Memory not only maintains a temporal continuity, but also aids in the development of our personhood. It indicates the existence of a former self that may seem strange and remote, and yet, it is the same self that existed in those remembered moments. Memory, therefore, lies at the core of our identity.

This continuous evolving and construction of the self is both personal and communal; what we choose to remember as an individual forms the building blocks of society. Our shared memories create and maintain a cultural coherence that is then interpreted and modified through stories, rituals or songs.

In the process, we also give a concrete form and presence to an intangible and abstract memory. This, in turn, allows us to reimagine and relive our original experience many times over.

In remembering a place, the collective memory formed in people’s minds is often related to its visual quality and aesthetic. This relates to one's ability to grasp and organise familiar sights into legible data which can be broken down into shapes, colours, lines and patterns.

Shahzaib Arif Shaikh and Nusaiba Khan explore the similarity and divergence of these patterns based on their unique and individual interpretations of memories that form an integral part of their individual and collective identities.

They individually interpret normative ideas such as food, textures, objects, language, people and spaces based on their personal experiences and memories. However, to unite their drawings, and to draw parallels, they choose a similar style and media. The result is a striking visual thesaurus of memory and sensory experience on both sides of the border.