Textiles are one of humanity’s oldest inventions, yet they renew endlessly. From the earliest woven fragments of the Indus Valley to the intricate embroideries of modern-day Pakistan, dyed, embroidered, and stitched cloth has carried memory, identity, and the accumulated knowledge…
When Salt Becomes Sanctuary The Pakistan Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan At the core of Expo 2025 Osaka --- whose theme, Designing Future Societies for Our Lives, imagines tomorrow’s world through today’s choices --- the Pakistan Pavilion emerges not…
About two decades ago, during a visit to India, I found myself at an emporium in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The space was alive with colour and devotion—walls adorned with Pichwais and other forms of Krishna-inspired devotional art, while artisans worked in…
It’s a curious twist of fate when you discover that not only do you share a name --- with just a slight variation in spelling --- with a renowned artist across the border, but you also share the same birth…
Sughra Rababi entered the world in 1922 as the eldest daughter of Asma Lotia, a Rawalpindi-based mother, and Ghulam Ali Mandviwalla, a prosperous Karachi-based businessman. With five siblings in tow, she led the pack, living with her parents, three sisters…
We have a unique vernacular urban heritage, and in this context, Karachi’s multi-ethnic, multi-cultural identity needs to be understood and appreciated for its diversity, richness, and pride in their living environment. Aesthetics is a universal trait of human culture that appears…
The Indian subcontinent in 1947 was divided into two countries and three parts: India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan. My essay aims to look into the development of the film industries of the subcontinent, with a focus on Pakistan. Moreover,…
Language and its usage in Pakistan is a contentious issue; while Urdu is recognized as the national language
Over a decade ago, in the summer of 2010, Aicon Gallery, London opened ‘A Missing History: ‘The Other Story’