Dear Faisal Anwar,
“Under a CommonSky”, unlike the cliché associated with the word ‘common’ specifically when it comes from diasporic intelligentsia*, is a profound example of relational aesthetics or digital relationality. In simple words, it illustrates what defines art today. Delighted by your thoughtful and comprehensive approach to the project recently showcased at the South Asia Institute in Chicago, I was eager to share it with my students at FCCU. I admit that being in a lecture room with this curious, young lot from the ‘non-art world’ is indeed a fulfilling experience. The observation below is based on their naïve (in terms of lack of experience with art), yet ample understanding of the times and challenges they face. I find satisfaction and hope both in your project and in how it was received by these enthusiasts.
Climate change has been a key consideration for my students over the past few months: the scarcity of water for Rabi crops in December-January, the Indo-Pak war over water in May, the violent monsoon in July, followed by floods in August and September. They were also aware of earthquakes in Russia and Afghanistan or wildfires in California and Australia. Environment, ecology, greenhouse gases, droughts, volcanic eruptions, shifts in temperatures and weather patterns are some of the topics discussed in every classroom: in Sciences, IR, P&D, Demography, Psychology, Law, Business, or any other. Let me say that they have been looking into the nature of the visible and the politics of the invisible aspects of climate change. The visual depiction of the ‘invisible’ in your works compelled them to focus on ‘a living force’ that affects our environment, stressing the interconnectedness and fragility of our world.
I am convinced that you were able to enhance their understanding of the environmental ecology while clarifying several dogmas about art and science as two separate fields of knowledge. What fascinated them all was how you encapsulated the climate concerns holistically through a teeny, tiny Purple Martin, which served as a powerful symbol, representing all living beings threatened by human-induced hazards. The Amazon River becomes the river of life and a promise of civilisation. The nest becomes the house or the earth itself in its larger scope. The use of the astrolabe, the idea of a living digital forest and the immersive experience generated a healthy discussion, providing each one of them to share knowledge and add to the overall meaning of the works. The most deliberated was the kinetic sculpture that took the viewers on a journey through possible climate futures in three cities: Manaus, Chicago and Lahore. By combining science, technology and art (read observation, data collection, creativity, experimentation and innovation), it helped us to imagine how extreme environmental shifts might reshape our cities: their past, present and future. It allowed a time travel that spanned over three millennia, from the Age of Discovery to the Digital Age and from the Age of Anthropocene towards the end of time.
The show, altogether, demonstrates the power of art in raising awareness about climate change and inspiring action. By making the invisible visible, it encourages us to repair our relationship with nature, rethink our status as inhabitants of this planet, as consumers of its immense resources and reevaluate our role in shaping its future. The takeaway of the discussion was to appreciate what is often overlooked: our shared connection to the natural world. As we usually conclude the lesson, devising the meaning of Art informed by the examined works, this session’s highlight was: Art as a vision of the future, as an environmental indicator or ecological eye-opener. We also learnt how science, art, philosophy and digital media converge to study ecological patterns, seeking solutions and fostering a shared understanding to protect the common sky.
Congratulations and thank you for the enlightening exhibit of skill and ingenuity.
Bano
Sep, 2025
*Of course, I am referring to the post 9/11 scenario when the Pakistani diaspora was frantically finding ways to prove the ‘commonalities’ between people of all colours, ethnicities and religions, establishing themselves as belonging to ONE human race subjected to ‘common’ types of vulnerabilities.
