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Shafina Jaffer to unveil Whispers Under Wings at Mall Galleries, London

The exhibition runs from 7–12 October 2025

Shafina Jaffer

Works are painted on bark cloth from Lake Victoria

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Gayathri Kallukaran
By Gayathri KallukaranSep 06, 2025
Gayathri Kallukaran
Gayathri Kallukaran is a Junior Journalist with Eastern Eye. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Paul’s College, Bengaluru, and brings over five years of experience in content creation, including two years in digital journalism. She covers stories across culture, lifestyle, travel, health, and technology, with a creative yet fact-driven approach to reporting. Known for her sensitivity towards human interest narratives, Gayathri’s storytelling often aims to inform, inspire, and empower. Her journey began as a layout designer and reporter for her college’s daily newsletter, where she also contributed short films and editorial features. Since then, she has worked with platforms like FWD Media, Pepper Content, and Petrons.com, where several of her interviews and features have gained spotlight recognition. Fluent in English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, she writes in English and Malayalam, continuing to explore inclusive, people-focused storytelling in the digital space.
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Highlights:

  • Artist Shafina Jaffer presents a new chapter of her Global Conference of the Birds series.
  • The exhibition runs from 7–12 October 2025 at Mall Galleries, London.
  • Works are painted on bark cloth from Lake Victoria, combining spiritual themes with ecological concerns.

Exhibition details

Artist Shafina Jaffer will open her latest exhibition, Whispers Under Wings (Global Conference of the Birds), at the Mall Galleries in London on 7 October 2025. The show will run until 12 October 2025.

This practice-led series reinterprets Farid ud-Din Attar’s 12th-century Sufi allegory, Conference of the Birds, reflecting on themes of unity, self-realisation and the idea that the Divine resides within.

Material and meaning

Each work is painted on sustainably sourced bark cloth from the Lake Victoria region, using natural pigments, minerals and dyes. Large panels are formed from the bark of single trees, aligning material ecology with the spiritual narrative.

The series weaves together sacred geometry, Qur’anic verses and depictions of endangered bird species, underscoring the connection between ecological fragility and spiritual awakening.

Previous recognition

Whispers Under Wings follows earlier presentations in London and Dubai, extending the project’s message of peace, unity and environmental care.

A central work from the series — the Simurgh, conceived as a symbol of light (Noor) — was recently acquired by Prince Amyn Aga Khan for the new Ismaili Centre in Houston. A feature on the exhibition also appears in the September edition of Twiga, Air Tanzania’s inflight magazine.

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