Aisha Jaffar

Star, Dust.

“Star, Dust.” Is a diptych of two 48 by 48” (8.5 by 4ft) paintings. The first part depicts a large 45” sun with Arabic Quranic calligraphy blended into the visual textures of the flares. The second canvas has an approx 1 cm Earth in its centre, the Sun and Earth are to scale, depicting us to be 109 times smaller than the Sun. Quran verses hidden in this painting translate to “We built the universe with ˹great˺ might, and We are certainly expanding ˹it˺.” 51:47, and, “And He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each travelling in an orbit.” 21:33. Start Dust is rooted in the Overview Effect; an overwhelming cognitive shift astronauts feel when they look back at the Earth from space. they see the Earth as one, beyond the range of politics and borders. Integrates Arabic calligraphy and Islamic references with striking visuals of outer space, Star Dust serves as a humbling reminder of our brief existence in the grand expanse and appreciation for The Creator.

“Above the clouds, where the blue fades to black,In the stillness, the stars call us back.The Earth spins, a fragile, glowing sphere,
A pulse that beats, so distant yet so near.In this boundless sky, in the cosmic dance,
We are but fleeting travellers by chance.I see no borders, no walls of stone,
Just a spinning cradle, where we’re all unknown,
Yet deeply connected, woven through Space,
Bound by this fragile, infinite grace.The stars, eternal, stretch beyond our sight,
While we flicker briefly, in the endless night.Stardust flows through our veins, ancient and true,
Each speck of us crafted from stars' fiery hue.From supernovae's ashes, we take our form,
A grain in the galaxy, yet part of the storm.Stars burn in their glory, while dust we remain,
A moment of brilliance, then scattered again.
A pale blue dot spins in her quiet grace,
She witnesses all — each rise, each fall, each face.When our echoes are lost and no marks remain,She will still endure, and the skies still will sustain.Mountains will stand where our dreams once lay,
Rivers will carve through the light of day.
Ultimately, we all return to the soil,The Earth reclaims us, in her endless toil.The Universe hums its everlasting song,
While we are but a moment, passing along.A spark in the dark, then lost in the flow,
We are but dust where the galaxies go.When I return, will I still feel the same?
Will I carry the truth of this cosmic flame?In the heart of the stars, our story began,
Tiny fragments of light, scattered by chance.
We are but one spinning through Space,
Bound to each other, in this fragile place.”