A whirling dervish is illustrated in Arabic calligraphy in the jali Diwani script. In Islam, “Dervish” can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (Tariqah) or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty; while dervishes are known around the globe for their ritual spinning in their unique attire as an attempt to reach a state of clear-mindedness and connection with the divine.

The phrase “Light on Light” is repeated throughout the dervish’s hat and robes. The concept that all life and creation is light upon light, with the injunction to cultivate and approach the light and while struggling against darkness is found in mystic traditions across nearly every religious movement. The phrase specifically in Arabic appears in the 34th verse of the 24th Surah of the Holy Quran Surah An-Nur. This sentence is commonly heard throughout the Middle East.

This piece is the second in a series, each rendered in a different color with the same arrangement of text.

Dimensions: 45x35cm

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