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Jalaliyyih Quinn An Appreciation by Ludwig Tuman for the Rizvan Gallery In their international acclaim of Jalaliyyih Quinn's work, art critics and general viewers alike feel that to be exposed to her paintings is a moving experience. Quinn is a rare and consummate artist whose skills, insights and love of humanity are fused in the heat of a creative vision. Her creations bring to the viewer a richly endowed image in which people at all levels of appreciation are able to discover something of enduring value. Viewing her works is like stepping into one's own mind, into a region at once intimate and universal, a world of scintillating vision where the clash of opposing human desires is worked out in the crucible of humanity's spiritual unfolding. It is a world where the divine forces of hope, human unity, harmony and world peace ultimately gain the upper hand over despair, disunity, conflict and war. Like life itself, it is a world of becoming. Quinn's paintings are visual poetry. Like a poem, they can be read on a superficial level (one recognizes the forms of leaves, stars, people). Again like a poem, they can also be read on a deeper level where the recognizable forms become metaphors referring to themes such as hope and despair, war and peace. And again as in poetry, one can finally immerse oneself to that depth where one finds that everything in the painting -- forms, composition, colors, metaphors and the rest -- works together to suggest a sweeping vision of a world in the ardor of rebirth. It is to the artist's credit that the viewer can understand this both as the rebirth of one's own soul and as the emergence of a new social order. The magnitude of Jalaliyyih's themes often goes beyond what will fit, so to speak, into a single painting. Her works burst at the seams with transcendent content and intensity of statement. She is not much concerned with depicting objects, static conditions or concepts; her work aspires rather to capture and embody the flow of life, the pain and joy in the unfoldment of human potential. This is why her works often take the form of a series of paintings, to be viewed from left to right, and experienced across time. The paintings in these series are the inseparable parts of an artistic whole, each of them like a snapshot in the evolution of a drama. Together they come, perhaps, as close as painting can come to embodying a living process. Art critics and connoisseurs appreciate the fact that Quinn, despite the clear philosophical position of her work, has eschewed any trace of visual preaching or easy didacticism. If her work had no intended spiritual or philosophical content, it would remain outstanding on the strength of its masterful visual achievement. An uncanny sense of form and composition, the balance within the seeming chaos, the judicious combining of visual elements, a passionate yet purposeful use of color -- all is there. The artist has married consummate craft to a flaming creative impulse. She speaks of the universal and the timeless through an original and contemporary idiom. These and other qualities have won for her paintings substantial exhibitions throughout four continents in the past three decades, as her work has been sought for public and private collections around the world. An important aspect of Quinn's artistic achievement is its world-embracing vision. This is reflected both in the breadth of cultural regions on whose art she has drawn (Western, Islamic, African, Chinese) and in the universality of her themes. From whatever point of view one approaches her work, one senses here the stature of an artist whose shadow will grow from generation to generation. September 1997 * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflections from the West and East Nancy Lee Harper, piano A CD produced by Inteliworks, Inc. Review by Ludwig Tuman, published in Orison IX, p. 33 Nancy Harper, a pianist of international repute, brings to this collection of meditative pieces a rare combination of musical artistry, insight and poise. Though possessing an advanced technique, capable of fiery display, in this CD Nancy offers the listener a treat to a calming and uplifting experience. The pieces sample a variety of styles drawn from the vast treasure of classical music. What they have in common is their soothing effect, as well as their inherent musical interest. Performed with a sensitive and healing touch, the music on this CD is massage therapy for the soul, and vibrates like a prayer without words. It can be used to set a meditative tone for any spiritual gathering. It is also ideal for personal listening and reflection, or simply to come home to after a long day's work. The box that holds this CD is appropriately called a jewel case. |
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