'Faith, Soul and Search'

Words falter again, hovering inadequately to express R.M. Naeem's exhibition, Faith, 'Soul and Search' at the Koel gallery. An intangible theme, like fleeting perfume, hard to pin down. Yet laden with profound meaning, layers of wisdom couched in religious iconography, which even the artist is loath to define.
'Inspiration can not be defined,' he says, when you question him too much about his works. 'It is the aura of the works that should come through. Like the truth in religion or a pious person, one cannot define exactly what it is which strikes the heart and draws you to it/him.'
That is R.M. Naeem's work, deeply spiritual exuding an enigmatic inner peace, employing a complex religious iconography, yet woven in a simple clarity. A juxtaposition of geometric symbols with delicately hued painting, from bright flat spaces of colour to delicately limned hues merging subtly into each other, in the veiled drapery to the sky lost in fading hues. There is much to breathe in.
Beyond a sketchy explanation of his imagery, the artist wishes the viewer to draw his own conclusions. His imagery, impelled in a divinely creative process can not be explained. Strewn with religious symbols, the works are allegorical, a response to the social chaos around him. His works do not comment on the socio-political scene, rather his works are an antidote to the confusion he sees around him.
Naeem overturns many of the commonly accepted notions of knowledge/ information. 'The cacophony of information, news streaming out from the innumerable channels is not knowledge,' he says 'but more like pollution, which can make one feel lost.' In that state of mind he urges his viewers to take time out to reflect and meditate and turn one's vision inwards, to seek peace and guidance from the inner light, which everyone possesses. Many of his figures are blind folded, or lack eyes, they don't even look out, as if oblivious to the viewer and each other, but look inwards, heads bowed, as if in communication with or listening to a voice within themselves.
Naeem hopes to influence his viewers in this way, to stop, reflect and return to the path of self-discovery. Its as if there are signposts all around indicating that we have to go somewhere, which is towards God. As Ibn Arabi says 'the signs of Allah are everywhere, if we notice.'
For us to go somewhere, reach something in quest of the soul as indicated by the footpaths, and the zebra crossings, Allah has left way marks and symbols to follow. The signs of Allah take various forms in his works from nature, water, mountains, land, earth, tress which serve as His reminders as He is reflected in His creation. While urban traffic signals, road symbols may represent the laws we must follow. The arrows pointing upwards are symbolical reminders to return to God. The boat represents Noah's arc, a symbol of salvation, from the chaos, a lei motif which proliferates his work. Water sticks, used to gauge the depth of water in the rural areas, have a symbolic value. Water represents spirituality as in the water of mercy or life, and is again an important element, biologically and spiritually, lack of water signifying ill health. These self-contained, seemingly content figures are immersed 80 percent in water symbolising their spiritual purity, in streams reminiscent of the rives of paradise where they lie at peace amidst the verdure.
Many of the figures wear veils or are blind folded, for it is the inner light (or God), which is guiding them. "They don't have eyes or ears, the sources of evil. For to follow His path, is to shut one's eyes to the outside world for the guidance of God and see and hear no evil." A strange inner light pervades the work, the inner light comes from knowledge, spirituality and is reflected in the work and in the individuals.
The spiritual light adds to the sense of inner peace in the ideal world inhabited by these individuals, 'there is no noise, their world is better than ours,' Naeem explains. 'There is nothing breaking the silence, no one is teasing the other or interfering in the others path, everyone is following his own path peacefully, not getting in the others way.' Their heads are bowed in postures of submission and acceptance of His will.
-- The exhibition handout include a stanza by Mahmud Shabistari,
-- Each is always in motion yet ever at rest,
-- Never beginning and never ending.
-- Each ever cognisant of his own essence and for that cause
-- Ever pressing his way towards the throne on high.
-- Beneath the veil of each atom is hidden
-- The heart ravishing beauty of the beloved's face.
Naeem believes each of us has own path to follow. 'To realise our true selves, each individual has to overcome obstacles and reach the potential within him to be at peace. For every one has been sent for a purpose and bestowed some qualities which if he discovers, he can use to share and help others. 'Knowledge is to know yourself' as Yunus Emre, (Turkish poet 1400) says, "for what use is knowledge, if you don't know yourself.' This may be what he means when he is critical of those with superficial, worldly knowledge, 'who use it to flaunt it.' True knowledge is however found with the humblest of individuals he continues. 'They will never flaunt themselves but are content to remain hidden. It is from such individuals that I've learnt.' 'They may not have formal education yet they far bypass the head of any bank in their inner strength.' 'These are the hidden, true leaders who do not come forward, the guides of mankind, signs of God. They may outwardly appear like us, but inwardly they are the chosen ones.'
Naeem is influenced by sufism and these guides/saints appear in his works in the form of masked figures... 'androgynous, can be male or female, sometimes garbed in traditional Islamic green or in a shalwar kameez outwardly appearing the same.'
The descent of God's divine grace and guidance is also reflected in the form of the circle and cubes - traditional religious symbols in all religions yet like God's signs, it is disguised, not very discernible except to those who know. This divine grace links the heavenly world with the men, or the earthly, descending or enclosing, protecting in the forms of clouds. Even the veils and the Chadors seem to offer divine protection. As Allah is everywhere guiding and warning not to go off-track, reminding. In the journey of self-discovery one must not only follow the signposts and way marks but also the rules to find the way.
Following the rules and the path requires discipline. Yet Naeem believes 'Only when one undergoes the painful process of discipline can one achieve fulfilment as a woman is completed after the painful process of child birth.'
Other analogies are used to represent the learning process. The first learning place, the home, is shown as a cubular, enclosed space in an image, while the rough terrain around it, represents real life, with its ups and downs, where one actually learns as he quotes his mother's words.