::: I immensely enjoy developing my paintings because the creative process has lessons, each time, a new one. It’s impossible to force realities that occur beyond our selves and which take shape through us; we can only respect their language-flow and this practice eventually helps us endure circumstances in life we have no control over and such is the spirit of Surrender-Islam.
Because my visual art developed from the poems I compose, I’m not inclined to paint realities the naked eye sees because they are obvious to us. I aspire to put upon canvas that which is subtle and that purely mingles with the soul and that walks it to its bliss.
As my Arts are islamically spiritual and spiritually islamic therefore universal, I see no division between these creative activities and the practical rituals which come with being a Muslimah. When I soak my brushes in water, it takes me back to ablutions yet this time instead of preparing my self to step upon the prayermat, it’s my paint brushes that will “step” upon canvas, they become instruments I do not view outside of my body… At that moment, everything that lingered with the words of a composed poem unravels upon canvas, each brushwork brings me the utmost solace and invites me to reflection as well. The alternate smoothness and wildness inherent to the act of painting is a mirror of the Returning process I am subjected to. :::
Month: September 2006
Pearly Tears
Your scent lingers
with each curve
tracing the Universe.
Reduced to physicality,
the soul wanders beauties
for the sake of Love
until it beholds
your face again,
between each space,
there are insane lovers
whose vocabulary flirts
with the light scattered
like pearls to adorn
your precious hiddenness.
cc 2006 Aida Toure
Life of Light (*Aida Toure’s poem plagiarized & illegally appropriated)
*UPDATE January 3oth 2008: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT and COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT: this poem of mine “Life of Light” has been illegally appropriated by a singer against my wishes and without my permission. The poem has appeared in the inside jacket of his album without any credit nor copyright notice to my name. To see my poem illegally published on his album click here. The six last verses of the poem are missing. The purpose of this update is to reclaim the integrity of my work. ~Aida Toure.
Soul intertwined with Soul
We are the glorious colors
That make up the world,
We are the Word, scattered,
wildly wandering materiality
In longing to mirror Beauty.
We are the planets in orbit
Which from the time
We are born ecstatically sing:
“Welcome, welcome to Love!”
We are light in myriads of forms,
Mingling with individuality for
The few seconds called Life.
Still, all together we are one,
Manifest and resourceful like
the Solar star and its lovers
That whirl to stir the presence
dormant in us: See, there is no
such thing as exclusion in
this immense Universe.
In your pulse, there is a teacher
who repeatedly whispers:
“Everybody is you!
Hold a hand, help the truth,
reflect the compassion and
the love that put you in motion
As life stirs every nation
To the Return’s station,
embrace one another
Despite the current difficulties,
The light does kiss the heart
That gives, heals and sings!”
copyright 2006 Aida Toure.
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