The Naming of Things
27 August to 28 SeptemberHow well do you know the history of the land you live on? Discover a brand-new audio-visual installation by Dharug artist and educator Chris Tobin and filmmaker Darrin Baker.
This exhibition is now closed
Step into the immersive multi-sensory installation Rahma: Our Creative Feminine by artist and academic Narjis Mirza, in collaboration with artist and vocalist Maissa Alameddine and the Interactive Media Lab at the University of New South Wales.
Rahma is an Arabic word for divine compassion and concern for humanity. It has roots in the word Rahm meaning womb, which in the works of Andalusian Sufi Sage Ibn Arabi signifies the creation as a feminine act.
Drawn by the deep connections between Rahma and the feminine, Narjis creates a womb-like space with translucent fabric, light projections, calligraphy and a collection of lullabies, produced through workshops and studio recording sessions with local women.
Narjis expertly weaves together stories of language, history and ancient traditions with multi-speaker technology to give voice to the creative feminine.
The soundscape composition contains 20 lullabies and lasts for approximately 30 minutes.
Creative Team
Concept and Lead Artist: Narjis Mirza
Collaborators: Maissa Alameddine and The Interactive Media Lab, University of New South Wales
Lead Vocalists: Maissa Alameddine, Nassim Ghosni and Dr. Charulatha Mani
Calligraphy Artist: Reza Taghipor
Sound and Lighting Design: Kurt Mikolajczyk and Caitlin Dubler
Contributing Vocalists: Alice Kswani, Jing Lei, Joanna Turner, Khushbu Parikl, Leith Tegart Schotte, Mago Shaheen, Megan Roach, Mumtaz Mirza, Nayyar Fatima Zaidi, Palepa Epifania Pasikale, Sawsan Teudor, Yvette Naulgan
Blacktown Arts Producing Team: Louisa Minutillo, Renay Xuereb, Verónica Barac-Gomez
and Shannon O’Riley
Recording: Safehouse Studios
Bios
Narjis Mirza is a media installation artist who orchestrates a poetic, philosophical, and spiritual exploration of light through sensory installations. Her work encompasses large-scale light and sound installations, seamlessly integrating projection, animation, video, textile, and voice. Through immersive experiences, she invites viewers to actively participate, transforming her artworks into interactive events. Initially trained as a painter, Narjis graduated with the highest honour of distinction from the National College of Arts in Pakistan before pursuing a Master’s in Media and Design at Bilkent University, Ankara. Her journey led her to exhibit her work in Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan. In 2017, she was honoured with the Vice Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarship, culminating in a practice-led PhD at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. Narjis contributed to the development of interactive participatory media art at the Interactive Media Lab, University of New South Wales. Her research has produced a body of work, notably the multisensory installation Hayakal al Noor, Bodies of Light, inspired by Islamic philosophy, and her latest work, Rahma: Our Creative Feminine.
The audio system for this work was based on technology developed by The Interactive Media Lab, UNSW supported by an Australian Research Centre Linkage Grant. Special thanks to Dr. Ollie Bown, Dr. Muhammad Kamal, Dr Milad Milani, Safder Ahmed, Asim Hussnain.
This project is presented by Blacktown Arts and proudly funded by the NSW Government through Create NSW, Creative Australia and Blacktown City Council.
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