9 Potaliyan (Nine Poultices) | 2023 | Inkjet Print | 17”x17”

The 9 Potaliyan; nine poultices project began when I moved from Pakistan to the USA, feeling disconnected and ungrounded. To maintain a connection to my roots, I brought soil from Pakistan, symbolizing the immigrant experience of alienation and the challenges of adapting to a new life. The soil, representing an unfamiliar presence in a foreign land, was molded into poultice shapes and wrapped in leftover fabric from home, transforming it into artwork that could bypass airport customs. This process allowed me to carry the soil while navigating travel restrictions, embodying the physical and emotional migration journey.