‘Fractured Narratives’ on display at Canvas Gallery
At the Canvas Gallery in Karachi, multidisciplinary artist Sayeda M. Habib invites viewers into a deep, symbolic exploration of heritage and disorder with her solo exhibition Fractured Narratives. This body of work delves into the tensions between tradition and modernity through layered imagery and culturally rooted visual metaphors.
The exhibition offers a critical commentary on how societies—particularly in the East—have evolved amid rapid innovation, often at the expense of time-tested traditions. Habib’s statement questions, “In a world preoccupied with change, have we overlooked the enduring wisdom of traditions that served human civilizations for centuries?”
Having formally trained in classical drawing, Habib believes that art is among the most direct forms of communication. However, after realizing the subjectivity embedded in historical narratives, she turned her artistic inquiry inward—toward the Subcontinent’s rich visual languages. Her canvases integrate motifs from Mughal art, Hindu iconography, Iranian design, and classical miniature painting to reframe historical and spiritual continuity.
A striking element throughout the series is her use of newsprint as both medium and message. Habib refers to the “mosaic of newsprint” in her work as a representation of “orderly chaos,” reflecting the overwhelming and often misleading information landscape of modern media. “This noise of media only leads to confusion,” she states, highlighting her concern about technology’s dominance over human clarity and spiritual grounding.
One of the most conceptually layered pieces in the show is titled The Triad, which reinterprets Pakistan’s national motto—“Unity, Faith, Discipline”—through the lens of family structure. Using collage, gouache, and newsprint on Wasli paper, the artwork assigns familial roles to the motto: the father as ‘Faith,’ the mother as ‘Unity,’ and the child as ‘Discipline’. This intimate reimagining challenges viewers to rethink abstract political ideals within the context of everyday human relationships.
The exhibition moves fluidly between abstract and literal visuals, encouraging viewers to engage from multiple perspectives. Habib emphasizes that understanding can begin at any “entry point,” with the symbolism of different religions, forms, and icons all pointing back to the same Creator. “We need to be reoriented towards the Creator,” she says, signaling a deeper spiritual message that runs through her work.
Fractured Narratives runs through March 19, inviting audiences to engage with layered histories, interpretative symbolism, and the fractured signals of modern life.
Original Source: Looking into the past: Uncovering chaos of the modern world – The Express Tribune