Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement, on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, elicited a wide spectrum of responses from the audience during its unveiling. While many praised the artwork for its grandeur, emotional depth, and masterful technique, it also sparked…
The South Asian perspective of womanhood is an almost clandestine lived experience that is challenging to narrate to those who have not witnessed it first-hand. Although unity can be found in the universal female struggle of women worldwide, the nuances…
People, cultures and ideas have constantly reshaped our understanding of the world. Their creative impulse, cultural and intellectual legacy remains inextricably tied to, and visible in our lived experiences, environments and even urban spaces. Cities may be seen as artificial…
Faceless, the mid-career retrospective of Khadim Ali’s work at the COMO Museum of Art feels like a much-awaited homecoming. Living and working between Sydney, Kabul and Quetta, Ali studied at the National College of Arts (NCA), graduating from the esteemed…
Emerging from the fertile Ganges plains, where the river Megna22 flowed, was a textile celebrated for its ethereal qualities. As light as the wind, and clear as the dew, the Indian Muslins, or ‘malmal’, were a delicate, sheer handwoven cotton…
As the garden’s gate opened, an enchanting floral aroma fused with the essence of humanity, soaked profoundly into the soul--- awakening forgotten memories of joyfulness and serenity. The whiff was rich with the fragrance of passion, commitment, quest, and vitality.…
Every time I entered the Indus Gallery in Bath Island, I was struck by the strong presence of Imam Sahib, as Ali Imam was popularly known. He sat in the small room at the entrance, watching over all who visited,…
The works of Sumaira Tazeen are a visual soliloquy of her life, lived experiences and observations of the society she lives in, delivered in a garb of symbols and metaphors. Trained in the traditional South Asian art form of miniature,…
Being an artist is difficult. In South Asia, it can be discouraging due to poor state funding, perplexed parents, and opaque market prospects. Talented, committed artists have set examples in the past--- but women, especially from marginalized ethnic backgrounds, face…
Karachi’s Architectural Heritage is slowly disappearing. This includes many reasons, ranging from a lack of initiatives by the Sindh Government, a lack of knowledge or desire to conserve what remains, and collective amnesia. The response to buildings of historic character…