Abdullah M. I. Syed
Capital Couture: Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 50Rs. Sherwani, 2019
uncirculated Pakistani 50 rupee banknotes, fabric, invisible thread
108 x 62 x 15 cm
Further images
My work is made from hand-stitched and machine-stitched, uncut, uncirculated banknotes of 50PKR’s on which the portrait of Jinnah is printed. The front of the jacket will feature Jinnah’s face,...
My work is made from hand-stitched and machine-stitched, uncut, uncirculated banknotes of 50PKR’s on which the portrait of Jinnah is printed. The front of the jacket will feature Jinnah’s face, and the back will be the image of Karakorum mountain range.
The sherwani style of garment is a longstanding staple in the closets of heads of state in Pakistan. Popularized by politician Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a sherwani is a hybrid of a British frock coat with an achkan (a formal knee-length jacket); it made him stand out next to the Hindu leaders and British leaders who already had their own versions of power suits. The sherwani is distinctly Pakistani. Over time, as multiple heads of state continued to popularize it, the style adopted the more symbolic identity of the ‘migrated’ Muslim, directly tying together religion, politics, and fashion in the country’s zeitgeist.
The sherwani style of garment is a longstanding staple in the closets of heads of state in Pakistan. Popularized by politician Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a sherwani is a hybrid of a British frock coat with an achkan (a formal knee-length jacket); it made him stand out next to the Hindu leaders and British leaders who already had their own versions of power suits. The sherwani is distinctly Pakistani. Over time, as multiple heads of state continued to popularize it, the style adopted the more symbolic identity of the ‘migrated’ Muslim, directly tying together religion, politics, and fashion in the country’s zeitgeist.
Exhibitions
Abdullah M. I. Syed, Common Threads Run Deep (Solo Exhibition). Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sydney. 11 March, 2021 - 11 April, 2021.20
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