This video presents a virtual tour of Canticle of the Birds, a mixed-media exhibition at the Aga Khan Centre Gallery inspired by The Conference of the Birds, an allegorical masterpiece by the renowned 12th Century Persian poet, mystic, and theologian, Farid al-Din Attar (d. 1221 CE). Guided by the Gallery Curator Ms Esen Salma Kaya, the tour introduces the exhibition’s central themes of spiritual journey, transformation, and interconnectedness. It shows how artists from the UK and around the world reinterpret Attar’s allegorical tale through a wide range of media, while also engaging with contemporary concerns such as environmental change and the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Virtual Tour – The Canticle of the Birds Exhibition
Artworks and highlights in this exhibition
- Contemporary responses to Attar’s The Conference of the Birds
- Works inspired by the seven symbolic valleys
- Persian miniature painting with gold leaf detail
- Textile and tulle embroidery using natural materials
- Sculptural interpretations of mythical and symbolic birds
- Paper-based works and illustrated landscapes
- Sound and animation exploring the valleys through a modern lens
- Collaborative works combining geometry, architecture, and sound
- Student artworks depicting endangered UK bird species
- Curated spatial design, including colour, light, and floor installation
