Spiritual Ecology Artist
Global Conference of the Birds
Global Conference of the Birds is a contemporary visual retelling of Farid ud-Din Attar’s 12th-century Sufi poem, reimagined through the lens of spiritual awakening and ecological responsibility. Across eight monumental panels, Tanzanian artist Shafina Jaffer invites viewers into a journey of transformation—where birds, symbolic of the soul, traverse the seven valleys in search of the Simurgh, only to discover that what they seek lies within.
Painted on sustainably sourced bark cloth using turmeric, saffron, charcoal, and rainwater, the works are deeply rooted in nature. Jaffer incorporates eco-printing, Qur’anic calligraphy, and sacred geometry to explore the balance between Dīn (faith) and Dunyā (the world), and to honour the interconnectedness of all life.
This is not just an exhibition—it is a spiritual and environmental call to awareness. The birds are watching. Nature is speaking. Are we ready to listen?
Carriers of the Light – 49 Reflections of Nūr (Tembo/Elephant)
70 x 40 cm
Bark cloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
This sacred elephant is not merely animal—it is archive. Formed from 49 endangered birds, it honours the 49 Qur’anic references to Nūr, the Divine Light. The elephant, symbol of memory and collective wisdom, carries this radiant presence with quiet power. Behind its form, a sacred geometric pattern inspired by the beehive speaks of structure, unity, and service—echoing the labour of both bees and birds in divine order. The Hoopoe watches from within, ever guiding. This is a living constellation of Earth's endangered guardians-joined in one being, walking with the weight of light.
Nur-e Simurgh-The Illuminated One
4m x 2m
Bark cloth, Natural pigments
Exhibited at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE (2025)
Ismaili Centre Houston, USA
2025
“At the first, cleanse the soul until it shines;
Let the borrowed breath return to its Source.
Raise the spirit’s throne upon the dust;
See earth dissolve within the One true Light.
Heaven ascends, then bows again to soil—
For every path begins in humbled heart.”
(Adapted from the opening of Farid al-Din Attar’s Conference of the Birds)
This work invokes the Simurgh not merely as a mythic bird, but as a profound symbol of taslīm—sacred surrender—and fanā—the annihilation of ego before the Divine. Reimagined as more than a figure of wonder, the Simurgh emerges here as an enduring emblem of wisdom, renewal, and inner transformation.
In Attar’s Conference of the Birds, the climactic vision unfolds on Mount Qaf, where the surviving birds, stripped by trials, finally behold the Simurgh. What they encounter is not an external sovereign but a mirror of themselves: the Nūr, the divine light they sought beyond horizons, revealed as always residing within their own hearts.
The Burden and the Light
4m x 2m
Bark cloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Zamana Gallery Space, London (2025)
Exhibited at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE (2025)
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London, UK(2025)
A gathering of birds rises across the barkcloth surface, each responding differently to an unseen call. Led by the Hoopoe, they embody the varied states of the soul—hesitation, courage, surrender. This work reflects the beginning of the journey, where awakening stirs and the first movement toward transformation takes flight.
The Journey
4m x 2m
Bark cloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Zamana Gallery Space, London (2025)
Exhibited at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE (2025)
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London, UK(2025)
Led by the Hoopoe a multitude of birds—some endangered, some extinct, even flightless—gather to answer the Hoopoe’s divine call. This scroll-like composition draws from The Conference of the Birds, symbolising a collective journey toward inner truth.
The Light She Carries
70 × 50 cm, Barkcloth, natural pigments
Ismaili Centre, Paris, France (permanent collection)
2025
The Crest alight, the Hoopoe stands not in pride, but in luminous purpose. In Attar’s tale, she is the chosen guide—the mystic voice calling the birds to seek the Simurgh. “Which way must I fly?” She does not answer with sound—but with light. She is the wayfarer’s flame, the compass within.
Carriers of the Light – 49 Reflections of Nūr (Horse)
70 × 50 cm, Barkcloth, natural pigments
UAE Royal Family (private collection)
2025
Composed of 49 endangered birds, the galloping horse carries within it both urgency and grace. It is the bearer of motion, spirit, and transformation—its form a vessel of divine purpose.
Throne of Feathers – Tausi
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
The once-proud peacock takes flight—not for display, but for truth. Its feathers, once symbols of vanity, now shimmer with surrender. Rising toward a golden sphere, it leads others not by might, but by example.
Tethered No More
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
Once clinging to the comfort of water, the one-legged duck finds the courage to rise. It answers the call and takes flight, defying its perceived weakness. This is not the escape from brokenness, but the alchemy of it. The bird’s ascent is a lesson in spiritual resilience.
The Lotus Was Enough
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
Amid a sacred lotus pond, the Zanzibar Khanga strays—its gaze fixed not on the divine bloom beneath its feet, but on false gems scattered nearby. In Attar’s tale, the partridge represents avarice, mistaking illusion for truth.
Wings Without Witness
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
In flight, this cockatoo soars with power and pride—yet its eyes burn with mistrust, its wings sharp with defiance. In The Conference of the Birds, this bird represents arrogance: the belief that enlightenment can be achieved alone.
Divine Watcher
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
A commanding falcon stands as a solitary witness in this painting—majestic yet reluctant to heed the inner call. A symbol of ambition and resistance, the falcon teaches that true strength comes not from standing alone, but from surrendering to the journey within.
The Song of Becoming
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
The nightingale sings with aching beauty to the rose and to the heavens—its cry both longing and prayer. Becoming begins not in motion, but in the honest sound of where we stand.
The Still Waters Within
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
The heron stands poised—graceful yet unmoved. In Attar’s tale, it dreams of distant shores but resists the journey within. This painting captures that paradox: the stillness of intuition, shadowed by the fear of surrender.
The Weight of Lightness
70 × 50 cm
Barkcloth, natural pigments
Exhibited at Mall Galleries, London (2025)
The goldfinch sits suspended in quiet tension—its radiant stillness concealing a hidden fear. In Attar’s tale, it claims to be too small to embark on the journey, masking doubt as humility. This work questions what light we dim when we believe we are not enough.