Finalist in Walker & Hall Awards 2018

In this work, ‘Conference of the Birds’, we continue with themes of recent collaborative paintings, exploring ideas of individual, cultural and spiritual transformation. Cross-culturally, the image of the griffin symbolises wisdom and protection. We draw inspiration from antiquity and mythology as a means to engage with contemporary issues. This collaborative work is inspired by the poem ‘Conference of the Birds’ by Attar, the 12th century Sufi poet, translated by Sholeh Wolpe. Attar, one of the most famous mystic poets of Iran, speaks of the ‘Simorgh’ (half eagle, half lion) as an archetype of spiritual wisdom.