Feathered Friends

Birds are small, harmless and stunning creatures that accompany us on every side. A unique feature of these living beings within the animal
kingdom is that they reside harmlessly among humanity. Often times the
utterances of these birds may be heard with melodies so pleasing that
parts of Persian music have been tuned to their chords.

These musical components have therefore been bestowed names based on those of the birds. in this exhibition "Feathered Friends" I have painted these birds in "Miniature" style and with the calligraphy used within the pieces have elaborated upon their meaning. The majority of these words speak of love. The poetic works of "Rumi" have been recorded in some of these paintings and in fact these birds are the speakers of his poems. These pieces have been painted in the duration of the year 2007, being the year bearing the remembrance of Rumi throughout the world.

Birds are of different forms and each belongs to its own area of land. However at times these birds fly forth to a new destination for various proposes and that too has a story of its own. Their migration symbolizes the life of others and myself in similar situation who have flown to this land and begun new lives. One of my works portraying the singing bird exhibits the story of this separation. Rumi also recorded a story similar to this in the form of a Persian poem.

I have also used the works of other poets in these paintings comprising of both contemporary work such as Sepehri, Shamlo and Moshiri and traditional poets like Hakim Omar Khayam or even works of greater men like Baha'u'llah, being the Messenger of peace to the world of man.

In one of these pieces, a bird is found singing and playing a Persian instrument known as a "Settar". Throughout the melodies of the bird's tone, I have been able to portray its expressions.

We have never pondered on the feelings of these birds, have we?

Although the pieces have all been stylized principally as a Miniature, with the combination of calligraphy and either fictional or non-fictional sceneries, modern pieces have been formed. My paintings,
therefore have expressed Miniature with a unique and modern view.

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