Fatima Zahra Hassan. Journey of A Mystic.
Artist Statement: This painting is part of a series inspired by the discourses of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi in the Persian prose title ‘In it what is in it’ (Fihi Ma Fihi), narrating the experiential journey of the self through a city or the journey of a person’s soul.
Journey of a mystic is painted on tea-stained wasli paper that is often used in Indian, Mughal and Persian miniature painting. I usually prepare my own colour pigments when painting.
For the viewer there are many messages and metaphors underlying the various elements.The composition represents a human being: a Sufi embarking on a journey of their soul. It shows how one travels from one space to another which can be one’s own room, house, town or a city. The scattered threefold pattern on either end is derived from a traditional Islamic geometric pattern, repeatedly shown together from a bird’s eye view like drones flying over the unknown land or city—the red colour symbolising blood. Of the figure we see only a loose garment as depicted in medieval paintings in colours aqua green, malachite green-blue and with a red lining. There are roses and a white (Turkish) tulip, a bird-cage with an azure sky showing a full moon in the evening sky.
Further links:
http://islamicartsmagazine.com/magazine/view/thirst_of_the_soul/