Abda Fayyaz’s artworks illustrate the links between things and why it is so
- 01 May 2023
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Spring Life, the show hosted by Bedia Modern Art Gallery at Al Khayat Avenue, Dubai, concluded April 30.
It was a group exhibition that presented artworks that strove to signify growth, prosperity and camaraderie. Ten artists took part in the event, among whom was Abda Fayyaz. Fayyaz is a Pakistani national and she showed her latest series titled The Search Within. It is inspired by shapes and colours of Nature, while using master script ‘Allah’ as the main element.
“The world is not what it appears to be,” she says. “Nature’s technology is much more advanced! Our eyes see the front picture only; but there is much more behind the scene.” According to her, the objects and meanings of the unknown we try to explore and investigate through our limited technologies and scientific research, are already present in Nature. “Nature is a deep expert; we just need to collaborate with her,” Fayyaz says.
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She notes that the universe and the planet are naturally in perfect form. “What we need is to change ourselves in our core, in order to be in sync with eternal harmonies. We have to bring about this transformation for collective global impact in the current state of ecological crises.” Fayyaz’s artworks emphasise the importance of discovering our true capacities. “Each one of us is endowed with resources that are always available if we have the right connection with our inner consciousness,” Fayyaz points out. “We have to be curious, energetic and work out our holistic purpose to be aligned with that of the universe’s.”
“I often receive feedback from clients that my artworks provide relaxed energies and calm and rejuvenated feelings,” she says. “I am proud and feel blessed that my work is conveying positivity — a vital element in the current state of the planet.”
Her pieces carry interlinked energies, inspired by Nature, the cosmos, besides much more that is within and around us, using only the word ‘Allah’. The Search Within is part of a series she has worked on for a year. Earlier in March, she launched her inaugural sculptures, where the compositions were based on the very first alphabet of the Arabic script, namely, ‘Alif’ and the sacred name ‘Allah’.
“The alphabet ‘Alif’ and the word ‘Allah’ are so infinite that I do not think that even if I work all my life, it will be enough to interpret them or even scrape their surface,” says Fayyaz. She quotes the Quranic verses to underpin her thoughts. “And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea was ink, replenished thereafter by seven more seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted.” (Luqman, 31:27).
In addition to her visual art and as an extension of the current art series, she has written the following poem, on how she feels connected with the One and how she sees Him present everywhere.
“I see you ...
I see you everywhere
In the dark of the night,
In the light of the day.
In the drop of water,
In the dry withered leaf.
I see you ...
In the flight of a sparrow,
In the flight of an aircraft.
In the beautiful eyes of my diverse friends,
In the wrinkles forming on my father’s hands.
I see you ...
In every advancement of human race,
In the aging of our planet.
Because you are present everywhere,
You are with me, wherever I go.
You are present within me,
More than me …”
Fayyaz is an award winning and self-taught artist; her work is a reflection of how she understands the universe and the constant transformations that take place within and around us. From abstract paintings to calligraphy, she fuses modern and contemporary art, offered through traditional techniques. She has been a serious artist for the past decade, and her themes emphasise the importance of finding our true purpose.
“Everything has a purpose, meaning and an important role to play, whether it is a grain of sand, a drop of water or the entire cosmos - we all are here for a reason through which we all are closely connected. We all are one!” she avers.
She could have been echoing English naturalist Charles Darwin who was moved to exclaim that “there is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”
The concepts of religion and art have always been closely related. Both religion and art improve a person’s spirituality, helps him enter the spiritual world, and feel the essence of being. Religion and art are one of the most important factors in the development of any civilisation. Both of them are capable of enlightening people. It can be concluded that religion and art have always directed their activities for the benefit of society since they strengthen the social bond between humans and engender positive emotions of joy, hope and empathy. Fayyaz holds a degree in Banking and Finance and has over a decade and a half years’ experience in brand, marketing, and strategy management.
