Berwick artist Sohail Yamin creates elaborate Hyundai artwork for SalamFest at State Library
BERWICK artist Sohail Yamin’s car would never get lost in a carpark.
South East
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BERWICK artist Sohail Yamin’s car would never get lost in a carpark.
The extravagant Hyundai, which is painted in intricate artwork in the ‘truck art’ style, is a special commission for SalamFest, a festival celebrating contemporary Muslim art, culture and cuisine.
Mr Yamin said the car, which took 1000 hours to decorate, was designed to show some of the teachings of the Persian Sunni Muslim poet Maulana Rumi.
Mr Yamin, who came to Australia from Pakistan in the late 1990s, drew inspiration from the stories of immigrants and the piece considers why people leave their homeland to seek a better life for their families.
It also looks at who “belongs” in a country.
The panels show the Australian Muslim story, such as Indonesian makassar boats and South Asian cameleers — the first Muslims to have interactions with indigenous people.
Mr Yamin said he chose Rumi because he lived in a time of social and political turmoil, similar to what many Muslims faced today amid global anti-Muslim sentiment.
“I personally believe that some of the anarchy in today’s world can be eliminated if we learn to understand and appreciate the differences among us,” he said.
“There is a lot of hoopla about immigration and negative connotations about it but I wanted to give a slightly different perspective — yes people are moving around but they also offer something to the host country.
“What would Melbourne be like without Indian food or Italian food?”
Truck art is a popular art form in South Asia where truck owners decorate their rigs with elaborate floral patterns and calligraphy.
The three-day SalamFest arts festival will be held at State Library Victoria on November 24-26.
The festival is presented by the Islamic Council of Victoria and aims to connect everyday Muslims to other Australians through the sharing of stories, values, arts, culture and cuisine.
The car will also be on show at Narre Warren’s Bunjil Place on November 11.