Danish Bashir, Diploma

Two Lambs
Stained glass
9.5 x 14 cm

Artist Statement

Entering the Art-Khanqah in Lahore, Hast-o-Neest (a Persian phrase meaning “to be and not to be” from Rumi’s couplet), marked my first step towards understanding traditional art. My ustad (teacher) once quoted his own master, Ustad Abdul Aziz from Nasrpur:

“The actual Creator is the One, and we create merely to appreciate, pay tribute, and mimic that attribute of the One.”

This philosophy informs my understanding of traditional art practice across South Asia and much of the Arab-Islamic world—regions where pre-modern builders and creators reflect the sacred bond between the eternal and the temporal. This bond manifests in architectural wonders like the Taj Mahal.
For me, the Taj Mahal is not just a symbol of love but a convergence of diverse architectural and craft traditions. Artisans from the Ottoman Empire, Iran, Central Asia, and South Asia contributed to its creation. It is a multicultural collaboration, where multiplicity reflects the Divine Unity, revealing its intricacies and harmony upon closer inspection. To me, this represents the One—if I may be so bold.
My work, mostly scrolls made from Japanese handmade ivory paper (kozuke) painted in water-colour, seeks to highlight this multiplicity through a universal language: geometry. By documenting and analysing its design—its lines, shapes, and arcs—I honour this tradition. My work pays tribute to Ustad Ahmed Maymar Lahori, master-mason of the Illumined Taj, and my teacher, Ustad Hasan Taimoor Khan Mumtaz.

If a viewer perceives the relationship between myself (the apprentice) and my Master in my scrolls and plaster-work, I have achieved my purpose.