Rahma is an Arabic word for the all-encompassing Divine compassion and concern for humanity. It has roots in the word Rahm meaning womb, which in the works of Andalusian Sufi Sage Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi signifies creation as a feminine act. The womb is considered a perfect microcosmic reflection of the macrocosmic world we all live in.
Drawn by the deep connections between Rahma and the feminine, artist and academic Narjis Mirza builds on her own experience of being a new mother in this new, multi-sensory installation.
The installation soundscape includes her baby’s fetal heartbeat and first cry alongside a collection of multilingual lullabies produced through community workshops and studio recording sessions with local women. These lullabies further weave, and recall, the sacred maternal connection to creation that seeps through generations.
Immersive multi-speaker sound technology, combined with gentle fabric sculptures and soft lighting, encapsulates the intimate scene of a mother awakening in the middle of the night, responding and tending to her baby’s cries with the comforting melody of her voice. The calligraphy and video projection contain the word Rahm – Womb inscribed 40 times until it transforms into the word Rahma.
You are invited to surrender into the tender, compassionate embrace of Rahma: Our Creative Feminine.
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