Syed Jeem: A Contemporary Touch to Sacred Art

An Interview with a Self-Made Pakistani Shia Artist

Anne-Fatima Syed interviews Pakistani visual artist Syed Jeem who is based in , . Syed Jeem began his career in 2012 and has created work for well-known Pakistani brands such as Kooper and Junaid Jumshaid. Additionally, a lot of his projects are centered around the Ahlul-Bayt.

What is your background?

Salam. I am Syed Jahangeer–aka Syed Jeem–a visual artist from Karachi, Pakistan. When I started painting digitally, I used to write Syed Jahangeer but it would take a lot of space on my canvases, so I replaced Jahangeer with Jeem (Arabic letter). A few years later, a friend of mine told me that this Jeem reminds her of Hazrat Bohlol (r), a companion of Imam Musa al-Kadim (as). During the Imam (as)’s time, his followers were being imprisoned. Wahab Ibn Amr met the .(ج) imprisoned Imam (as) and sought advice. Imam (as) replied with the Arabic lettering Jeem Wahab took his own interpretation of the letter: Junoon, madness, possessed by some jinn. The next day, Wahab left his wealthy life, wearing rags and came into the streets. Soon, the Baghdadi people dubbed him Bahlol.

Since that day, Syed Jeem has held a lot more meaning than just being my name’s short form.

How did you discover your passion for design?

They say in “Poot kay paaun paalney mein nazar aatey hain,” means an infant would show in which direction he wants to go. I can’t even recall when I started drawing. I have always loved drawing. Recreating Pakistan’s master painter Sadequain’s paintings was my favorite hobby as a child. I kept myself busy by drawing Quranic Verses in diamond, circular, and other different geometric shapes. And the next thing I remember, starting a few years later, was creating drawings based on nauha/latmiya of famous South-Asian nauha reciter Nadeem Sarwar. I used to draw things like a headscarf on spearheads; an opened book resting on the heads of arrows and blood flowing out the pages and stuff like these. These things made me join an art college here in Karachi. I studied Graphic Design from there and kept practising drawing and painting.

What has been your biggest obstacle as a Shia Pakistani graphic designer? In other words, have you ever felt discrimination in the field as a Shia Muslim artist? Being a Shia Visual artist, I’ve experienced that my art related to Shi’ism is a lot more acceptable here in the artists’ community than a common man’s circle. The art community here in Pakistan, Alhumdulillah, accepts freedom of expression in the form of art and appreciates it. I realized this when I held my first exhibition here in my hometown and people loved every bit of the storytelling I did through my “Nainawa Series,” a painting series based on the tragic event of . It is safe to say that Pakistani Art society is still safe from the hands of orthodoxy.

What has been your favorite project you have worked on?

In the recent past, I’ve designed and painted many things related to the Holy Household (a). So I love every project BUT one passion project is actually near to my heart and that is #36DaysOfAli (a). There’s a global art and design project named 36 Days of Type where designers and artists create an alphabet and later a number a day in their preferred style. I chose to create Mawla (a)’s name Ali and some of his famous titles. The type series was very well received by everyone. It gave me more confidence to keep doing things like this more and more. These days I’m working on an Illustrated Nad’e Ali (a) painting series. I design each word of the dua with one illustrated visual of the famous events from the life of Mawla Ameer al-Momineen Ali (a).

Who inspires you?

Specifically, words and poetic verses. Mostly the work of legendary poets Mir Anees and Josh Malihabadi along with nauhas/lathmiyas. And, nonspecifically, literally everything around me. People, the way they talk, book covers, colors, emotions, empty sketchbook papers, and canvas.

How has your practice changed over time?

I’ve always welcomed changes in my artistic expressions; over the years many digital and traditional painters, calligraphers, lettering artists, and sculptors have inspired me.S omewhere and somehow, it all does affect an artist’s own artistic expression.

Do you have consistent themes in your artwork?

If ‘theme’ here means ‘topic’ then it has always been about the Holy Household (a). Digital or traditional paintings, calligraphic and lettering pieces, and even poetic verses that I write, they always revolve around the Holy Progeny (a).

If the word here means ‘art style’ then yes, I try and experiment with different mediums of design and painting. From drawing on paper to painting on canvases, from drawing with a ballpoint pen on band-aids to creating food lettering pieces, I love challenging myself in trying new things. What is your advice for beginner graphic designers/ artists? Any tips?

Get inspired from artists you love the most. Try and study their art pieces. But there is a fine line between getting inspiration from other artists without literally copying their work. Please do not cross that line. Along with this, work on the basics of your skills.

There’s a quotation attributed to Vincent Van Gogh that I love the most. He said, “If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

What is the most important value you stand by in your work?

I try my best to stay true to myself and my art when creating any art piece. If I’m not giving the love, respect, and honor while painting or ignoring something intentionally, I’m only cheating myself.

What keeps you motivated?

The thought of being blessed with this thing called art. The izn of Allah to create things that I love the most. And to praise the Ahlulbayt (a) with my paint brush on canvases.

What is your goal in this life as an artist?

I often say, people praise the Holy Household of Prophet Muhammad (s) on paper, I praise them on canvases. My goal in this life is to praise the Holy Household (a) of Prophet Mohummad (s) as much as I can't with the gift of art Allah Kareem has blessed me with. And to earn jazaa for the hereafter to be with Them (a), inshaAllah.