Dervish

As a recent graduate in UNSW Art & Design, Idil Abdullahi considers herself first and foremost a ‘community based artist’ spending much of her time engaging the local refugee communities through her art practice. Idil’s work delicately explores culture and spirituality through the robust and grounded organic materials of clay and henna. The three-piece ceramic titled Dervish, cleverly captures the serenity and simplicity of the ‘Whirling Dervish’ in a ceramic rendering, engaging the viewer through the use of shape, colour and texture. A fine, almost shadow like calligraphy graces the outside of the turquoise vessel citing the word Allah. The three vessels are balanced near perfectly in unison; as though they are almost catching the breath of the other. Idil’s work effortlessly straddles the fault lines of the Australian Muslim identity while providing an insight into the contemporary renderings of an ancient religious philosophy in her unique artistic language.