Rich array of talent showcased at nine venues of KB22.

KARACHI -- The Karachi BiennAAale-22, which formally began on Oct 31 at NJV School (preceded by a preview for the media) and will conclude on Sunday (tomorrow), is the first post-Covid cultural happening in the metropolis with a big number of international participants. But the biannual programme's real significance lies in the fact that it is a public art event.

Art galleries which hold solo or group shows, even involving artists belonging to countries other than Pakistan, usually do that in a contained environment. But the biennale has a reach that stretches from designated spots to open-for-all spaces. This means anyone from any part of Karachi, or the world for that matter, has access to exhibits mostly done in the form of installations.

In the ongoing edition of the biennale aka KB22, the organisers have chosen nine venues in the city showcasing works of more than three-dozen artists representing 13 countries.

The public art event will conclude tomorrow

Curated by Faisal Anwar, the exhibitions have been largely arranged in heritage sites in order to reach out to a wider audience because in the words of the curator, 'Karachi has many cities within one city'. It's hard to dispute that - it is truly a cosmopolitan town and demographically largest of the country.

The thoughtfully chosen nine venues where exhibitions can be seen are NJV School, Jamshed Memorial Hall...