The Trojan Donkey

25 April, 2020

Karachi, Pakistan

The concept of the Trojan Horse was popularized not by Homer but by Virgil in Book 2 of his epic poem Aeneid. The horse was replaced by a donkey for the title of the exhibition because donkeys are a symbol of Karachi. It is an animal that not only carries an unforgiving burden but is also used for chariot races flying across the city. In Pakistan, to call someone a donkey means that they are stubborn; this characteristic defines the city. This is a place which, despite its lack of infrastructure and history of violence, resiliently carries on.

For The Trojan Donkey, Pakistani and international artists were requested to produce performance works either prerecorded or live for the virtual happening. Pre-existing videos that were relevant to the concept were also included. “The Trojan Donkey” unites these disparate artists to enter the proverbial walls of Troy.

Artists include: Shehzar Abro, Broersen & Lukács, Heide Hatry, Richard Humann, Zayed Malik, Qinza Najm, ORLAN, Li Wei, and more.

Curated by: Amin Gulgee, Sara Vaqar Pagganwala, and Adam Fahy-Majeed