This collection is the conversation between the most sacred letter (holy scripture) and the most devout believer (the dervish). It enjoins two forms of painting that dovetail with the notion of 'dhikr' in its unique metaphysical and multidimensional essence, works by calligraphist Mohamed Hassan in three distinct modes of execution; classical, reimagined and abstract, make up the majority of this collection and are complemented with the figurative portrayals of dervishes in both abstract-impressionist and traditional genres by artists Rana Chalabi and Katherine Bakhoum respectively.
In the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan which begins March 1 and ends March 29, following our recent tradition we are presenting a dedicated collection of works that coincide with this spiritual time of year. This exhibition sees a curated assortment of works under the unifying theme of dhikr (ذِكْر), the form of worship in reverent remembrance of God performed and recited repeatedly in submission to His grace and mercy. The act of dhikr (remembrance) is most notably associated with the Sufi rite, and often involves a specific posture, breathing and movement accompanied by recurrent utterances of the various names of God and supplications from the Islamic scriptures. Indeed, the Holy Quran itself is considered by Muslims to be the preeminent form of dhikr, a potent and omnipotent reminder from God conveyed through the prophets and messengers, as well as our response to that remembrance, signifying a reciprocal interaction between the human and divine.
This collection is thus the conversation between the most sacred letter (holy scripture) and the most devout believer (the dervish). It enjoins two forms of painting that dovetail with the notion of dhikr in its unique metaphysical and multidimensional essence, works by calligraphist Mohamed Hassan in three distinct modes of execution; classical, reimagined and abstract, make up the majority of this collection and are complemented with the figurative portrayals of dervishes in both abstract-impressionist and traditional genres by artists Rana Chalabi and Katherine Bakhoum respectively. The practice of dhikr is delightfully captured in each of these works, with the conversation between them being both unmistakable and profound.
The various Quranic verses that Hassan assiduously captures in a myriad of aesthetics, constitute the various prayers, invocations, and supplications that the figures of the dervishes themselves exemplify and embody most powerfully. In Sufism, dervishes are known to practice dhikr through physical exertions or religious practices to attain ecstatic spiritual ascendance. Rana Chalabi, a practitioner of sufism herself, captures these whirling dervishes with an aura of asceticism in their sparse yet fulfilling composition. Chalabi illustrates the performance of sama (listening), which is associated with the 13th-century mystic genius of Rumi, and the folklore surrounding these whirling dervishes, often credited with the ability to perform miracles and ascribed supernatural powers by adherents. A pair of impressively executed and piercingly emotive portraits of somber dervishes by Safarkhan resident artist Katherine Bakhoum completes this curation. Set against their ornately embellished backgrounds which she is reputed for, they stand in pleasing harmonizing contrast to the austere allure of Chalabi’s.
