Where are you from, and how does that affect your work? I was born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, and this is where I am currently based. Being in Lahore my whole life, and watching the city evolve into a sprawling urban jungle, has always been a surreal phenomenon to witness. But watching my own home be torn down is what prompted me to try and understand memory and the emotional association we, as individuals, have with spaces.  Seeing the city I love change so rapidly made me realize the power these spaces bear: how a man-made structure or object could evoke such strong feelings within me.

Who are your biggest artistic influences? So many to choose from!  My biggest inspirations have been Kathy Kollowitz for her drawing style and the emotive figures she creates. I’ve also been inspired by Ruby Chishti and Zarina Hashmi, who address themes of home and identity within the South Asian context. My work has also been influenced by the research of Antonio Demasio on memory and emotion – in between recollection and remembrance, there exists a state of shared consciousness – signs and symbols – objects collected and passed down between generations – Antonio Demasio describes this as the root of memory and the desire to place oneself within it, whether it is observed in real-time or through a tangible memento.

Where do you find inspiration? When is your favorite time of the day to create? My inspiration has been the women in my family, and the stories they tell. Growing up and listening to their stories, often more than once, has been a way for both them and me to hold on to the people we’ve lost, a way to preserve something bigger than us. One of my fondest memories as a child are of when I would play, draw, and do my homework in the afternoon with my daadi, seated in the veranda of our house.  Afterwards, we’d have tea together at sundown, and she would tell me stories about her family. Perhaps this is why my favourite time to create is the afternoon and evening.

How does this artwork fit into your broader body of work or artistic style? Does it represent a departure or evolution from your previous pieces? My artistic style and medium have primarily been drawing and printmaking, with a focus on mark-making. How we observe, interpret, and develop emotional and cultural connections – its nuances and visual vocabulary are themes my work explores. My previous works were on a smaller scale, and focused only on impressions of photographs. I feel thatthis piece has been an evolution from my prior work, in terms of scale and technique. With this piece, I broke out of the confines of a smaller scale and detailed marks, leaning towards abstraction. The work is almost 20×30 inches, which is almost thrice the size I’m used to working on. The marks are also freer and fluid, while the color palette also features hints of vivid colors and tones. In the broader body of my work and artistic style, I feel that this piece is more experimental, and I’m excited to explore some of the new techniques I discovered during the process of its creation in my upcoming works.

Is there a story or narrative behind this artwork that you’d like to share with your audience? Not in particular, but the process of this artwork did make me think a lot about how we carry the women in our lives within us. Through their stories and anecdotes, in the way they speak or gesture, an old family recipe we make once a month. While we are unique in our individuality, I feel that we are shaped by the ghosts of the women we carry, our mothers and their mothers. As afraid as we are sometimes of turning into them, their legacy and lineage is an intrinsic part of us. This shared history and community is what keeps us connected to our history and identity.

How did/does the theme of this issue (Homebound) resonate with you? A friend of mine, once exasperated by life, was ranting and said, “I want to go home, but home is a sentiment”. And that really stuck with me. When I came across the theme for this issue, I went back to that conversation, and felt inspired to share my contribution. I feel like in some way, we’re always homebound – finding our way to that space or feeling of comfort and familiarity.

What emotions or messages do you hope viewers will experience or take away from engaging with this piece? My hope with all my works is for people to experience the state of flux between the past and the present, and for it to evoke a sense of nostalgia and remembrance in them. Every time I have looked at family photographs with someone, whether that is my family or friends, there has always been a sense of shared sentiment and familiarity. Each object holds a story and a deep-rooted history. That intangible connection and unexplainable emotion you feel when hearing stories about your family members, or looking at old photographs and letters is what I want to share with the people who engage with my work, and in doing so, I hope to find a shared vocabulary for its expression.

What role does art play in your process of self-exploration and expression? My art has been a means for me to explore my relationship with my identity, family, and culture, as well as the complex, multi-dimensional emotions which come alongside these. The discomfort and pain, old aches which arise from the perpetual identity crisis and dread of losing oneself in the rapid passage and progress of time. The decay and loss, the grief, the degeneration; it is all inevitable. But as uncomfortable a process it is, it is one that’s necessary. Creating helps me confront and delve deeper into my emotions. I’m also a very shy and introverted person, so making art helps me express in a way that words cannot.