Shafique gives new meaning to Rumi’s teachings through his paintings

ISLAMABAD: The teachings of Rumi take new meaning on the walls of Tanzara Art Gallery, housing Shafique Farooqi’s latest collection, the Whirling Dervish. Tanzara brings the Mevlevi order’s whirling dervish dance Sema to Islamabad.

The collection exudes lavish use of vibrant colours depicting fire, earth and the universe. Staying true to his inspiration, the artist creates images of the dervish dancers in space. They move as if they are not on earth and the depiction of the earth and sky is done using his colour palate.

Moving from one light to the other, removed from the earth and yet connected through the colours the artist gives
his work.

Farooqi’s work has a distinctive flair that sets him apart from other artists. His paintings display an inherent spirituality; which makes the viewer pause and contemplate over their quietude and serenity. “More so than anything else, his work is decorative and pleasing to the eye,” commented Noshi Kadir of Tanzara gallery.

The Lahore-based artist spent most of his time in Istanbul receiving training and exhibiting his work for the past 50 years. Having worked with all possible mediums painting landscapes and figurines the artist believes in studying his inner self and creating something that’s from the mind.

It is not art if it doesn’t include some aspect of the artist’s own self in it. Living in Turkey and visiting various Sema rituals inspired Farooqi to make it the subject of this latest collection.

Sema represents the mystical journey of a man’s spiritual ascent through mind and love to a “state of perfection”.

Attaining Nirvana and connecting with God through dance and music.

“Turning towards the truth, the follower grows through love, deserts his ego, finds truth and arrives to the perfect. He then returns from his spiritual journey as a man who has reached maturity and greater perfection,” said Farooqi.

Giving credit to his wife for the inspiration she brings to him, the artist uses his love for his own family to create the harmony of the family in the colours he uses to create and attain “perfection” for himself.

Ghazalaul Mulk, a housewife and hotelier in Chitral, commented on Farooqi’s work, “I have a lot of walls to fill and I am always looking for good art work to take home with me.

Farooq’s work is stunning and I bought two paintings because they are not just spiritual but also stunning and the spirituality does not overpower the artists vision of the composition of the painting.”

Farooqi’s work has been extensively exhibited at home and abroad in 85 solo and group shows in the USA, England, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany, Sudan, France, Canada, Holland, Turkey and Pakistan. For his prominence in the field and the paintings being moderately priced, the exhibit is a must see and worth housing.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2010.