This multitalented author is a force in Karachi’s literary community, serving as Director on the Board of the Children’s Literature Festival and cofounding The Bookgroup in 1988 and Nukta Art, a bi-annual contemporary art magazine, in 2005. She’s written and illustrated over 50 children’s book while working as a teacher-trainer, journalist and graphic designer. In Karachiwala - a subcontinent within a city, she explores the city’s diverse communities.
// Mar 15, 12pm, RMB75. Crystal Room.
In Karachiwala, you explore corners of society which may not otherwise find a voice. How important is this for you when charting the world we live in?
I believe that each group/community, however small, needs a voice, and it needs to be understood by those living around it. The 60 plus interviews in my book (Karachiwala: a subcontinent within a city) feature some 40 communities living in Karachi - the largest city in Pakistan - and with a population of approximately 20 million, it is perhaps the sixth largest city in the world. However, in reality there are more than only those 40 communities that appear in my book.
At both micro and macro levels it is important to know that the world is inhabited by people who are different from each other in many ways: in the way they look, the colour of their skin, their beliefs, their way of dressing, their cuisine, their traditions and customs....And it is precisely for this reason that the levels of understanding and tolerance have to be broadened. The world at large needs to reimagine, and get rid of the stereo types that they normally have in their minds about Pakistan.
You've written and illustrated over 50 children's books. Where do you find the continued inspiration to write for the younger generation?
I have always been inspired by children. Before I started to write and illustrate children's books, I used to make stuffed toys and handmade accessories for children. I created my first handmade fabric toy for my son Adil's first birthday and went on to have an exhibition of my collection in 1981 and another one in 1985. Folk toys, motifs and indigenous festivals and tales have also been a huge inspiration. It was a somewhat new idea for urban Karachi in the early eighties and its huge success motivated me to carry on. After my second exhibition I was contracted for making 55 applique wallhangings in fabric for the Children's Ward at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi and later on for a large fabric mural at IUCN Karachi and IUCN Gland, Switzerland.
In 1986 I cofounded the Bookgroup to publish children's books as there was a dearth of good children's books in Urdu, our national language. For the past fourteen years I have developed books for various other publishers but mainly for the Oxford University Press. One of my recent series has been inspired by my two young granddaughters Sonia and Anya who were both born in Shanghai.
You take a strong position in Karachi's artistic community. Can you talk about some of the developments going on?
In 2005 I cofounded, and am Senior Editor of a contemporary art biannual called NuktaArt magazine. It is published from Karachi but its contributors are art critics and art writers from all over the world. The art scene in Pakistan has been developing into a vibrant one over the past decade or so and the need to showcase Pakistani art as well as to have a discourse on various connected issues is a need that we are trying to fulfil through the NuktaArt platform.
What can we expect from your LitFest event?
Ah! a visual treat of the many colours that make up my city! I will try to package it in a presentation with a running commentary, after which we could have a Q&A session.
Which interests would you like to explore in the future?
I have several other interests but life is too short to have a full go at each of those. My involvement with the Children's Literature Festival movement in Pakistan and the Karachi Conference Foundation are relatively recent but I am passionate about both and give a lot of time to deliberate and organise their events. Writing a play or a serial for television as well as acting is also something I have been toying with for the near future.
0 User Comments