4ft x 3ft
Acrylic on Canvas
“Creature in the Dark” is a story from the poet Jalal al-Din Rumi’s “Mathnawi.” In this story, travelers from India present a peculiar creature at an exhibition. They lead a group of people who have never encountered an elephant into a dark tent. Each person touches a different part of the animal, and their descriptions vary wildly; the person touching the tail thinks it’s like a serpent, while the one feeling the leg perceives it as a tree trunk. This leads to heated arguments among the visitors, each convinced their interpretation is the sole truth. However, in the absence of light, symbolizing knowledge, they remain entrenched in disagreement instead of grasping the bigger picture of reality. It’s only when light is introduced into the tent that they can finally see the whole elephant, a unique entity, and recognize that none of their previous descriptions captured its true nature.
In an age where information is easily accessible, Rumi’s story is a poignant reminder that information is not the same as knowledge. The painting explores ideas of enlightenment and how reality and perceived reality can vary greatly.
