Dania Khan

Reminiscence

This piece is inspired by a place that holds significant value to me and my loved ones. This room is an archetypal representation of my grandparent’s room in their house in Karachi, Pakistan. The house was allotted to my grandparents by the government of Pakistan as he was one of the many people who migrated from India to Pakistan during the partition of British India. The piece communicates the warmth, fondness, and emotions associated with the memories that the room embodied. However, my memories associated with this room only embrace the presence of my grandmother as my grandfather passed away when I was three years old. Therefore, the size of the bed is intended for two individuals but the presence of only one pillow on the Takht (meaning; bed) symbolizes the absence of memories with my grandfather. The time that I have tried to encapsulate in this piece is the time when me and my family lost my grandmother. Therefore, the room suggests the presence of an older bedridden individual. The cabinet and a metal rack on top of the bed for storage, thermos, prescription bottles, and books within reach are all suggestions of my grandmother's old age. The wooden chairs represent the visitors who came often to see my grandmother because of her illness. The lantern was a very old part of the room along with the light ports on the wall. Both of these aspects illustrate the primitivity of the house. I aimed to create a realistic setting using my memories and some old pictures as references.