Naveed & Saima
| Title: |
Naveed
& Saima |
| Medium: |
Silhouette
paper-cut in black, gold, pearlescent
turquoise and red paper on white
background. Cut by hand using a scalpel. |
| Dimensions: |
Unframed
size: Approx 297 x 210 mm |
| Date: |
March
2010 |
| Comments: |
This
design incorporates a number of typically
Shia-Muslim
symbolic features, including the numerological
code (786/110) for the
Arabic bismillah ("In the Name of
Allah, the Most Merciful"), as well
as the matching "zamin"
on the right-hand sleeve of both bride
and groom, which traditionally feature
the embroidered invocation to Ali
(the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet
Muhammad) and Zahra
(epithet of Fatima, the Prophet's
daughter, and wife of Ali).
The Koran
lies open above the newly-wed couple. The
quotation is rendered in Arabic and
English script:
"He has put between
you affection and mercy" (Koran
30:21)
(Arabic: wa-ja'ala
bayna-kum mawaddatan wa-rahmatan)
The depiction of the costumes and
jewellery is based on typical Pakistani
wedding dress.
Designed as a Pakistani Shia-Muslim
wedding gift commission. Original
silhouette paper-cut in a private
collection in Ipswich, England.
Commissions for similar work taken.
Please contact me for further
details. |
Details in close-up:
The "zamin" is traditionally worn on
the right upper arm, over the sleeve of the
wedding dress. In real life, it is made of
embroidered fabric, and includes the appropriate
Arabic script invocation of Fatima (for the
bride's dress, as below: "yaa Zahra",
"O shining one", epithet of Fatima,
daughter of the Prophet), or Ali (for the groom).
With a scalpel blade, to show a sense of scale
With a pencil, to show a sense of scale
"He
has put between you affection and mercy"
(Koran 30:21)
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