Illuminated Prisms Manuscript II (Pages 3, 4 and 5) asserts a moderate position between the extreme polarities of differing belief systems. As a contemporary take on the illuminated manuscript of the “Divine Economy,” I incorporate pure gold, a triptych layout and the mystical golden ratio. The artwork simultaneously references Byzantine and Western religious art, traditional Islamic techniques behind writing illuminated manuscripts, tessellation design, and Mughal miniature painting techniques. The resulting artwork culminates as a hybrid visual expression that bridges cultural, artistic and economic divides.

I used a specialized flat drawing paper to draw the overall pattern, which allows both to merge while remaining invisible. The hand-debossed lines and the use of tessellated pattern suggest how geometry can serve as the basis of nature, universal harmony and aesthetic economy. I later make the outline visible by meticulously placing hand-gilded triangles and hand-cut triangle shapes of the Eye of Providence and written words ‘Trust’ and ‘God’ on the US $1 bill. The work is then burnished and framed. The use of banknotes underlines the role that money plays in economies of consumption.

The use of pure gold re-imagines the myths and motifs of Islamic and Western medieval illuminated manuscripts and their legacy. Desirable for its unique luminosity, rarity and connection with the Divine, the use of pure gold cements it as a potent symbol of authority, mysticism, occult power and prosperity. I layered a personal narrative within this perspective by using a ‘Pan-chakki’ pinweel pattern within a six-pointed star grid. It was my mother’s favourite applique motif to stitch together blankets and clothing. My work symbolizes the joy and divine light embodying the invisible world.