Nasreen Askari’s journey into the world of Sindhi textiles began in the 1970s when an enraged mother demonstrated the significance of her embroidered shawl. This encounter ignited Askari's lifelong passion for collecting textiles rich in history and cultural narratives. After years of gathering over 1,000 pieces, Askari and her husband established Pakistan’s first textile museum in Karachi. The museum aims to engage the public with the artistic traditions of the region, showcasing the intertwined cultural influences from various civilizations and emphasizing the importance of preservation of this intricate art form in Sindh.
This was Askari's first brush with the ornate fabrics of Pakistan's south-east province of Sindh and the stories, biographies and histories woven within them.
I know my son is very ill and he will die, the woman told Askari. When he is gone, I will go home and unravel one of these black flowers here on my shawl.
The hope is that people will come here to engage, and possibly even marvel, at the possibilities our artistic traditions can offer, said Askari.
Fifty years later, Askari's almost 1,000-piece collection...has formed the basis of Pakistan's first dedicated textile museum.
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