Lukman Ahmad, "Painted Musings"

In June 2023 the Kurdish American artist Lukman Ahmad presented “Painted Musings,” an exhibition featuring recent paintings at ARTFactory in Manassas, Virginia.

The paintings are inspired by classic Kurdish folk singing. Traditionally, Kurdish songs are passed down orally, from generation to generation. The songs range from historical stories to epic tales, and from lyric poems to literary works. Most of the epic songs are associated with action, adventure, love, and even heroism, such as the Kurdish uprisings for independence.

Ahmad transforms Kurdish singing into two-dimensional form on his canvases, using color and shape to channel and articulate the sounds. With his brushstrokes, he translates classic Kurdish songs into vibrant expressionist paintings.

Ahmad’s muse for this exhibit is the Kurdish singer Ezzeddin, or in Kurdish “Ezzedino,” born in 1933 in Harmshad in Mardin, North Kurdistan. Ezzeddin was known for his strong vocals, carefully selected lyrics, and harmonious melodies. He recorded eight tapes, mostly in Qamishlo and Beirut.