The jfa Human Rights Journal
Artwork for the jfa publication and its gallery on human rights, minority identities and voices of the Global South
‘Eclipse’ art print – jfa shop
One conflict most of us have grown up hearing about is that of Afghanistan. This graphic insists on a non-political perception of Afghanistan where a hopeful future is possible. Rather than war, death and control, it focuses on the rich cultural symbols from the country that make its people who they are: brave and optimistic.
The eclipse in this graphic encourages humans on earth to mend old feuds and peacefully come together for a better future, respecting everyone's beliefs and identities.
This A4 art print was made in collaboration with the jfa human rights journal, a publication about marginalised voices and issues.
12th March 2021
Indian Partition 1947
For an article I wrote titled ‘Recognise your history: Re-narrating the ‘glorious’ Indian Partition 1947’. This war was one of the bloodiest in human history and experienced the largest migrations—a massive exchange between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and more. Despite the violence and trauma, the partition is remembered as something glorious, tainted with extreme nationalism in modern times, especially in India and Pakistan.
The newspapers clippings are from that time, giving a historical background to the frame against figurines of Indian and Pakistani army soldiers who perform a famous ritual dance every evening at the Wagah Border—the border line between Indian and Pakistan. The train and fire at the front represent the long migrations that took place on trains where many migrants used to arrive in corpses. This illustration highlights the arson, looting, murder and rape that took place before, during and after 1947 that separated a territory that was once united.
18th September 2020
Her Feeble Horror
Child marriage is a traditional practice in Pakistan facing legal challenges within the local social milieu. It's a common understanding, especially in underdeveloped and rural areas, that once a girl reaches puberty she's ready for marriage, sex, and child bearing. The Urdu text in the illustrations reads: "Underage and forced marriages are punishable by law." In 2019, the Pakistan Senate passed 'The Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2018' to set the minimum age of marriage for females to 18. As there was an uproar by religious political groups against this, there is still much to be debated, approved and finalised.
The illustration follows a vintage horror comic style, and uses the metaphor of a 'monster' to represent how alienating, helpless, lonely and frightening of an experience it can be for a young girl to be forced into marriage with a man much older than her; and to enter a house she's not familiar with, into a family she doesn't know.