For the artist Leila Jeffreys, hope can arise from the darkest places. This series ‘The wound is the place where the light enters’ is based on a quote from the 13th century Persian poet Rumi.
It features three works: a Bleeding Heart Dove, named for a thatch of breast feathers that mimic a chest soaked with blood; a Gouldian Finch, known for its seemingly bloodstained beak and finally; a Cut Throat Finch. These represent three ways in which nature appears to intertwine violence with staggering beauty.
This series is the visual manifestation of Rumi’s insight – that destruction and devastation, no matter how much they hurt us, can highlight what is precious and embolden us to fight.
Exhibited in Sydney at Olsen Gallery, Melbourne at MARS Gallery, and London at Purdy Hicks Gallery.