http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-jameel-prize/jameel-prize-4/#David%20Alesworth
“The Age of Wonder” Lahore Literature Festival, February 2015
David Alesworth has a long history of working in public spaces and collaborative practices. These began in the late 1980’s and throughout the 1990’s. Resulting in works such as “The Promised Lands” Frere Hall 1997, “Heart Mahal” 1996 and “Very Very Sweeet Madina” in 2000. For the Lahore Literature festival-2015 Alesworth will be facilitating a project based around the microscopic, inviting members of the public to view aspects of the everyday environment that are normally invisible to the unaided eye. These will be viewed and shared through both the optical microscope and video projections, moving from the infinitesimally small to the large format of the public display. Here musing upon the relationship between the individual and society and reflecting upon the Age of Wonder that has been a long standing feature of the artist’s research interests.
(text from LLF catalogue)
Febuary-March, Cantt. Lahore, Ganche, Baltistan
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| Carrots in the washing basket, 13 March 2010
I’ve been thinking about inserting carrots into this plastic washing basket since i got it about two years ago.It seems made for them. Though I hadn’t counted on its flexibility nor their weight. Then there’s the lack of symmetry in an average Pakistani carrot. These black carrots are amazing, they seem another whole species from their bland orange cousins. The bigger picture is a putting together of the product of industry and the produce of nature. Both are interventions of a sort, neither are “natural”. This goes beyond my anthology of plastics.
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| Black and red carrots, 13 March 2010 |
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Black Carrot juice, 26th March 2010, Lahore
 Carrots in the clothes basket, 13th March 2010  Mixed carrots and plastic  Black carrots and orange plastic, 13th March 2010  The shoot  set-up with Nikon D3  Dyed eggs for Naurose,
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| Khaplu village from above, 23rd March 2010 |
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| Khaplu high plateau in search of lawn-grass, 23rd March 2010 |
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| Panorama with Huna, Khaplu 23rd March 2010 |
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| Black Peppercorn Haier top-loader, detergent free twin tub, 14th March 2010 |
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| Body parts, mobile phone advert, R.A. bazaar Bombings, Friday 12th March 2010 |
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| Washing down R.A. Bazaar, bombings, 12th March 2010 |
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| R.A. Bazaar bombings, 12th March 2010 |
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| Just outside Skardu by road, 23rd March 2010 |
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| Cabbage White’s eating all my Ruccola, 26th March 2010 |
“Desi Unday” Bilal Gunj
I went back to “Bilal Gunj” Lahore’s massive used car part market for a second sound sampling, a few days ago. This time with Huma’s 4 channel Zoom recorder.
In over an hour of walking the lanes I got reasonably varied ambient sound from the breakers, welders, paint-sprayers and a great many gas and kerosene burners heating food and tea. On this trip I realized there was a tremendous culture of food going on here.
Fish, tea, sweet-potatoes, chena, monpelli, carrot juice, egg-fried rice, subzi and dal, roti’s of every description and finally hot, boiled desi-unday. I’d almost given up on the eggs. I kept asking where the sellers were, because it was their presence selling these beautiful subtle-hued, small precious des-unday (local-eggs/free-range eggs) in the context of these ancient and smashed oily wrecks of cars and trucks that had given rise to the egg and engine photographs.
Suddenly they were there running through the lanes, two sellers I’d never seen before. They both carried padded bags to keep the boiled eggs warm, their cry was garam-desi-unday and I realized this would give a somewhat different spin on the photographs. They’d be read as engine heated eggs, not what I’d intended.
I’d intended the teeming living eggs as nature amongst the toxic waste of the man-made, the guts of the engines.
I produced a 12 minute mixed edit of the garam-unday criers and the ambient sounds on my stroll through the richly varied soundscape in the lanes of this market. Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh‘s shrine minarets can be heard throughout the work, a constant accompaniment at Bilal Gunj. This shrine to the patron saint of Lahore, lies right in front of the car market.
“966th URS Shareef is on 3 Feb 2010 Inshallah”
966 Urs Mubarak Of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri Will Held On 19 Safar al Muzaffar And 4 February 2010 (Approx) At Data Darbar , Near Bhatti Gate, Lahore. Pakistan
Days Remaining In URS Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh His birthday is being celebrated today which a holiday in most of Punjab.
Days Remaining In URS Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh His birthday is being celebrated today which a holiday in most of Punjab.
(….haven’t been able to upload this clip as yet)
Art for “The Post-Colonial Garden as a Palimpsest”
Let me begin by saying that I love hand-knotted rugs, of all sorts and I do own a few.
These are not mine, well maybe a few are by now and some are with my friends. It was a day of viewing rugs, mostly Chobi’s (Zeigglers) here.
These are not mine, well maybe a few are by now and some are with my friends. It was a day of viewing rugs, mostly Chobi’s (Zeigglers) here.
We’re moving house much is being discarded, here’s an old rug I almost threw away today.
…and part of another
Some details of the finer piece.
These are around 10 x 12 ft, very old, badly damaged hand-knotted rugs that I acquired in Karachi almost ten years ago. I had intended them to be used in work for many years after I gave up on them, as floor coverings.
The blue Persian is a much finer piece but totally threadbare, worn right down to the structural weft and weave of its base, from a distance it’s almost monochrome. They are both also full of dust despite several previous washings. The motifs are of course all plant and garden based. These rugs would seem a viable visual metaphor a cultural reading of “the garden”. Here it is played out as as paradise itself. A contained garden of fountains, bird song, fruit bearing trees within in an ordered orchard. An oasis of sorts.
I decided to cut out the still intact central portion today, and have kept the borders to experiment on as well. I’m intending to somehow work into and onto these rugs. At present it seems to me that the only authentic way to do that is to actually stitch another layer right into their very fabric, perhaps this should read from both sides as in fact this threadbare one does. Now there is no hierarchy of front or back, its much the same.
I will have to have to stitch the edges to prevent this one disintegrating. It felt sacrilegious to be cutting into this once magnificent rug but if I can use it in my work it will have another lease of life.
I’m thinking of stitching the ground plan for “Lawrence Gardens” a Lahori British Raj park, now Bagh-e-Jinnah or perhaps even the plan of parts of the “Palace of Versailles”, gardens, the parterre’s in particular. Right now I’m thinking of a gold thread for visibility but I’ll have to try things out.
They’ll need to be stabilized, stretched on frames, washed and dried, none as simple as it sounds.. Then I’ll have to find out what the issues of working in to the surface of these rugs is.
I think I’ll begin with some photoshoped treatments as mock-ups. The rug represents a pre-colonized traditional cultural thread (forgive the pun) or does it? Their history in this region is not so pure or simple.
I think I’ll begin with some photoshoped treatments as mock-ups. The rug represents a pre-colonized traditional cultural thread (forgive the pun) or does it? Their history in this region is not so pure or simple.
William Glover’s new book “Making Lahore Modern” Constructing and imagining a colonial City, just arrived. Its only been a week or so since I ordered though Amazon’s express delivery cost me as much as the book itself!
“Flying Carpet”
A work by Berlin based Alex Fleming shown at Art Dubai a few years ago. I instantly recognized it as a work I should have, could have made! (don’t you hate it when that happens?) We became friends and I sent him an Afghani War rug subsequently.
Mochi Gate, Old City, Lahore 29th November 2009
Over Bakra Eid in Lahore, November 2009, near Mochi Gate, Walled City.
Skinning a sheep, near Mochi Gate
(also see movie clip)
Sheep
Wiring and speakers
BA English
Nan Katai shop
Nan Katai’s
Carolyn Guertin
Bazaar life
Bazaar
Cleaning Goats Heads
Goats Heads
Processing goat parts
also see the movie clip
Dry Fruit Stall
Carolyn Guertin
Brain Computers
Brain Computers
Beautiful animals for Eid
Remains
Skins on a bike
Skins at the roadside
Modes of Enquiry
Currently I am involved with:
Walking Lahore as psychogeographical derivé. Starting at the Ganda Nala on Zafar Ali Road, Gulberg. Working with Lawrence Gardens, Bagh-e-Jinnah.Had an initial walk through the park on an exceptionally drab smoggy day. Met with head mali Alam and his staff and borrowed plans of the park and other parks of Lahore. The People’s Art and Historical Project.
A collaboration with Adnan Madani, Karachi/London.
We are working on several new versions of the People’s Art Historical Garden Centre Project, that was performed to good effect at the opening of Greynoise’s recent showing on 25th October 2009, entitled “Patrons of Oh My God, I can afford Art”. Beginning work on my dissertation “The Post-Colonial Garden as a Palimpsest”.
Busy reading. Recently finished K. Helphand’s “Defiant Gardens”, much else to write up here. <meta name=”Title” content=””> <meta name=”Keywords” content=””> <meta equiv=”Content-Type” content=”text/html; charset=utf-8″> <meta name=”ProgId” content=”Word.Document”> <meta name=”Generator” content=”Microsoft Word 2008″> <meta name=”Originator” content=”Microsoft Word 2008″> <link rel=”File-List” href=”file://localhost/Users/davidalesworth/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml”> <link rel=”Edit-Time-Data” href=”file://localhost/Users/davidalesworth/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_editdata.mso”> <style> </style>
MANUFACTURER OF ” ” ROAD BLOCKER ” ” in KARACHI LAHORE ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN , WE ALSO MADE TURNSTILE GATES & REMOTE CONTROLL GATES IN PAKISTAN -NOW WE CAN STOP A BOMBER TRUCK WHO IS TRYING ENTERING & BLOW THE WHOLE BUILDING FROM HIS TRUCK .
100 % MADE IN PAKISTAN , IMPORTED SYSTEMS ARE EXPENSIVE WE ARE DIRECT MANUFACTURER IN PAKISTAN , INSTALLATION , AFTER SALES & SERVICES IS EASY FOR ALL OVER PAKISTAN CUSTOMERS -EASY SMOOTH OPERATION OF OUR OWN MADE SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE AT HALF PRICE THEN IMPORTED SYSTEMS -WE ARE DIRECT MANUFACTURER OF FORCED FULLY HARD STOP” ” ROAD BLOCKER ” “WE ALSO MADE – TURNSTILE GATES & REMOTE CONTROLL GATES , IN PAKISTAN – SEE OUR OTHER ADDS HERE –
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NOW WE CAN STOP A BOMBER TRUCK WHO IS TRYING TO ENTERING & BLOW THE WHOLE BUILDING – WE CAN STOP THAT BASTARD –
OUR EQUIPMENT IS REALLY A LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT -SAVE ASSETTS =SAVE PEOPLES LIVES -SAVE EGO -2 TYPES WE MANUFACTURED -A) MANUAL CONTROLLED -B) HYDRAULIC CONTROLLED -JUST 1 SECURITY GUARD IS ENOUGH TO CONTROLL THIS GATE -ONLY IMPORTANT BUILDING CHIEF SECURITY OFFICERS LETTER HEAD ENQUIRIES WILL BE ENTERTAINED -WE ARE THE ONLY 1 MANUFACTURER IN PAKISTAN & WE USE BEST SYSTEM TO EJECT & RELEASE THE SYSTEM –
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Studio check-in 1st Nov. 2009.
<meta name=”Title” content=””> <meta name=”Keywords” content=””> <meta equiv=”Content-Type” content=”text/html; charset=utf-8″> <meta name=”ProgId” content=”Word.Document”> <meta name=”Generator” content=”Microsoft Word 2008″> <meta name=”Originator” content=”Microsoft Word 2008″> <link rel=”File-List” href=”file://localhost/Users/davidalesworth/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml”> <style> </style>
Some current thoughts and initiatives.<o:p></o:p>
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Walking the ganda-nala’s of Lahore<o:p></o:p>
I have approached a potential collaborator for this venture and we are in the process of discussing it. The open storm drains in this massive city of 7+ million (1998 census figures) provide the only channeling of sewage from homes to its ultimate discharge in the now dead river Ravi. There are no treatments plants. However the ganda-nala’s also create ecological corridors through the city where plant and animal life is left fairly undisturbed. The current heightened tension in the city is making any walking venture deeply problematic, let alone undertaking a walk through a highly suspicious no-mans land. I hope to undertake an initial walk (and documentation) within a few weeks. <o:p></o:p>
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The People’s Art Historical Garden Centre Project<o:p></o:p>
Completed 25th October 2009 in collaboration with Adnan Madani. We have collaborated on several projects previously, notably “The Frankfurt School” video which is also covered in previous blog entries. See the newly added page of documentation and narrated video. Akbar Naqvi’s book “Image and Identity” (Oxford, 1997) is systematically dismantled and converted into useful paper bags. It is unbound and liberated from it’s burden of assumed authority. A reclamation, a reinterpretation and dissemination. Even an insemination (seeds are added to each art-historical bag). Like seeds themselves it is finally disseminated to the public of Lahore. <o:p></o:p>
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Eden project<o:p></o:p>
I have yet to locate specialist input for this project and I now see it as being a much longer term initiative. I hope at least part of it may be realized by next summer’s residency.<o:p></o:p>
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Berlin Collaboration 2009-2010<o:p></o:p>
I have sent out initial emails towards this collaboration. It is intended that a dual project be negotiated that comes to fusion and fruition in Berlin next summer. Something that involves horticultural practices in the cities of Lahore and Berlin.<o:p></o:p>
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Readings, recent and in progress, 1st Nov. 2009<o:p></o:p>
Tim Richardson. Vista, The Culture and Politics of Gardens.<o:p></o:p>
K. Helphand. Defiant Gardens.<o:p></o:p>
Khan. The Gardener.<o:p></o:p>
Ian Sinclair. Hackney that Rose-Red Empire.<o:p></o:p>
Reza Aslan. How to Win a Cosmic War.<o:p></o:p>
Charles Darwin. The Formation of Vegetable Mould.<o:p></o:p>
Foucault. Several Readers and The Order of Things.<o:p></o:p>
Isenberg. The Nature of Cities.<o:p></o:p>
Belting. Garden of Earthly Delights.<o:p></o:p>
Jellicoe. The Landscape of Man.<o:p></o:p>
Coverley. Psychogeography.<o:p></o:p>
Reynolds. On Guerrilla Gardening.<o:p></o:p>
Allen. Kipling Sahib.<o:p></o:p>
Solnit. As Eve Said to the Serpent.<o:p></o:p>
Driver. Nash. Landing.<o:p></o:p>
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Research<o:p></o:p>
I will be contacting Kenneth Helphand for my research on the ”Post-Colonial Garden”. This is currently under negotiation with my mentor concerning it’s whole approach to the subject.<o:p></o:p>
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