Of Marks and Making
2026
Laser engraving and ink on stainless steel
10 panels, each 20.3 × 20.3 cm (8 × 8 in)
Text adapted from: W. Crooke, The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh (1896)
Show: Where Soft Blades Meet | Curated by Amra Khan
This project explores the barbershop as a site for care, transformation and brotherhood for men in Pakistan. Fitting into the larger context of masculine care, the space subverts the notion of masculinity and brings forth the larger needs of the human self. As a site for exploration, this
project looks into how the location detaches oneself from conventions of manhood, where physical boundaries give way to the larger need for change and transformation.
project looks into how the location detaches oneself from conventions of manhood, where physical boundaries give way to the larger need for change and transformation.
This project will explore how the spaces are inhabited, how the act of transformation through touch and physical contact can question performative notions of masculinity but going further; looks into the barbershop as a space for congregation, community and ultimately friendship.
