Description

This product is a print of a linocut I created while I was at university. The reference is a photograph I took at Masjid e Kufa in Iraq during a visit for Arbaeen (the 40th day after the day of Ashura). I found it very wholesome to see people sitting down, ready to seek knowledge from the Maulana (a religious Muslim scholar).

It made me realise how natural it is for us to always be open to learning and to absorb history, as it’s constantly around us. This piece was an experiment, I made several different types of prints using the same linocut and concept.

I’m always keen to incorporate calligraphy of text and scripture into my work, as it’s highly relevant—especially in Islamic art. I also aimed to create a more abstract look in this piece. The background text is a Quranic verse from Surah At-Tawbah [9:122]. I used a kalam (traditional calligraphy pen) and ink to write the scripture in the background.