The Kashmir Connect at Global Level

An innovative public art and storytelling initiative “Who Are Our Neighbors” was held in North Texas, organized by the Sharing Sacred Spaces Inc. in partnership with Thanks-Giving Foundation and its Dallas community consortium of partners. The project celebrates community exemplars and bridge builders who have worked to stitch North Texas together across lines of division and differences going beyond their ideologies and identities to build peace and harmony in the community. The art exhibit was launched on June 22nd at the famous Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas – a unique architectural setting for events in the heart of downtown Dallas.

The project, funded by the National Endowment for Arts and supported by the Dallas Housing Authority, the Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, and the Thanks-Giving Foundation, was designed to inspire dialogue, inclusivity, and healing through artistic expression. The event featured eight local artists of North Texas, which included US based linguist, academic and multidisciplinary artist of Kashmiri origin, Dr. Sadaf Munshi. A self-taught visual artist, Munshi experiments with various mediums, including oil, watercolor, and multimedia.

“In my artistic practice, I strive to delve into the transformative power of both verbal and visual arts. I am particularly drawn to the challenge of pushing my creative boundaries, often venturing into new dimensions such as traditional arts and calligraphy,” Munshi says. The artwork created by her for the said exhibit was inspired by the story of the Dallas-based Turkish origin community exemplar and bridge builder Beril Berk. Munshi’s work will be among the featured art pieces and stories which will soon grace the South Dallas area as a permanent art installation.

Munshi describes her art piece for this project as “a coming together of people from various cultures and their struggles – a collective narrative of their journey as immigrants in the new country that they call home. The art piece is titled “Cōnfluentia” – a Latin noun meaning a place where two or more things flow together, converge, or come together. The collage of texts in different languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Burushaski, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Kashmiri, Persian, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu – represents various ethnolinguistic communities in the Greater Dallas neighborhood. A discernible human component is depicted in the painting by an interplay of cultural motifs crossing boundaries and employing calligraphy art on unified themes. Shades of colors signify the traditional arts of the various communities represented by the piece and highlight the values shared by these communities.”

Among the attendees and supporters honoring the public launch event at the culmination of an art initiative extending a year and a half in preparation, were Rhetta Bowers -- an American politician and educator and member of the Texas House of Representatives, Troy Broussard of the Dallas Housing Authority, Vanessa Avery – Executive Director of the Sharing Sacred Spaces Inc., and Almas Muscatwalla – Curator and Project Lead.

“Art has an incredible power to transcend barriers, spark meaningful dialogue, nurture understanding among individuals of varying backgrounds, and foster community connections. My inspiration to participate in Who Are Our Neighbors? art project stems from the opportunity to highlight the stories of people who bring our communities together through empathy and understanding. The opportunity to create artwork which reflects the contributions of the bridge builders in our community, such as Beril, aligns with my artistic vision of creating spaces where diverse voices can be heard, understood, and appreciated. I was particularly drawn to the Project’s emphasis on inclusivity and healing through artistic expression. Healing, that we need so badly today in this every-changing, unpredictable world. My artwork is an attempt to contribute to a collective narrative, a meaningful endeavor, which celebrates our diversity and our shared humanity, encouraging unity and facilitating peace,” Munshi said during the launch ceremony.