In this photo essay, we look back at the quiet yet profound legacy of Rabia Zuberi, the pioneering sculptor, educator, and founder of Karachi School of Art (KSA). Through a selection of rare photographs—ranging from intimate portraits to scenes from the vibrant corridors of KSA—we trace the journey of a woman who shaped more than just clay and metal. She shaped generations.
Photographs from her earlier years reveal Rabia Aapa’s contemplative presence—eyes focused, hands steady, often surrounded by sketches or small clay forms. Whether captured in her studio or during a campus visit, these images speak to a life grounded in discipline and artistic conviction. Even in silence, her presence emanated strength.
At the heart of this essay lies the Karachi School of Art—a space Rabia Zuberi co-founded in 1964, far from the art world’s traditional centers. The images of KSA—classrooms with open windows, shaded courtyards, shelves filled with student sculptures—offer glimpses of a place where access, mentorship, and experimentation were core values, not luxuries.
Photographs of Rabia Zuberi walking through studios or speaking to students reflect the warmth she extended to everyone who passed through the school’s gates. She was known to listen before she advised, and to encourage even the most hesitant of hands to create. Her bond with the KSA faculty and alumni was one of respect and mutual growth.
From bronze sculptures to teaching philosophies, Rabia Zuberi’s contributions live on not just in galleries, but in minds she helped sharpen and hands she helped steady. The images in this essay are a tribute to a legacy that cannot be captured fully in words — a name that continues to echo through the classrooms, corridors, and dreams at KSA.