Modernism, Decolonization and Reinvention in Ceylon. The Life and Work of George Keyt (1901 – 1993)

Born a year after the turn of the 20th century, George Keyt was one of the leading figures of European modernism in Asia. Fusing the influences of Modernism and Cubism with his own unique idiom, Keyt became one of the…

Rights of Karachi: How can a vision of Karachi’s Master Plan learn from peer cities?

This study looks at the development of Karachi’s master plan through a comparative lens with the intention of establishing a precedent for developing a city by examining how Karachi’s peer cities have evolved. It has been done by curating a…

A Brief History of South Asian Book Traditions

“My grandfather says that’s what books are for,” Ashoke said, using the opportunity to open the volume in his hand. “To travel without moving an inch.” Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake10   The two-thousand-year-old remarkable tradition of books in South Asia…

Culinary Belongings – Finding Home in Food

The smell of freshly fried pooris wafting through the house often welcomed me to the breakfast table on Saturday mornings at my childhood home in Karachi. At other times, it would be homemade paratha with a simple omelet of eggs…

Political Influences on Sartorial Trends in Pakistani Television Drama

Disclaimer: All photos attached in the article are screenshots taken from drama videos available on YouTube until 2023. The screen grabs specific to the article’s theme result from a personal watch of important Pakistani dramatic works based on extensive research.…

Femininity and Nationhood: Female Representation and participation in 20th Century Nationalist Art of South Asia

The art of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is deeply intertwined with the hybridity of historical nostalgia and modernist intervention. In the early 20th century, the Indian subcontinent – a region that once shared all its collective history and heritage –…

All that, which remains: Part II- Holding on

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour49 In my previously published photo essay ‘All that, which remains’61 I…

Looking at Ourselves – Discourses on Rupture

The Karachi Biennale Trust held a two-day hybrid seminar on November 5t – 6th 2022. The theme for the seminar was ‘Ruptured Histories: Critical Exchanges on Issues of Decolonisation’. Scholars and artists were invited to share their insights on the…

The Works of Ustad Bashiruddin: A Restrained Grace

While researching and investigating art historical discourse pertaining to South Asia, one comes across the names of many painters, some whose names sound more familiar than others. Essays, paintings, reviews, oral testimonies of students, friends and colleagues, archival evidence has…

All That, Which Remains: Part 1- Memories

The recent death of my father (January, 2021) brought many changes in my life. He may no longer be with us but his belongings remind me of his everyday life. The objects used in my work are both a depiction…

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