali feels that irrespective of class backgrounds, women occupying spaces of leisure to challenge maledominated spaces is a healthy social sign and needs to be supported. “It is easy to make a class-based critique of women’s actions, yet not understand that the category of gender (although intrinsically linked to class privilege) may also have an independent significance,” he explains. “This is most sharply evident as domestic violence or sexual violence against women (or children) can happen in any social strata and needs to be understood in terms of gender rights. Similarly, access to public spaces of leisure, discrimination
“Intizar Hussain mentions how in the 1950s he and Haneef Ramay would stand on Mall Road in Lahore and watch a sea of cycles with braids going towards Punjab University’s old campus” Anthropologist Kamran Asdar Ali in hiring in the work force, the ability to earn same income for similar work are some issues linked to the argument for gender equity.” In this sense, he feels ‘Girls at Dhabas’ may be making a statement that needs to be understood in terms of the larger struggle for women’s rights. “At times, differences are needed to be set aside in support of a larger statement — which in this case is lack of acceptance of women in public places of leisure — as actions create space for others to follow and may help in securing a more long-term solution to the problems,” Ali says.
Khatri and her friends are as conscious about their class privileges as are their critics. They are at pains to clarify on their social media accounts that they understand that the class or economic background they belong to results in distant and disengaging reactions from men on the streets in contrast to women from less-privileged backgrounds. As I bring up criticism leveled at ‘Girls at Dhabas’ since the project gained traction, the women behind the project delve into the class discussion almost instantly. “We are aware that we are from a certain class and that makes us privileged,” says Ansari, a researcher. “We cannot claim to be experts on communities we have never known personally,” reads one message on their Facebook group. “Neither can we comment on experiences that have not been our own.” Khan explains that ‘Girls at Dhabas’ doesn’t set out to ‘save’ someone from another class. However, in exercising their privilege, these women want to highlight issues of gender and public spaces. Khatri says the project’s campaign on social media and actions on ground — such as organising a street cricket match for girls in Karachi last month — aim at improving their surroundings. “We are starting from our own community,” Khatri says hinting there are no overzealous plans for changing the world — not yet, at least. T
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Ferya Ilyas is a senior subeditor at The Express Tribune. She tweets @ferya_ilyas SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
‘Girls at Dhabas’ has been receiving submissions and selfies from cup of tea in their local dhaba.
girls in various South Asian countries, particularly India, as they enjoy a
‘In France’s cities, public space risks becoming a women-free zone,’ screamed the headline of a report in a British publication in November 2014. It is a story of a Paris outer suburb Aubervilliers with a significant population of migrants. According to CityMetric, Aubervilliers and its cafés became the launching ground of an initiative ‘A Place for Women’ which aimed at ensuring these cafés equally accommodated men and women. “In April 2011, Monique, a retired teacher, was looking for a café on her way home, where she could sit on the terrace with a coffee and enjoy the sunshine. But she felt unwelcome in every one that she passed,” the report states. “I realized that every single terrace that I passed only had men there, who looked at me as if I didn’t belong there. I couldn’t bear it,” Monique was quoted as saying. She decided to fix this problem herself and asked her friends for their support. Their group ‘A Place for Women’ now meets once a month at one of these cafés or bars to reclaim these spaces for themselves. The CityMetric report explains that in Aubervilliers, like other working-class immigrant areas, all-male spaces are a common sight and women, though, not explicitly forbidden from being there are often ill at ease. One of the members of Monique’s group recalls her experience as part of ‘A Place for Women’, saying she saw men looking at them from the corner of their eyes. “Cars stopped outside the café to look in — even the police dropped by a couple of times. But we weren’t afraid, and we became the talk of the town,” she told CityMetric. Over the years, the group members have visited more than 30 such cafés in the neighbourhood. Regularly frequented by female visitors, some of these cafés now display signs that read: “Here, women can feel at home”.
FEATURE
A livelihood from leaves Residents of a drought-hit district find innovative ways to make a living TEXT AND PHOTOS BY GULSHER PANHWER DESIGN BY SANOBER AHMED
Taluka Johi in Dadu district, with a population of 207,383, is one of the most backward talukas of Sindh. It is divided into two parts: the barrage and nonbarrage area. The latter, called ‘Kachho’, is a sandy strip where the 100,000-strong population relies on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihood. With an acute shortage of canal water and dwindling rainfall, Kachho faces constant bouts of drought. Another source of income, livestock, has also been affected as natural grazing areas are depleted of water reserves. The people here make their living using a wild plant known as pesh. An estimated 80% of the women are engaged in using this plant for rope-making, locally called waan. Waan is used Waan or rope-making in progress.
The pesh — raw material for rope-making — is loaded onto trucks.
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In the first phase of waan-making, the pesh has to be pounded with a hammer.
Waan at a wholesaler’s shop, being weighed before sale.
Middle men bringing the pesh to the area sell it on the precondition that the workers will sell the waan to the agent at a lower rate than the prevailing market price
The waan is almost ready and is wrapped or coiled for sale.
Waan is used for weaving cots and as a binding material.
for weaving cots and the plant is brought to the area from Balochistan, where it grows in the wild. On average, two to three kilogrammes of waan are made daily. The raw materials for this waan is sold at Rs700 per 40kg. Middle men bringing the pesh to the area sell it on the precondition that the workers will sell the waan to the agent at a lower rate than the prevailing market price. “After buying the pesh at such high prices and selling the waan at a lower rate, we get almost nothing,” said one woman from Kachho. “With no other source of livelihood, we are compelled to continue with this difficult work.” The process of waan-making starts with separating long leaves, grinding them down with a wooden hammer, soaking and weaving them together on a wooden spinner. The phases of production put the workers at risk. During the winter, for instance, soaking the pesh can cause skin infections. During the summer, at least two workers are required to weave the cords together under the scorching sun and this often results in heatstroke and dehydration. The dust given off by the pesh, especially during the phase where it is hammed, can cause respiratory diseases. One worker invented an improvised device to weave together the pesh by using a bicycle wheel and this technique is used by many of the workers, enabling them to produce twice the quantity of waan while saving time. Government departments have completely neglected this home-based industry, while some not-for-profit organisations, such as Devolution Trust for Community Development (DTC), have provided seed money and equipment to women producing waan. There is an urgent need to pay attention to this self-initiated and self-sustained source of income, which has grown into a home-based industry. The introduction of improved equipment and refined methods of production as well as financial support could help those making their living through waan, as well as reducing exploitation by middle men and vendors. Gulsher Panhwer is a consultant and freelance columnist focusing on cultural and environmental issues. SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
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INTERVIEW
The imitation game Artist Muhammad Zeeshan takes on a critic who ruthlessly calls out plagiarism in the Pakistani art world BY SHANZAY SUBZWARI DESIGN BY SANOBER AHMED
In the second week of August, Karachi’s Sanat Gallery announced a discussion with Khoshbu Ahmed, who has become known in art circles locally for pointing out similarities between the works of Pakistani and international artists. “Whether outing artists on plagiarism, or simply pointing out congruences among diverse artists working across genres, one questions the motives and reasons behind this activity,” the Gallery stated on the event’s invite on Facebook. “Is Khoshbu Ahmed provoking important questions? Confronting realities? Earning quick popularity on Facebook? Trying to open dialogue? Or just instigate and insinuate?” There was a twist, however. Khoshbu Ahmed was never going to be at the event. Instead, artist Muhammad Zeeshan stepped in for the controversial self-styled critic.
Internationally acclaimed artist and curator Muhammad Zeeshan. PHOTO COURTESY SANAT GALLERY
Zeeshan is an internationally acclaimed artist and curator who graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 2003. He has taken part in numerous gallery and museum exhibitions all over the world and his work is part of permanent collections of institutions such as the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Pacific Asia Museum, California, to name a few. I spoke with the artist about his performance as 41 Khoshbu at Sanat Gallery. SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
Discussion during the performance ‘A Talk With Khoshbu Ahmed’ at Sanat Gallery. PHOTO COURTESY SHANZAY SUBZWARI
Shanzay Subzwari: To you, what is performance art? Muhammad Zeeshan: It is a final work, the process of which can be seen till its finalisation. It can be staged or spontaneous. Also, somehow, the viewer becomes part of it — either as a spectator, actor or participant.
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SS: You recently had a performance at Sanat Gallery that surprised many people. Tell me more about how the idea was conceived and executed. MZ: The performance was based on Khoshbu Ahmed, who is currently a social media phenomenon in art circles in Pakistan. Since her true identity isn’t known, people keep questioning, guessing who she actually is… hence everything she does on social media, (i.e. highlighting Pakistani artists’ works as ‘copies’ or imitations of foreign artists), is something artists want to respond to, but do so only in a myopic, closed circle. Thus, my performance meant to provide a platform for a wider, collective discussion on this topic. SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
SS: What does Khoshbu Ahmed mean to you and what do you think she stands for? MZ: Art students, teachers, practitioners, galleries, and collectors often compare and point out similarities between art works. This is never taken as negative, rather, it is seen as constructive debate and discussion. Khoshbu Ahmed puts up similar works online and leaves it to the viewer to respond to them. Not knowing who she truly is makes it interesting. SS: Why did you initially advertise the performance at Sanat Gallery as ‘A Talk With Khoshbu Ahmed’, and subsequently act as if you were ‘Khoshbu’ in your performance? Do you think this approach was more effective as compared to simply inviting people to a discourse about her activity on social media? MZ: By acting the part of Khoshbu, I wanted to create a space/platform for discussion and debate. The irony and ambiguity of whether she’ll actually be there was the bigger question I wanted to arouse. People even bet on it! Interestingly, when talking about her, people had both
The irony and ambiguity of whether Khoshbu Ahmed would actually be there was the bigger question I wanted to arouse. People even bet on it! Artist Muhammad Zeeshan
positive and negative things to say. At one point, all of those in the audience became ‘Khoshbu Ahmed’. SS: Were the reactions you received expected? MZ: As an artist or human being, we anticipate reactions and think of possibilities beforehand. While we couldn’t possibly have known what questions people would ask, Muniza Agha-Fawad (the moderator), Abid Merchant (owner of Sanat Gallery) and I had planned, discussed and rehearsed this performance piece. However, absolutely no one expected me to be there as Khoshbu. When I took over the responsibility of Khoshbu’s actions (metaphorically) as part of this performance, an artist revealed his disappointment over how Khoshbu (I) had compared his work to a magazine cover, stating she (I) ‘poured water’ over 30 years of his hard work by that single comparison online. That’s when I felt the intensity of his sentiments, perhaps echoed by many others. I didn’t reveal to the audience till the end that this was a performance by me, and that I’m not actually Khoshbu. SS: What is your personal opinion on Khoshbu’s actions, and can you tell the readers your views about artistic appropriation and plagiarism? MZ: I feel if an artist’s work is called a copy by anyone, it depends on him how to respond to that and take what he wants from it. As stated before, my focus was on people speaking together about Khoshbu’s actions in a collective platform; I wanted people’s views. I didn’t, and don’t want to personally comment on what she’s doing. I got a myriad of views and reactions from people, which was the beauty of the performance. There was healthy
Khoshbu Ahmed shares images of the works of local & international artists on her Facebook page.
debate. Also, this was the first performance of many I am considering, based on those whose identities are deliberately kept hidden or anonymous. SS: Why did you want to bring this issue to this level of debate in the first place? MZ: I felt it lacked discussion on a mature level. Also, Khoshbu was only a point of discourse that branched out into so many important discussions: art-market-related, identity-related, appropriation-related and so on. SS: Do you think technology plays a big role in formulating people’s opinions? MZ: Yes, but I feel smart people will research further to dig up the truth and (in this case) research on artists rather than believing one person. SS: Thank you for your time, Zeeshan! Great talking to you. MZ: Thank you, likewise. Shanzay Subzwari is an artist and art writer based in Karachi. She tweets @ShanzaySubzwari
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Beyond just rock ‘n’ roll Meryl Streep rocks a mother-daughter drama with her outstanding performance BY SCHAYAN RIAZ
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Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and the Flash sounds like a superhero film, when in fact it only stars one. Meryl Streep, whose greatest superpower is perhaps being the only living Hollywood actress who can manage to save films by her mere presence, gives yet another compelling performance here as aging rock musician Ricki Rendazzo in a flawed, but very watchable film. The film is made special through the musical interludes of Rendazzo performing classic rock songs throughout the film. Demme has made sure to record all the songs live on set and therefore the film has a very interactive feel to it. The level of sound recording is exceptional and it actually feels like Rendazzo is giving live concerts, along with her band-mate and boyfriend, Greg (Rick Springfield). It’s noteworthy, because there are other films with live music where
dysfunctional family is perhaps not entirely accurate. It really isn’t about the family on the whole, but rather about the mother and daughter relationship. Rendazzo and Julie quickly bond, even though Rendazzo has been absent for such a long time. “Sometimes a girl just needs her mother,” she tells Pete and this dynamic becomes a bit complicated when Pete’s new wife, who has practically raised Rendazzo’s kids, returns from a trip. But in Diablo Cody’s world, there are no villains and the screenplay is conveniently resolved at each hint of a problem. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as evident in a charming scene early on where both Rendazzo and Pete confront Julie’s ex in a restaurant. And that’s that. Julie seems cured afterwards.
all the sounds are added afterwards. In fact, Ricki and the Flash starts with a performance in which one is instantly sucked into the world of bar bands. The film is scripted by Diablo Cody and is narratively linked to an earlier work of hers, Young Adult. There, too, a woman returned to her home town because of a traumatic experience. And Flash Rendazzo returns to her in Ricki and the Flash, estranged family, who she had left in order to realise her dream of becoming a rock star, because her daughter Julie is going through a hard time. She meets her ex-husband Pete (Kevin Kline in a fun supporting role) who has since re-married, and her three children, who aren’t particularly fond of the mother who gave them up. It’s a ripe set-up, made more interesting by great casting: Rendazzo’s daughter is played by Streep’s real-life daughter, Mamie Gummer. To say that Ricki and the Flash is about a
Even the ending is pure convenience and perhaps a bit predictable. But Demme does everything in such an honest way, he cares so genuinely for his characters that nothing ever comes across as phoney or pretentious. Picture this: Rendazzo is a die-hard patriot, who supports the troops and voted for George W Bush twice. She doesn’t care for Obama. One of her sons is gay and Pete’s new wife is African-American, both points hinting at some tension, but they are never fully explored. Taking all of this into account, another actress might have made Rendazzo into a caricature, but because it’s Meryl Streep, the character is layered, complicated and works well. And surprisingly, the film does too.
Rating: Schayan Riaz is a Germany-based writer who tweets @schayanriaz
From victim to vigilante A revenge thriller fails its all-star leads with an implausible plot BY SAMEEN AMER
A grief-stricken mother sets out to take revenge for the murder of her son in Lila & Eve, a vigilante drama that may be ridiculously implausible but still offers a few poignant moments thanks to a solid performance by its lead actress, Viola Davis. After her son Stephon (Aml Ameen) is gunned down in a drive-by shooting, his only fault just being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Lila (Davis) joins a support group for mothers who have lost a child. There, she meets fellow grieving mother Eve (Jennifer Lopez), who reluctantly agrees to become Lila’s sponsor. Frustrated by the inability of the police to find the culprit, Lila is urged by Eve to take matters into her own hands. “The grief of your loss can be so debilitating that it can cloud your judgment,” the leader of the support group says at one point, and this sentiment forms the basis of the film’s premise. With Eve hovering at her shoulder like a proverbial bad angel, Lila sets out to find the people responsible for Stephon’s murder and brings them to justice. But as the revenge plot unfolds, the movie becomes increasingly preposterous. A twist towards the end is so heavily foreshadowed in the second half of the film that it doesn’t comes as a surprise, 48 nor does it makes the developments SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015
seem any less ludicrous. The movie revolves around some interesting and difficult topics but doesn’t handle them with the grace they deserve. The vigilante idea at its core is overly familiar, and many elements therein feel clichéd; its moral complexity largely goes unexplored, and the proceedings often end up feeling awkward and uncomfortable. The film’s saving grace is the terrific Davis, who adds much needed nuance to her character and predicament. The actress is fiercely committed to the role, which is why the grief Lila feels is palpable. Lopez also gives a fairly decent performance and supports Davis competently as they Thelma and Louise their way through the film. On the whole, Lila & Eve is a predictable drama that isn’t nearly as refined as one would hope. Even an impressive performance by its leading lady can’t hide the many flaws that the movie falls victim to. The storyline and how the events unfold are far from realistic. The film doesn’t instil its revenge theme with enough depth and weight, and ultimately opts for a conclusion that is pandering, nonsensical, and far from satisfying. Rating: Sameen Amer is a Lahore-based freelance writer and critic. She tweets @Sameen
More performances by Viola Davis The Help (2011) In the 1960s, an aspiring author decides to write a book about the relationships between white families and their African-American help, based on the experience of maids like Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer), in this Academy Awardnominated film. Won't Back Down (2012) The big screen drama follows the story of two determined mothers (Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal) who try to transform their children’s failing school and improve their education and future. How to Get Away with Murder (2014 — present) In this television series, a law professor (Viola Davis) at a prestigious university and her ambitious students become entwined in a murder plot that could change the course of their lives.
HUMAN RESOURCES
BALANCING
ACT
How to boost your well-being while maintaining a successful career BY MOEZ ALLIDINA DESIGN BY HIRA FAREED
Technology is not the only medium that controls our lives as a significant number of people thrive on a robotic lifestyle where “more” has become the new trend at work — more time, more effort, more problems, and more layoffs or turnover. Ironically, when candidates are interviewed or hired, one of the many requirements of the job is for the person to be flexible, which in standard business context means ‘married to their work’.
It is considered normal for an employee to have a 6-day workweek in excess of 50 hours per week with no overtime pay. However, in any given instance, the question is not so much about the lack of time management but about getting ourselves accustomed to an unproductive workplace culture. Most organisations and bosses are oblivious to the practice of work-life balance.
Consequences of work-life imbalance
What is “Work-Life Balance?” It does not involve giving an employee more responsibility or a higher salary and benefits package. It is definitely not having a table-tennis room or an empty top floor for walking and relaxation. On the contrary, under the broad umbrella of human resources, work-life balance is a concept that allows an employee to maintain a balance between work and other aspects of life in general. This balance includes having time for family, friends, community service, personal fitness, and spirituality or religion as well.
Nutritional deficiency
Poor health
Low quality of life
Fatigue
Lack of motivation
Nutritionists say that a healthy person eats small meals after every 3 hours to remain energised. However, apart from a selected few who bring food from home, others rely on restaurants and dhabas for their lunches, where not only does hygiene suffer but so does the quality of food being consumed.
The saying ‘health is wealth’ is more relevant today than it was in the past. Most people have a desk job with very little physical activity. To make matters worse, many are ignorant about the importance of physical fitness. This leads to further mental exhaustion from work and household responsibilities adds on undue stress, which often leads to chronic problems and severe health concerns.
Keeping yourself too occupied at work can have a bad impact on your relationships as you will miss out all the fun and enjoyment with family and friends. This may lead to the person feeling isolated or negatively impact their family life.
When a person regularly works for long hours and does not get proper rest, it often takes a toll on the body, causing fatigue which can result in low productivity and lack of interest in the job.
This usually happens when a person has too much work and is underpaid or when the above problems have taken on the multiplier-effect, which can result in absenteeism, lack of interest at work, unprofessional workplace behaviour and further challenges.
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Striking a balance and reclaiming control Care for yourself Try to get six to eight hours of sleep and develop a healthy lifestyle. Follow a clean diet that emphasises fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein. Focus on your health and brisk walk for at least 30 minutes on weekdays and 45 minutes on weekends. This can help to recollect thoughts, relax and recharge for the next day.
Set limits Being a family-person has its merits but no one can guess what really matters to the employee unless it is communicated. Hence, if leaving work at 6pm for a family dinner or an evening out or simply to spend time with kids is important, be transparent about it. Have an open dialogue with managers who need to know that there is life beyond work as well.
Prioritise Learn to manage time by cutting or delegating activities. There will always be work emails but devote no more than 10 minutes for this task. Do not check emails first thing in the morning or just before leaving work as it will deter you from being proactive about your needs. Instead, check emails late in the morning, after lunch, and late in the day. Limit time-wasting activities and try to maximise time by working on tasks with full concentration.
Learn to say no Do not be a typical ‘yes man’. The challenge is to learn the art of saying ‘no’. Whether it is a co-worker chatting or asking for favours, or someone asking for support on an extra task/project, a respectful ‘no’ is far better than feeling a false sense of gratitude and ignoring personal commitments.
Be focused Personal problems should be left at home before arriving for work, likewise work-related issues should stay limited to your office. It is necessary to maintain this boundary to avoid conflict as it is your own personal decision to work and not an obligation.
Recharge Everyone needs a getaway and what better way than making time for family and friends? Plan an activity like going to a park, watching a movie, dining out, or simply strolling at the beach. Do not let the weekend end without spending quality time as it will help boost energy and give an incentive by looking forward to the next weekend and so on. The key here is to relax and enjoy without any distractions. Remember, a healthy work-life balance does not happen overnight since it is a gradual process. In order to be successful, it is important to periodically examine your progress and make the necessary changes to ensure a long, healthy, productive and happy life. However, no one can do it alone but if employers truly expect to retain top employees and tackle organisational challenges such as absenteeism and high turnover, they need to assist their employees by creating an organisational culture in which work-life balance is supported. According to Financial Review, Price Waterhouse Cooper
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recently decided to extend flexible working hours by developing a strategy that would attract highly-qualified staff by allowing them to set their own working hours. This proves that work-life balance is not a myth and that there are other ways of ensuring job satisfaction than an attractive salary and fringe benefits. Organisations and its leaders use strategies such as flexible work schedules, paid time off, health and wellness policies, personal and professional development opportunities, and companysponsored family events to promote this way of life, which can be a challenge, yet one that can be met.
Moez Allidina is an OD Trainer at Maktab Learning Solutions, and works as Lecturer in Management. SEPTEMBER 13-19 2015