Thank you for coming

Basir is from Pakistan, but he has travelled all over the world for his art. He has been everywhere. In the United States, Brasil, Germany and the Netherlands. But you don’t really see this in his work. Almost all of it is made in Pakistan. By Basir himself or by others.

Yes, Basir rarely makes his videos alone. He thinks it is interesting to give up some control. Someone else gets short instructions from Basir and gives them the lead. This person becomes the director. Sometimes Basir works with production companies that he hires for certain projects. Basir only sends them some sketches and short instructions for the directors. Would you be brave enough to do this if Basir asked you?

To Basir the idea is the most important thing about the artwork. That’s why it is not that important to him who makes it. It could be him but it might as well be someone else. As long as the idea behind the work is there and visible. And even if that is not the case and you don’t understand the work, Basir is fine with it. He wants people to look at his works and think about them. Maybe come to a new realization.

The idea behind this works was to film people as they interacted with one another. Basir asked an acquaintance of his to gather his friends and family for a celebration. He did not tell the acquaintance what they were celebrating. The people you see in this video don’t know what they are there to celebrate. Basir’s acquaintance directed this video and he is the one behind the camera giving the participants instructions.

When looking at this video you were meant to be a witness to a gathering. A gathering that you can think about. What are these people doing here? Are they celebrating? If so, what are they celebrating? How do they know each other?

Actually this project was kind of a failure. Basir wanted the people you see here to interact with each other naturally. He got very stiff and choreographed interactions instead. Basir thinks this happened because he was filming. The camera made these people uncomfortable. This makes it seem like these people don’t even know each other. Even though they are each other’s friends and family.