Zenab Kazmi

سہاگن Suhagan (The Bride)

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

““Suhagan (The Bride)” is a part of Rumuuz e Ishq (Mysteries of Love), a series of three hand-sewn 5x3 ft textile installations that explore themes of longing, devotion, and subtle mysteries of love. Here, I layer chunri, a hand-dyed fabric sourced in Pakistan, over a suede-like fabric I found here in Canada. I’m interested in how these materials meet each other while holding distance and possibility simultaneously. The chunri is framed by a polyfill arch to evoke a sense of an entrance or a threshold. In the foreground is a gently sculpted gold-embroidered red velvet form, suggesting the silhouette of a bride. This figure echoes the poetic imagery of a bride as a symbol of spiritual wholeness in Amir Khusro’s Chap Tilak. The chunri gestures toward longing, whereas the velvet form suggests union.Above the figure, a verse from Chap Tilak is hand-embroidered in metallic gold thread and trim, allowing the poem to exist within the work as a tactile invocation. Small gold mirrors scatter across the base fabric, echoing bridal adornment and subtle moments of self-reflection. The hand-stitched borders mimic the edge of a Ja'e Namaz (prayer mat). It gestures toward prayer, repetition, and grounding. The work hangs from a wooden dowel, inviting you to move around it and find your own point of entry in this layered world. Pause if it feels right. Hold what lingers and allow the rest to drift toward meaning in its own time.Embroidered Verse:موہے سہاگن کینی رےMohay suhagan kini reYou have made me your brideFor the complete poem "Chap Tilak" by Amir Khusro with English translation, kindly view:https://allpoetry.com/Chaap-Tilak-For auditory rendition, please view:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SDrjwtfKMk”