Apnaiyat, Pakistan Collective, GFA 24

Global Fashioning Assembly

Join us, online or in person, for a series of conversations on the concept of Apnaiyat, at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture.

Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture۔ انڈس ویلی اسکول آف آرٹس اینڈ آرکیٹیکچر

GFA24 Global Fashioning Assembly 2024

A GLOBAL NETWORK OF LOCAL FASHIONING COALITIONS TO DECENTRALISE & DECOLONISE FASHION KNOWLEDGE, CREATION AND SHARING

The Pakistan Collective of Decolonial Practice is organized around transdisciplinary approaches to undoing the deep epistemic violence of our colonial history, convene to discuss, to write, to produce exhibitions and publications that center the work of Pakistani designers, artists, architects, scholars, researchers, and poets. For the GFA24, we have two panels organized around the theme of Apnaiyat – which most closely translates to belonging, being of, feeling close, feeling kin; it is a word that makes relation. This word is our starting point for the development of a glossary of terms in all the languages of Pakistan (Urdu, Sindhi, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Siraki, etc). These conversations around the theme of apnaiyat allow us to develop a shared glossary that brings together our histories of colonialism and how re-membering words that bring us together will help us forge a future that is more authentically ours. Questions we will address will include: How can we reclaim our words, and the oceans of meaning that they contain, to begin to help us bring together who we are as a collective of peoples, histories, languages? This concept most closely translates to belonging, being of, feeling close, feeling kin; it is a word that makes relation. We recognize something inherently visceral about apnaiyaat, something that allows us to belong in body, to community, to ourselves. This concept expands over diasporas, acknowledging the many ways we are all othered from each other (race, class, gender, caste, education, etc), apnaiyaat gives us an opportunity to create a sense of solidarity across differences, without erasing them. For these sessions, we have invited participants to develop a shared glossary that brings together our histories of colonialism and how re-membering words that bring us together will help us forge a future that is more authentically ours. How can we reclaim our words, and the oceans of meaning that they contain, to begin to help us bring together who we are as a collective of peoples, histories, languages?  We welcome you to join us in these conversations online or in person.These are hybrid events. The assembly will be held at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and online (via Zoom). Registration is required for information regarding location and the zoom link. This event is part of the Global Fashion Assembly 2024. The talk will be moderated by Asiah Seemab (in-person) and Mahnoor Fatima (Zoom). For these sessions, we have invited participants to develop a shared glossary that brings together our histories of colonialism and how re-membering words that bring us together will help us forge a future that is more authentically ours. How can we reclaim our words, and the oceans of meaning that they contain, to begin to help us bring together who we are as a collective of peoples, histories, languages?These are hybrid events. The assembly will be held at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and online (via Zoom). Registration is required for information regarding location and the zoom link. This event is part of the Global Fashion Assembly 2024.

The Global Fashioning Assemby (GFA) is a biennial online gathering of local fashion coalitions from around the world to decenter and decolonise knowledge creation and sharing on body fashioningpractices and heritages.GFA was initiated in 2021 by the <a href="https://rcdfashion.wordpress.com/" title="https://rcdfashion.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Research Collective on Decoloniality &amp; Fashion</a> (RCDF), a not-for-profit organisation registered in the Netherlands.Support GFA with donations by using QR-code above, <a href="https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=K3X9W7PJJXFF8" title="https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=K3X9W7PJJXFF8" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Paypal</a> or bank transfer (IBAN: NL39INGB0674877012/ BIC: INGBNL2A)

Agenda

Join Mrs. Shenaz Ismail and Mr. Abdul Rehman as they discuss the many ways a decolonial praxis of fashion may be realized. How do we belong through what we wear, and what does it mean to recognize selves and histories within the histories of textiles and silhouettes. 


A conversation on Apnaiyaat and Fashion 

Tea and Conversation Break

Three unique perspectives on heritage and its relationship to apnaiyaat – from conservation, to textile traditions, to evacuee properties; how do we belong to this landscape and history? How can decolonial praxis emerge from these disparate and yet connected approaches to history and heritage? 

A panel on Apnaiyaat and Heritage

 Dr. Uzma Z. Rizvi will comment on the presentations and facilitate a discussion regarding the themes that emerged throughout the afternoon. In addition to gathering from the various conversations and talks, this is where we hope the participants will engage with the themes and add to the ways we might understand decolonial practice in Pakistan.
