Reviewed by Blue Fatima

“The tree is a symbol of life itself—growth, openness, evolution, and the journey of both body and spirit.” This idea by the well-known psychologist Carl Jung is clearly reflected in Tahir Ali’s work. The central theme of this collection is the use of the tree as a living metaphor for human experience—where nature, identity, memory, and healing are woven together in both visible and hidden lines. Through a visual language that feels both deeply personal and widely shared, these works explore existence not as something fixed, but as something fluid—shaped by impact, transformation, and time.

In one of the works, Tahir used his own blood as the first pigment, saying: “This is a translation of life.” These are the artist’s words describing the process of creating the works, and this sentence becomes the heart of the collection—lifting the artwork beyond the surface and turning it into a living object that blurs the line between creator and creation. At first glance, what stands out is the mix of form and energy. The works recall physical life—blood, veins, organs—yet they are arranged in the structure of trees. The use of blood as material here brings Susan Langer’s idea to life: that “art is the creation of symbolic forms of human feeling.” Emotion is not only expressed—it is physically embedded in the artwork.

These trees, always alive and changing, seem to have hidden skeletons that hold their structure. In some paintings, the trees become more linear, almost skeletal, and carry a sense of architecture—branches like ribs, trunks like spines—evoking both fragility and strength. The artist describes them as “trees of the future,” speaking of what’s to come. They are not relics of the past, but living, evolving forms. These are not dead trees—they are filled with the golden ratio and Fibonacci spirals. As Tahir says, they are “calculations of life… not in a mathematical sense, but in a spiritual one.” This brings to mind Roland Barthes' idea of the "grain of the voice"—something beyond meaning, a pure presence. The artist’s lines carry presence, memory, and soul, giving the work a sense of being that goes deeper than beauty.

This focus on material and process, combined with deep metaphors from nature, brings to mind the work of German artist Anselm Kiefer. While Kiefer often explores heavy themes of history, memory, and destruction, Tahir leans more toward life, healing, and the continuity of existence. Still, both artists share a deep connection to raw, organic materials and the use of nature to express fundamental ideas. Like Kiefer’s use of lead, ash, soil, and dried plants to create layered meanings, this artist uses natural forms and materials to give the work a powerful existential weight.

As the themes of peaceful resistance, self-knowledge, and deep connection with the world appear in these works, we can also read them through the lens of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy. The essence of Gandhi’s thought—and of the term “mahatma,” or great soul—echoes strongly here. Tahir clearly states, “These are Mahatma Gandhi trees,” referring to a series entirely dedicated to the idea of the “mahatma.” These trees become more than just a form—they are symbols of peaceful resistance, inner discovery, and connection with the natural world. In Gandhi’s view, healing and truth are found in simplicity and closeness to nature. These trees are not only symbols of life and renewal—they express Gandhian values of peace, endurance, and the quiet power of natural life, where healing and salvation come not through conflict, but through harmony and rootedness in being.

To better understand the artist’s approach to natural forms, a look at the work of nature photographer Nelson Carmine can be helpful. While Carmine uses the camera lens to capture abstract textures and shapes in nature, revealing its hidden beauty, Tahir reaches the same goal through colour and unusual, personal materials. Both artists focus on details and abstraction to uncover the quiet life force, cosmic order, and deep connection that nature holds. The difference in tools—photography versus painting or drawing with blood and other pigments—shows the wide range of ways artists can explore shared concerns around nature and its meanings.

Aesthetically and formally, the artist achieves a striking balance and movement through the use of positive and negative space. The lines and coloured marks—sometimes thick and textured, sometimes soft and light—not only build the tree forms, but also lead the viewer’s eye across the canvas with intention. The clever use of curved and sharp lines, along with both horizontal and vertical elements, creates a composition that is complex yet balanced. The negative space between parts of the trees, sometimes narrow and sometimes wide, becomes a meaningful element on its own. It helps guide the gaze and creates a feeling of depth and motion, as if the viewer is exploring through branches and roots. This delicate balance between full and empty, hard and soft, reflects the need for harmony in life—harmony that feels essential for connecting with nature and finding emotional and physical well-being.

In the end, these works operate on many levels: aesthetic, symbolic, and spiritual. They are deeply personal, yet open to shared meaning. By presenting the tree as a mirror to the human condition—with all its wounds, growth, and complexity— Tahir creates a visual language not limited to form, but tied to feeling. We, as viewers, are invited not just to look, but to witness—to see works marked by life itself. And in that witnessing, we do not only see the tree; we find ourselves reflected in it.