CommonSky is a poetic exploration of the evolving dynamics of our environment, an immersive artwork that traces the intricate connections among climate, migration, and the unseen forces shaping our collective future. Rooted in data-driven storytelling and ecological observation, the project transforms scientific research into an otherworldly landscape where data breathes, migrates, and transforms before our eyes. Through dynamic projections, kinetic forms, and interactive engagement, CommonSky invites audiences to witness how even subtle environmental changes ripple across species and landscapes, highlighting our shared existence under the same sky.
The catalogue serves both as documentation and an extension of the artistic experience. It brings together research, visual materials, process notes, conceptual frameworks, and insights from behind-the-scenes developments that shaped the artwork. Designed to be visually compelling and narratively rich, the catalogue encourages careful observation, inviting readers to view CommonSky as a collectible artifact in its own right. Each page offers a window into the project’s development, from early sketches and environmental data mappings to installation views and reflections on migration, ecology, and art’s role in shaping future imaginaries.
The catalogue includes a booklet insert that functions as a working sketchbook. It gathers raw ideas, preliminary studies, visual fragments, and conceptual notes that evolved into the final artwork. Together, the catalogue and booklet offer a layered experience, revealing both the refined vision and the creative undercurrents behind CommonSky.
Publication Date: Nov 2025
Printer: Minuteman Press, Oakville, Canada
Design & Layout: Faisal Anwar
Editor: Zulfikar Hirji
Publisher: Artistic Xploratorium
Produced by: South Asia Institute, Chicago, USA
Photography: Pratyush Swarup
ISBN: 978-1-0695957-3-7 (print copy)
ISBN: 978-1-0695957-4-4 (digital copy)
Edition: First Edition, 100 Copies
© 2025 Faisal Anwar. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission from the publisher.