Information:
On January 15th, 2014, I was invited by T2F gallery in Karachi, Pakistan to give a lecture about my work and do a project with the local community. I did a time specific participatory project called “Packing Pakistan.” Anyone who attended the lecture was invited to participate. As a New Yorker and citizen of the United States of America, it is not often that I got to experience such places as Karachi. My perception may have been skewed by the Western media. I sought to create a dialogue with the people I met. I had an empty box with me. I invited any attendee to contribute something to this box. Object just had to fit in the box. Something small but something very meaningful and personal to the community member. Something that was significant to them and something they wish for me to remember them by and remember my experience in Karachi. These contributions were taken back to New York City and the project is documented here on the website. A small book was published; composed of photographs of these objects and stories about the people I met. Every participant was entitled to receive a copy of the book, signed and dated by the artist. The first edition of the books were sadly destroyed due to circumstances beyond the artist’s control before they could be distributed. The second edition of books is in the queue to be created shortly. Harth offers his sincere apology to all participants of the project with warmth and gratitude.
Below are some of the objects that participants gave to be part of this project and are now in the box.