1x1-
A traveling show in Islamabad (Aqs Gallery) and Karachi (Full Circle Gallery) curated by Scheherezade Junejo and Zara Sajid. 53 artists participated from all over Pakistan and contributed two 1x1 ft. pieces each.
Hum Dekhein Gey, gouache and pen on printed note, 1x1 ft, 2018
In this piece I have written Urdu text, borrowed from famed Pakistani leftist poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s legendary verses, to comment on the human condition, life’s ephemeral quality, the rise and fall of civilisations and how the past, present and future are linked in a strangely complex but fascinating way.
These verses translate to:
We shall Witness
It is certain that we too, shall witness
the day that has been promised
of which has been written on the slate of eternity
We shall Witness
It is certain that we too, shall witness
the day that has been promised
of which has been written on the slate of eternity
When the enormous mountains of tyranny
blow away like cotton.
Under our feet- the feet of the oppressed-
when the earth will pulsate deafeningly
and on the heads of our rulers
when lightning will strike.
blow away like cotton.
Under our feet- the feet of the oppressed-
when the earth will pulsate deafeningly
and on the heads of our rulers
when lightning will strike.
From the abode of God
When icons of falsehood will be taken out,
When we- the faithful- who have been barred out of sacred places
will be seated on high cushions
When the crowns will be tossed,
When the thrones will be brought down.
When icons of falsehood will be taken out,
When we- the faithful- who have been barred out of sacred places
will be seated on high cushions
When the crowns will be tossed,
When the thrones will be brought down.
Only The name will survive
Who cannot be seen but is also present
Who is the spectacle and the beholder, both
I am the Truth- the cry will rise,
Which is I, as well as you
And then God’s creation will rule
Which is I, as well as you
Who cannot be seen but is also present
Who is the spectacle and the beholder, both
I am the Truth- the cry will rise,
Which is I, as well as you
And then God’s creation will rule
Which is I, as well as you
The mushrooms, inspired from Alice in Wonderland, are placed on prints of old and new Pakistani currency notes to present dichotomous ideas; they speak of good luck and fortune for the newly-created nation of Pakistan that gained independence from India in 1947, and its post-colonial struggles and achievements. On the other hand, some mushrooms depicted (such as toadstool mushrooms which are poisonous) are also associated with death, decay and threats in some cultures. These dichotomies, along with Faiz Ahmed Faiz's verses, make us aware of the highs and lows in the existence of Pakistan since its inception on the world map, and its internal and external threats. The presence of Mohen-jo-Daro (Mound of the Dead) on the second currency note is testament to one of the oldest settlements of the world (2500 BC), that once thrived, but now lays in ruins; perhaps an example of a community whose 'enormous mountains of tyranny' blew away 'like cotton', as Faiz's words suggest?
These elements allow us to question and speculate the nature of Pakistan's future as a nation, and also the future of every other nation that exists on the world map, by default.
Hum Dekhein Gey, gouache and pen on printed note, 1x1 ft, 2018
Jadoo Ka Chiraagh, gouache and pen on printed note, 1x1 ft, 2018
Jadoo Ka Chiraagh, gouache and pen on printed note, 1x1 ft, 2018
With Wonderland as a metaphor for life, and storytelling as my aim, my new series investigates and ponders existential ideas and coming-of-age struggles in conjunction with themes of deception, political ambiguities and popular culture.
I have used written Urdu text weaving stories from my imagination and from famed poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s legendary verses to comment on personal histories and nostalgia and how stories from our childhoods shape us as we grow up. The work also touches upon the human condition, life’s ephemeral quality, the rise and fall of civilisations and how the past, present and future are linked in a strangely complex but fascinating way.
