Bleeding Borders

Amin Rehman

November 25, 2021 - March 20, 2022.

Bleeding Borders looks at communities living along Pakistan’s borderlands, which includes India, Iran, and Afghanistan. Living in constant political turmoil, experiencing extremism, ethnic violence, poverty, and mixed cultures, these communities cross between borders for survival. This exhibition examines the historical routes and political interests in the region, and  the living situations created from the formation of these borders. Through a series of vinyl, neon, video and acrylic mixed media installations, the exhibition tells the stories of real  lived experiences, investigates the complexities of cultural globalization, and highlights issues of  post-colonial ideologies and capitalism. 

Many rulers have attempted to conquer the region throughout history. In 1858, the British Empire ruled for 90 years until the partition which divided the borders between Pakistan and India. Amin Rehman’s deep knowledge of this history inspired him to travel ancient trading routes through the region’s contemporary borderlands. Rehman investigated the migration of people through these routes and traced metaphorical steps that Central Asian invaders took to reach India. The resulting artworks guide us through untold and hidden stories, shedding light on an assortment of poor living conditions and repercussions of colonial rulership.

The usage of multiple languages from the region and the manipulation of English text in the artwork encourages us to reflect on the complexities of the shifting regional and cultural identities, along with challenging colonial thought biases and stereotypes against South Asian cultures. Through a series of mixed media, video, and neon installations, Bleeding Borders shares the stories of real lived experiences from these borderlands, investigates the complexities of cultural globalization, and highlights issues of post-colonial ideologies and capitalism.