October 2006
Photographs by Syed Javai Kazi
Shrouded in mysticism and constantly in motion, the whirling dervishes of Sufi Islam are as difficult for most westerners to comprehend as a line of Arabic writing. Pakistani photographer Syed Javaid Kazi has long been fascinated with capturing and clarifying the details of this religious and cultural tradition. The president of the Photographic Association of Pakistan, he has won several international awards for his images of local Sufi Muslims. From November 12 to July 13, 2007, the Ravi Gallery at the Staatliches Museum fuer Voelkerkunde (Maximilianstrasse 42) will present a collection of black-and-white photographs by Kazi in an exhibition titled "Sacred Companions."