When I spoke to Pakistani-Australian artist Abdullah M. I. Syed in February, he had just finished two weeks of hotel quarantine in Sydney, having returned to Australia after nine months in Karachi. His mother, Azra Waseem, passed away in late 2019 and as the family gathered in Karachi before and after her death, Pakistan ceased all international flights due to Covid-19. Syed’s extended time in his family home was spent sorting through his mother’s belongings and readying the house for sale. His mother was a significant influence on his life: she was a matriarch who raised seven children while Syed’s father was away working in Saudi Arabia, and continued to hold the family together as they dispersed across the globe. Crucially, she was a long-time supporter of Syed’s art practice. “I am a product of my mother’s nurturing, friendship, and guidance. My creativity comes from her. She wanted to be an artist and a writer. I only needed her approval and validation to pursue art, as I knew it would also fulfill her dream,” he said.

• Abdullah M. I. Syed