Aga Khan Centre Gallery

The AKC commissioned an artwork for their exhibition Making Paradise, which ran from April 29 2021 to October 24, 2022. Water, a vital element in both heavenly paradises and earthly gardens, is deeply referenced in the Quran. The verse "And We made out of water every living thing" captures the essence of its importance. Traditionally, this verse is inscribed above Ottoman fountains. Inspired by how water reflects and the interplay between heaven and earth, Soraya chose to write the text using a mirrored composition, a technique known as muthanna, to symbolically unite these two realms. Though it's rare for her to use marbled paper, its flowing ink lines evoked the image of cascading water or a waterfall, making it a fitting choice for this piece.