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We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

We were delighted to present Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo with @studiokayamai bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. Just like Karachi, the response in Colombo was incredible and we are delighted to keep doing this work in collaboration with community. Open between February 27 to March 5, the exhibition brought together works that were shown in Karachi with new works developed by Firi and Shironi; two of the four members of the Studio for Memory Politics - Sandev and Vera - were part of the opening celebrations. Thanks to @prohelvetia_newdelhi for their support as well as the @swissembassycolombo . Thank you to Sujeewa De Silva for this incredible documentation.

Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges

Opening Thursday, 27 February, 7-9 PM at Studio Kayamai in Colombo
Continues through 5 March

After celebrating with community and friends in Karachi, we are delighted to present and celebrate Voices from an Archived Silence – Transoceanic Exchanges in Colombo. A collaborative project by Studio for Memory Politics which explores and address silences in cultural memory in the postcolonial geographies of Colombo and Karachi, we showcase the work of four artists - Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji from Karachi and Hema Shironi Joseph and Firi Rahman from Colombo in a transoceanic dialogue to confront silences, erasures, and gaps in cultural memory within their distinct contexts.

The project examines how archives-in-the-making—often oral, fragmented, or disappearing—can enable new ways of understanding histories of displacement, migration, and resilience. Over a year-long research phase, the participating artists engaged with local archives – ranging from family photographs, recipes, institutional collections, and community-driven archives – to explore how memory is preserved and transformed across geographies.

The resulting outputs, which include drawings, textile works, prints and animation, delve into the paradoxes of engaging with a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, a personal and deep engagement with Memon histories in Karachi and Malay histories in Colombo, especially through food and storytelling, and a meditation on the Kambli, a woollen blanket brough by indentured South Indian labourers to Sri Lanka.

This project is supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia through the Co-Creation Grant and thank you to the Swiss Embassy in Colombo for supporting the opening. Thank you to Studio Kayamai (Colombo) and IVS Gallery (Karachi) for being our presenting partners for this project.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

Today is the last day to see the exhibition ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ at @ivsgalleryofficial bringing together works Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. We are so thrilled at the response in Karachi, and it felt special to also manifest connections and threads between Karachi and Colombo fostered over time between the two cities linked through deep histories of movement and exchange. These works will soon travel to Colombo for an exhibition at Studio Kayamai. Thanks to Humayun Memon for exhibition documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

We were delighted to open ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ @ivsgalleryofficial in Karachi on 28 January with a talk with the artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji and celebrate the work of the four artists. The exhibition closes tomorrow (February 12) and we look forward to continued conversations. Special thanks to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support in Karachi and Humayun Memon for the documentation.

Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges
Tuesday, 28 January at IVS Gallery
Aziz Sohail in conversation with Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji: 4 PM - 5 PM
Exhibition opening: 5-7 PM

Please join us at the IVS Gallery for the opening of the Karachi presentation of ‘Voices from An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ featuring works by Sophia Balagamwala, Hema Shironi Joseph, Firi Rahman and Veera Rustomji. The exhibition continues through 12 February.

Voices from an Archived Silence – Transoceanic Exchanges (2023–2025) is a collaborative project by Studio for Memory Politics that explores and addressed silences in cultural memory in the postcolonial geographies of Colombo and Karachi. The project brings together these four artists in a transoceanic dialogue to confront silences, erasures, and gaps in cultural memory within their distinct contexts.

The project examines how archives-in-the-making—often oral, fragmented, or disappearing—can enable new ways of understanding histories of displacement, migration, and resilience. Over a year-long research phase, the participating artists engaged with local archives – ranging from family photographs, recipes, institutional collections, and community-driven archives – to explore how memory is preserved and transformed across geographies.

The resulting outputs which include drawings, textile works, prints and animation, delve into the paradoxes of engaging with a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, a personal and deep engagement with Memon histories in Karachi and Malay histories in Colombo, especially through food and storytelling, and a meditation on the Kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers to Sri Lanka.

This project is supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia through the Co-Creation Grant. Thank you to IVS Gallery (Karachi) and Studio Kayamai (Colombo) for being our presenting partners for this project. Thank you to Abeeha Hussain for curatorial support.

Introducing Hema Shironi Joseph, the final of the quartet of artists we have been working with as part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’. For her research, she reimagines the kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers, as a living archive. Through mixed-media works, she layers colonial-era imagery of women plantation workers onto reinterpreted kambli, interrogating how plantation histories are visualised and remembered. Works by Shironi will be on display in Karachi at IVS Gallery from Jan 28-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-Mar 3.

Introducing Hema Shironi Joseph, the final of the quartet of artists we have been working with as part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’. For her research, she reimagines the kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers, as a living archive. Through mixed-media works, she layers colonial-era imagery of women plantation workers onto reinterpreted kambli, interrogating how plantation histories are visualised and remembered. Works by Shironi will be on display in Karachi at IVS Gallery from Jan 28-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-Mar 3.

Introducing Hema Shironi Joseph, the final of the quartet of artists we have been working with as part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’. For her research, she reimagines the kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers, as a living archive. Through mixed-media works, she layers colonial-era imagery of women plantation workers onto reinterpreted kambli, interrogating how plantation histories are visualised and remembered. Works by Shironi will be on display in Karachi at IVS Gallery from Jan 28-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-Mar 3.

Introducing Hema Shironi Joseph, the final of the quartet of artists we have been working with as part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’. For her research, she reimagines the kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers, as a living archive. Through mixed-media works, she layers colonial-era imagery of women plantation workers onto reinterpreted kambli, interrogating how plantation histories are visualised and remembered. Works by Shironi will be on display in Karachi at IVS Gallery from Jan 28-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-Mar 3.

Introducing Hema Shironi Joseph, the final of the quartet of artists we have been working with as part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’. For her research, she reimagines the kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers, as a living archive. Through mixed-media works, she layers colonial-era imagery of women plantation workers onto reinterpreted kambli, interrogating how plantation histories are visualised and remembered. Works by Shironi will be on display in Karachi at IVS Gallery from Jan 28-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-Mar 3.

Introducing Hema Shironi Joseph, the final of the quartet of artists we have been working with as part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’. For her research, she reimagines the kambli, a woollen blanket brought by indentured South Indian labourers, as a living archive. Through mixed-media works, she layers colonial-era imagery of women plantation workers onto reinterpreted kambli, interrogating how plantation histories are visualised and remembered. Works by Shironi will be on display in Karachi at IVS Gallery from Jan 28-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-Mar 3.

Introducing the artist Veera Rustomji who over the last year, as part of Voices of An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges has examined the paradoxes of a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, situated between life and death yet shielded in isolation. Working with its multilingual collection, she creates prints that trace the archive’s materiality, questioning the implications of moving such private objects into public spaces. Works produced during her research will be on display at IVS Gallery in Karachi from 28 January - 13 February and at Studio Kayamai in Colombo from 27 Feb - 3 March.

Introducing the artist Veera Rustomji who over the last year, as part of Voices of An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges has examined the paradoxes of a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, situated between life and death yet shielded in isolation. Working with its multilingual collection, she creates prints that trace the archive’s materiality, questioning the implications of moving such private objects into public spaces. Works produced during her research will be on display at IVS Gallery in Karachi from 28 January - 13 February and at Studio Kayamai in Colombo from 27 Feb - 3 March.

Introducing the artist Veera Rustomji who over the last year, as part of Voices of An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges has examined the paradoxes of a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, situated between life and death yet shielded in isolation. Working with its multilingual collection, she creates prints that trace the archive’s materiality, questioning the implications of moving such private objects into public spaces. Works produced during her research will be on display at IVS Gallery in Karachi from 28 January - 13 February and at Studio Kayamai in Colombo from 27 Feb - 3 March.

Introducing the artist Veera Rustomji who over the last year, as part of Voices of An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges has examined the paradoxes of a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, situated between life and death yet shielded in isolation. Working with its multilingual collection, she creates prints that trace the archive’s materiality, questioning the implications of moving such private objects into public spaces. Works produced during her research will be on display at IVS Gallery in Karachi from 28 January - 13 February and at Studio Kayamai in Colombo from 27 Feb - 3 March.

Introducing the artist Veera Rustomji who over the last year, as part of Voices of An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges has examined the paradoxes of a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, situated between life and death yet shielded in isolation. Working with its multilingual collection, she creates prints that trace the archive’s materiality, questioning the implications of moving such private objects into public spaces. Works produced during her research will be on display at IVS Gallery in Karachi from 28 January - 13 February and at Studio Kayamai in Colombo from 27 Feb - 3 March.

Introducing the artist Veera Rustomji who over the last year, as part of Voices of An Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges has examined the paradoxes of a Zoroastrian library in Karachi, situated between life and death yet shielded in isolation. Working with its multilingual collection, she creates prints that trace the archive’s materiality, questioning the implications of moving such private objects into public spaces. Works produced during her research will be on display at IVS Gallery in Karachi from 28 January - 13 February and at Studio Kayamai in Colombo from 27 Feb - 3 March.

Introducing Colombo based artist Firi Rahman. As part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ he has collaborated with the last Malay food vendor family in Slave Island, Colombo, using food as a storytelling tool. His project preserves recipes and conversations in Malay, archiving a fragile cultural heritage shaped by displacement. Works emerging from this collaboration including drawings and recipes will be presented in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 Jan-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-March 3.

Introducing Colombo based artist Firi Rahman. As part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ he has collaborated with the last Malay food vendor family in Slave Island, Colombo, using food as a storytelling tool. His project preserves recipes and conversations in Malay, archiving a fragile cultural heritage shaped by displacement. Works emerging from this collaboration including drawings and recipes will be presented in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 Jan-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-March 3.

Introducing Colombo based artist Firi Rahman. As part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ he has collaborated with the last Malay food vendor family in Slave Island, Colombo, using food as a storytelling tool. His project preserves recipes and conversations in Malay, archiving a fragile cultural heritage shaped by displacement. Works emerging from this collaboration including drawings and recipes will be presented in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 Jan-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-March 3.

Introducing Colombo based artist Firi Rahman. As part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ he has collaborated with the last Malay food vendor family in Slave Island, Colombo, using food as a storytelling tool. His project preserves recipes and conversations in Malay, archiving a fragile cultural heritage shaped by displacement. Works emerging from this collaboration including drawings and recipes will be presented in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 Jan-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-March 3.

Introducing Colombo based artist Firi Rahman. As part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ he has collaborated with the last Malay food vendor family in Slave Island, Colombo, using food as a storytelling tool. His project preserves recipes and conversations in Malay, archiving a fragile cultural heritage shaped by displacement. Works emerging from this collaboration including drawings and recipes will be presented in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 Jan-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-March 3.

Introducing Colombo based artist Firi Rahman. As part of ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ he has collaborated with the last Malay food vendor family in Slave Island, Colombo, using food as a storytelling tool. His project preserves recipes and conversations in Malay, archiving a fragile cultural heritage shaped by displacement. Works emerging from this collaboration including drawings and recipes will be presented in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 Jan-Feb 12 and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from Feb 27-March 3.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

Introducing the amazing Sophia Balagamwala and her personal and evocative research and work. 💫

Sophia delves into her family’s migration as Memons from Kathiawar region of Gujarat to Karachi in 1947, exploring personal archives of photographs, recipes, and anecdotes. Through two bodies of work, a zine and an animation, she reflects on kitchens as spaces of creativity, conflict, and care, and interrogates the intersections of migration, memory, and identity. These will be presented as part of our exhibitions in Karachi at IVS Gallery from 28 January-12 Feb and in Colombo at Studio Kayamai from 27 Feb-3 March.

👋🏽 from Studio for Memory Politics! We are a transdisciplinary collective of cultural practitioners engaging in projects that foster a shared language to address and complicate global power dynamics and memory politics.

Some threads that connect our work include forming long term relationships with cultural workers, archives as the base of our research, collaboration across space and time and de-nationalizing discourses. Our projects may unfold in various formats – exhibitions, publications, symposia, and other forms – serving as means of dispersal that challenge existing narratives and foster new dialogues. Ultimately, we seek to overcome the challenges posed by the current moment by fostering trust, friendship, and shared inquiry.

Studio for Memory Politics was founded as Werkstatt für Erinnerungspolitik in 2016 by Swiss curator Vera Ryser and Swiss-Australian artist Sally Schonfeldt. In 2022, the collective expanded and reformulated, now consisting of four active caretakers: Angela Wittwer (Jakarta/Zurich), Aziz Sohail (Karachi/Melbourne), Sandev Handy (Colombo), and Vera Ryser (Zurich). The new formation carries on the legacy of the Werkstatt für Erinnerungspolitik while emphasizing translocal and de-national approaches.

Since late 2023 we have been working with artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji from Pakistan & Hema Shironi Joseph and Firi Rahman from Sri Lanka on ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ and are thrilled to showcase their works in Karachi and Colombo later this month, with the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. More details soon. 📸: @colombedouin

👋🏽 from Studio for Memory Politics! We are a transdisciplinary collective of cultural practitioners engaging in projects that foster a shared language to address and complicate global power dynamics and memory politics.

Some threads that connect our work include forming long term relationships with cultural workers, archives as the base of our research, collaboration across space and time and de-nationalizing discourses. Our projects may unfold in various formats – exhibitions, publications, symposia, and other forms – serving as means of dispersal that challenge existing narratives and foster new dialogues. Ultimately, we seek to overcome the challenges posed by the current moment by fostering trust, friendship, and shared inquiry.

Studio for Memory Politics was founded as Werkstatt für Erinnerungspolitik in 2016 by Swiss curator Vera Ryser and Swiss-Australian artist Sally Schonfeldt. In 2022, the collective expanded and reformulated, now consisting of four active caretakers: Angela Wittwer (Jakarta/Zurich), Aziz Sohail (Karachi/Melbourne), Sandev Handy (Colombo), and Vera Ryser (Zurich). The new formation carries on the legacy of the Werkstatt für Erinnerungspolitik while emphasizing translocal and de-national approaches.

Since late 2023 we have been working with artists Sophia Balagamwala and Veera Rustomji from Pakistan & Hema Shironi Joseph and Firi Rahman from Sri Lanka on ‘Voices from an Archived Silence - Transoceanic Exchanges’ and are thrilled to showcase their works in Karachi and Colombo later this month, with the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. More details soon. 📸: @colombedouin