A series inspired by Attar’s “Conference of the birds” by artist and designer Mustaali Raj. Raj’s creative approach centres around community building and designing for social good. On a personal level, Raj identifies with a multi-faceted sense of belonging that extends beyond geographic boundaries and, as such, diversity and the intersections of identity play an important role in his work.

“Rooted in conceptual thinking, my art practice is geared towards reinterpreting traditional motifs in contemporary and graphic activations. Patterns and script have layers of symbolism, histories, and hidden narratives, which continue to be more than just marks on a surface.”

This particular series draws on the 12th century poem about a group of birds who embark on an epic journey to find the legendary Simurgh. In the end, only 30 birds reach their final destination. Collectively they are the Simurgh (Si =30, Murgh = bird) with each bird representing a corresponding trait or behaviour that often holds us back from reaching our full potential. The story is a metaphor for human struggle and the search for self, a core aspect of self-reflection during the 30 Days of Ramadan.