Through a quite simple yet immensely powerful installation titled “The table — a project space,” Fatima Majeed, the daughter of a fisherman from Ibrahim Hyderi, a fishing village in the Malir District of Karachi, captured the hearts of visitors at the 4th Karachi Biennale, themed “Rizq and Risk”.

Working alongside Karachi-based artist Fazal Rizvi, Fatima utilised art to illustrate the intense connection between her community and the sea, bringing to light the impact of climate change on a traditional way of life. The exhibit displayed her community’s spirited culture and traditions while foregrounding their urgent battle for survival in the face of environmental degradation. The exhibit narrated the story of a people who have banked on the sea for generations but now find themselves helplessly watching the climate change destabilise their environment, worrying for their future.

Fatima’s mission — from ocean to art activism

Fatima, who comes from a family of fishermen, is an extraordinary artist, a storyteller, and a climate activist. Growing up by the Arabian Sea, she has firsthand experience of closely understanding the connection between her family’s livelihood and the fragile ecosystem surrounding it. For generations, her community has survived on the ocean’s abundance, finding in it not just food and earnings but a cultural identity. However, that identity is now confronted with an existential threat. 

For many years, Fatima has been working to invite outsiders to look into her world, organising cultural tours that offer glimpses of the fishing community. Visitors sample the community’s seafood, see their daily lives, and hear stories about their relationship with the mangroves, which are vital to their fishing economy.

This year, however, Fatima took a shot at reaching out to an even larger audience through the biennale exhibit. Her goal was to highlight not only the community’s resilience and pride but also the challenges they face as “children of the ocean,” living on the frontlines of climate change.

“I wanted people to see what it’s really like for us,” Fatima said. “Through our food, our traditions, and our stories, I wanted them to understand the challenges we face and the bond we have with the sea. We’re fighting a battle to protect the mangroves and our livelihoods; my people and I have been protesting for years, organising rallies and marches to protect our community and our only source of livelihood — the mangroves. If lost, it’s not just us, the fishermen, who will suffer; every soul living in Karachi will feel the consequences and scarcity of food would be the first thing to hit us in future.”

The exhibit: The table — a project space

The exhibit at the biennale was built around two simple but powerful elements. The first was a book, “Samund Hiq Piyalo,” designed by Fazal’s team, capturing the fishermen community’s cherished seafood recipes. However, the book was more than a cookbook; it was a cultural and environmental chronicle. 

In addition to recipes, Fatima included stories of her people’s struggles, their intimate relationship with the sea, and how climate change has affected their daily lives. Each recipe held in itself a world of memories, and each page told of the combined resilience of a community that is mostly invisible to the public eye.

“The table — a project space isn’t just about food,” Fatima explained. “It’s a record of who we are and the challenges we face. It tells the stories of our lives, our work, and our connection to the ocean. It’s about our resilience and our hope, even as we watch the things we love slip away.”

The second element of the exhibit was the communal table itself, also designed by Fazal’s team. The table’s design was inspired by the vibrant, hand-painted boats used by her community. 

With no chairs, and only cushions on the ground, the table invited visitors to sit close to the earth, just as her community does when sharing meals. Fatima sat with guests around the table, taking them on a “tour” through the lives and struggles of Ibrahim Hyderi’s people, sharing their tales, heritage, and the challenges they now face. The table was decorated with colours and floral patterns inspired by the fishermen’s boats, representing the community’s spirit and resilience. Every detail, from the absence of chairs to the use of cushions, was meant to give visitors the experience of a community that has lived close to the land and sea for centuries.

A community on the frontline of climate change

For her community, the sea has been the source of livelihood for generations. But today, with sea levels rising, weather patterns going erratic, and pollution remaining unchecked, their way of life is under threat. Mangroves, which are the natural barriers against surging storms and also critical habitats for marine life, are vanishing. The loss of the masses of these tropical trees is devastating not just for the fishermen but for Karachi as a whole, as they play a crucial role in protecting the city’s coast.

“To us, the mangroves are like saints,” Fatima said. “They protect us, they give life to the fish and prawns, they shield us from storms. But now, with climate change, it’s like we’ve angered the ocean by polluting it. The balance feels so fragile now, and we’re losing everything that sustains us.” 

Without these natural barriers, fishermen are forced to travel farther out to sea in search of fish and other items, often without the proper equipment. Meanwhile, large commercial ships and trawlers encroach on their fishing grounds, compounding the difficulties they already face. Fatima, speaking for her community, brought to light the enormous risks this phenomenon poses to their livelihood and well-being.

“We’re the ones who make fish available at the markets,” Fatima shared. “But the tides are changing, and so is the sea. We’re having to fight harder and travel farther just to find what used to be close to home. The waters aren’t as forgiving as they used to be; I’m afraid if it vanishes then what is left for us? We are dependent on water.”

A call to protect mangroves and sea

More than a celebration of her community’s culture, the exhibit was a bold call to action. Her true goal is to make the people of Karachi and the country’s leaders realise that protecting the mangroves and addressing climate change isn’t just her community’s fight. If the mangroves are gone, everyone who relies on the coast will be impacted.

“If we don’t rethink our relationship with the mangroves, the ocean, and nature itself, we could lose everything,” Fatima warned. “And it won’t just be our loss. When the mangroves are gone, Karachi loses its shield, and every Karachiite will pay the price.” Her words were both a warning and a plea, a reminder of the fragility of natural ecosystems and the urgent need to protect them.

An experience grounded in tradition and unity

At the table, the visitors were invited to sit, listen, and connect with a world far removed from Karachi’s urban sprawl. The experience was more than just gathering awareness; it was deeply emotional, a rare opportunity to feel the pulse of a community living in harmony with the and by the sea. Explaining the objective behind the exhibit’s design, Fazal, who joined forces with Fatima on the project, said: “We wanted people to feel grounded. The table is inspired by the boats of the fishermen; the colours, the patterns, everything reflects the life of the fishermen, a life that is rich in tradition and meaning.”

The impact of this exhibit lingered in the minds of moved visitors long after the close of the biennale. 

Through a book and a table, Fatime successfully managed to tell a story of resilience, love for the ocean, and the pressing need to take action to first slow down and then undo climate change. Her message was simple yet sound: the fate of the mangroves, the sea, and the fishing community is tied to the future of Karachi itself.

“Our struggle is one of survival, but it’s also about preserving a way of life that belongs not only to us but to everyone who calls Karachi home. We can’t do this alone. We need to listen, respect, and protect the world that sustains us all. This time I chose art, rather than protesting and marching with the hope that this will make a difference this time,” Fatima said summing it up.

The fisherman’s daughter proved that some of the most powerful messages come not through grand gestures but through the stories of everyday lives shaped by the beauty — and the risk — of nature.