Zenab Kazmi

لال Lal (Red)

Last of a three-part series titled "Rumuuz e Ishq (Mysteries of Love)."Hand-sewn and hand-embroidered textile installation.

“This work marks a full-circle moment, returning to imagery from my first assignment at OCAD University. This returning mirrors the circular motion of a Malang’s dhamal, a turning through which one is continually made and unmade to the rhythm of remembrance. It honours the fiery divine love associated with Shah Hussain and his beloved, Madho Lal. Here, Lal (red) is not merely a colour or a name; it carries the same sense of wholeness explored earlier in Suhagan. The hand-embroidered verse in Punjabi by Shah Hussain reads:صاحب تیری بندی آںمندی آں کہ چنگی آںSahib teri bandi aanMandi aan kay changgi aanO Master, I am your devoteeWhether I am bad or goodThis verse expresses complete surrender, devotion, and unconditional belonging to the Beloved, beyond moral judgment or social worthiness.”