A VISUAL POETRY
LONDON BASED ARTIST
Mobeen Akhtar specialises in the traditional arts. Her work takes you through a journey of colour and meticulous detail heavily inspired by traditional Islamic art. Paying respect to highly skilful techniques; developed by innovative artisans of our past, Mobeen hopes to continue to shine a light on them and keep them in focus in the form of contemporary work.
TAKING THE VIEWER THROUGH
a labyrinth of colour, hidden geometric lines, and fine brushes strokes she endeavours to evoke emotion and admiration for traditional arts. The work she creates is inspired by her own personal journey and is intertwined with the world around her on a global level. The visuals displayed in her work always transmits a sense of tranquility, harmony and balance, even though some of the subjects being addressed may not be coming from a place of ease.
HARMONIOUS IMAGERY IS
a characteristic of the traditional arts and one always strives to achieve balance in their overall composition; something the viewer will most definitely sense but may not recognise the reasons for why they are transported through such a transcendent visual experience. Her work seeks to explore ways to display her inner most emotions in the most beautiful and delicate way, allowing the viewer to connect their heart to every mark made on the canvas. It’s a door way into her thoughts, where her brush glides you through a two dimensional otherworldly landscape, painting after painting.
Her Materials are very
much connected with the Earth itself, and what God has blessed the Earth and its inhabitants with. Rich hand ground pigment, handmade paper and 24k gold leaf, are seen throughout all the work she creates.
portfolio
UNTITLED 2021
Inspired by sacred illumination from the world of Islamic art.
SOLACE, 2020
Exhibiting in Carpet Pages III : Pixels 2020, from 26th of Oct - 25th of Nov. Curated by Vaishali Prazmari.
Handmade pigments; Lapis Lazuli and Azurite, 24k genuine Gold leaf and Palladium on handmade wasli paper.
‘‘A sole bird is seen emerging from a place of turbulent waves and gathering clouds. Wings spread out she searches for peace and breaks free from the uncertainty and volatility of the skies and sea, above and beneath her. The golden light spreads warmth over her wings and enlightens/comforts her from within. The doors to another world are open where she finds solace in her newly found peace.’
NAFS, 2020
Hand-ground pigment, gum arabic and 24k gold leaf on handmade wasli paper.
The arabic word ‘Nafs’ can be described quite literally as self or, conscienceness and phyche. One could also describe it as “the little voice in our head”.
As humans we are in constant converstaion with ourselves, we are either in agreement with our conscience or we are in conflict with it.
This piece of work explores the places we go mentally and how we feel whilst in converstaion with the Nafs.
freedom box, 2020
Hand-ground pigment, gum arabic and 24k gold leaf on handmade wasli paper.
Inspired by the story of a Black slave called Henry Brown and his freedom story. This work raised £500 for the BLM cause which was donated to www.runnymedetrust.org, UK’s leading independant race equality research group.
GARDEN OF REFLECTION, 2018
Hand-ground pigment, gum arabic and 24k gold leaf on handmade wasli paper.
Wazir Khan Mosque of Old Lahore boasts a vast range of stylized florals which adorns its tiles and fresco work. Taking inspiration from the same walls and ceilings, Mobeen envisages the return of the flowers and trees to their gardens of origin. The concept aims to capture a feeling of completeness, a journey back to the beginning, the closing of the circle.
A rich colourful garden scene evokes visions of Paradise which awaits the return of the Mu’mineen (the faithful). Framed within an archway we visualise the entire structure and gardens beyond, a reflection of mankind’s search within themselves and contemplation of their place in existence.
Reunion , 2018
Hand-ground pigment, gum arabic and 24k gold leaf on handmade wasli paper.
This diptych is a prelude to the artist’s piece Garden of Reflection.
It depicts two birds that are searching for one another, awaiting the promised reunion. The golden sun shines down on the birds as a symbol of light and hope. They fly from tree to tree in search of one another so they can join and rest together in the Gardens of Paradise. They knew each other once upon a time, they lost each other, but under the Light they will be reunited as promised by their Creator. The Noor (light) of God will shine over them, there will be peace, there will be love, and there will be an eternity together.
The Dome of the rock, 2017
24k shell gold and watercolour on hot press paper.
The magnificent Dome of the Rock from Jerusalem, fused with a backdrop featuring a famous Moroccan ‘jali’ style geometric pattern.
The return 2017
24k shell gold and watercolour on hot press paper.
A geometric pattern from the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem enclosed in a golden hexagon. The central star is apinted in 24k gold.
ILLUMINATE, 2016
Inspired by Turkish islimi patterns.
24k gold, gouache on hot press paper.
‘Illuminate’ was one of the first Illumination paintings I completed. The spiralling floral patterns are most commonly known as islimi or tezhip. ‘Illuminate’ was inspired by my trip to Istanbul, where I witnessed endless spiralling designs of similar nature. A lot of the beautiful Quran Folios were decorated in extravagantly detailed patterns and I wanted to take a piece of that away with me. The way I did that was to recreate it in something that would take me through the entire process of design to colour.
I thoroughly enjoyed this painting and parting with it was hard. It’s now in a beautiful home all the way in America!
PERPETUAL, 2016
Inspired by Mamluk Qurans.
24k shell gold, malachite and gouache on handmade banana paper.
‘‘‘Perpetual’ was one of the first Illumination paintings I completed. The central pattern extends out and is framed within dazzling golden and coloured borders. Inspired by the Mamluk Qurans, the pattern is shown to have the possibility of continuing beyond it’s borders, and therefore communicates the endless repeating form of a geometric pattern. The possibility of repetition is infinite and therefore symbolises the eternal existence of the Creator of all creation. The central point of this geometry is where the Creator resides in relation to His creation and the pattern which extends from this point is a representation of how all of creation comes from Him alone. ’’
Mobeen Akhtar
The original painting was donated in 2019 to Europe’s first eco-friendly mosque, Cambridge Central Mosque .
taj mahal, 2016
Watercolour on hot press paper.
The grand Taj Mahal of India against a striking blue backdrop laced with a famous ‘jali’ pattern.
