What the Mountains Hide

Artist Statement

What the Mountains Hide explores the fragile state of endangered wool-felting traditions in Chitral, tracing their roots in Central Asian nomadic histories and their deep connection to local identity. As environmental change and urban migration disrupt sheep herding in regions like Madaklasht, these practices—and the collective memory they carry—are rapidly fading.

Developed with Vasl’s ‘Museum of the Unseen’, the project combines ethnographic research with material experimentation, where traditional techniques are learned, reinterpreted, and transformed into contemporary wall hangings. These works reflect the tension between preservation and change, using felt as a tactile medium to reveal the unseen cultural and ecological shifts shaping mountain communities today.