Two migrant artists, one each from Pakistan and India, met for the first time in RMIT University Melbourne and decided to join hands to create a unique ‘Borderless’ digital exhibition, conveying a message of love and peace.
Pakistan-born Wardha Alam told SBS Punjabi: "I and my co-artist from Kolkata, Anindita Banerjee, don’t see any difference in what we wear, how we live our daily lives. We don’t see any borders existing here in Australia."
Both Wardha and Anindita who are highly qualified in the field of arts, decided to convey a message of love and peace by organising a digital exhibition in Melbourne.
"In this exhibition, we are showing three videos and one installation. The ‘installation’ concept is fairly new and quite appealing. We are using a Jalebi signifying sweetness and complicating relations between two nations, the ice and coloured papers as fire and had put motives of both nations on each side," explains Wardha.
When the ice melts, the borders disappear and the green colour appears on one side and orange on the other side-exhibiting motives of both nations with just a final brown colour depicting common land."
"And one of the videos is showing both of us as two identities from neighbouring countries having borders and trying to be serious. But eventually, we start laughing and enjoying the company of each other in this new country where we see no signs of that border which exists between our countries," Wardha added.
"When we move into a new country and meet people from all over the globe, especially from our neighbouring countries and share our common thoughts, we find how similar we are. In fact, the borders that our native countries shared over there have no relevance here."
The Digital exhibition Sarhad is on display in Melbourne’s Kings Artist-Run, 171 King Street, Level 1, Melbourne from 4th to 25th August.
