“trust in light” gives me a better understanding of the significance of colours seen in mandalas and chakras. The painting, which shows the complexity of harmony and distortion, was inspired by a vision he had during meditation of a floating orb between two arches. The colours relate to seven chakras while black represents the blockages in the flow of energy in our bodies. He purposely leaves some small, bare spots and uneven colours to show that it is okay to have imperfections in our creations. The chakras relate to our experiences in overcoming creative blocks and in seeking healing and growth. These guide our inner selves in bettering our outer selves without worrying about achieving the idea of perfection.
Adam translates histories and experiences into the language of colours and symbols to strike visual conversations with the audience. He continues to experiment in using colours and symbols tomake thought-provoking abstract pieces. He invites us to follow his journey as an artist and, as individuals, to get to know him and ourselves better. Colours and symbols strengthen our relationship with the visual language, after which we build connections with our inner selves and with the uniqueness of the diversity of colours in others.
Elements of spirituality and astrology form two important parts of Adam's work and process of self-discovery. His work contradicts certain Islamic beliefs, such as monotheism and the rejection of idolatry. Adam, who left the religion and came out as queer in his teens, encourages us to be open-minded todifferent contexts, and we will find a universal connection not confined to the rigidity of a system.
Despite experiencing minor technical glitches, the session was insightful and interactive as Adam explained his selected paintings in detail and provided great responses to the attendees’ questions. A virtual space works best for him, compared with the limitations of a more mainstream space. It allows his paintings the freedom to exist as they are, while creating a safer space for the queer artist to freely express his thoughts and connect with a wider audience. It is within this virtual space that we can hold constructive and insightful conversations on colours, spirituality and healing our souls through art.
All images are credited from Adam Ummar’s Instagram page.
Adam Ummar’s paintings can be viewed on his Instagram page. You can purchase his paintings at the Art Pasar website.