PRISMATIC STORYTELLER: DISJUNCTIVE NARRATIVE IN AFSHAR MALIK’S ART

Abstract

The concept of disjunctive narrative in art emerged in early 20th-century movements like Dada and Surrealism, where artists broke traditional forms to explore the subconscious and challenge logic. This narrative approach extended beyond Europe to South Asia, where it became a powerful storytelling tool in Pakistani art. In a country marked by layered histories and socio-political complexities, non-linear narratives offer artists a means to express fragmented realities. This paper examines the work of Afshar Malik, a leading contemporary Pakistani artist, whose mixed-media pieces exemplify prismatic, surreal, and disjointed storytelling. Malik reinterprets surrealism through visual narratives that weave together themes of memory, absence, presence, and temporality—blurring the lines between past, present, and future. His work reflects the evolving discourse of global contemporary art while remaining deeply rooted in local context.