Sumud

Ink on xuan paper, with brocade silk handscroll mounting by the artist
1150 × 400 mm (when displayed)
400 × 50 × 40 mm (rolled for storage)
2026

In Chinese ink painting, bamboo is revered as one of the “Four Gentlemen,” embodying resilience, humility, and inner strength. Its ability to bend gracefully with the wind without breaking has long been regarded as a metaphor for steadfastness and adaptability.

Sumud brings together the imagery of bamboo with the Quranic verse “أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى السَّمَآءِ” (“Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky”) from Surah Ibrahim (14:24), rendered in the broad-stroke style of Sini script. Through the dialogue between ink and calligraphy, the work reflects upon rootedness, perseverance, and the aspiration to rise above times of turmoil and adversity.