Introduction to Mantiq al-Tayr of Fariduddin Attar | Taimoor Khan Mumtaz

Art | Introduction to Mantiq al-Tayr of Fariduddin Attar | Taimoor Khan Mumtaz Opening Day of the Viewing of Seven Miniatures on Simorgh of Attar of Nishapur - رونمائی سیمرغ عطار نیشاپوری - at Hast o Neest Lahore. Link to the Artists Talk :    • Art | Seven Miniatures on Simorgh | Fyza N...   Artists | Fyza Noon Fayyaz, Danish Bashir, Michelle Farooqi, Rafay Anwer, Mehvish Fatima, Vajiha Ibrahim & Syeda Rafia Hussain. Two years ago, the art department at Hast o Neest embarked on a project to interpret Fariduddin Attar’s Mantiq-ul-Tayr through the collaborative effort of six students. It was an attempt to revisit the original philosophical and theological framework that allowed this visual art to emerge within the Islamic traditional world view. And Solomon was David’s heir. And he said: ‘O mankind! Lo! We have been taught the language of the birds (Mantiq-ul-tayr). (Quran 27:16) Manuscript illustration “Musawari”, is a potent language that allows text to be translated through symbols, conveying subtle layers of meaning hidden in words. All the elements of visual art are employed in a way that allow the viewer to see beyond the surface and explore the relationship between text and image through multiple perspectives. Miniature painting successfully transforms the plain surface of the page to depict grades of reality, guiding the audience from the horizon of material existence, to higher states of consciousness, to a realm with its own space, time, movement, colour and form. This process of studying mystical literature, unveiling its deeper meanings, and using symbols to convey the essence, leads the artist on a very personal journey of self realization. The student enters the imaginal / psychological realm using intuition to understand and create. The resultant compositions reflect the enlightened vision of the Saint. This is the real fruit of his or her labour. It is this experience that a traditional art practice is designed to achieve. Ibn Muqla Centre of the Arts | December 2021 Hast o Neest Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts www.hastoneest.com/arts