In the Old Testament story of Babel, mankind is punished for attempting to reach heaven by constructing a tower. According to the story, God created languages to divide mankind and scattered them across the face of the world to prevent them from ever collaborating in this manner again.
In Seeing Through Babel the Syrian-Armenian artist Kevork Mourad explores the story of Babel, using visual imagery to connect people across the language divide. While language often defines and separates people, imagery is a universal that connects people in the past and today. His work was created in-situ in the space, using a monotype technique in addition to direct drawing onto the surface of the work.
Seeing Through Babel is produced by the Ismaili Centre in partnership with the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.
Text by Henry Kim, Former director and CEO of the Aga Khan Museum
Photo by Anne Purkiss
