WOVEN PORTALS by Saks Afridi | MakersPlace Blog

WOVEN PORTALS is a work of sci-fi Sufism: a collection of 100 artworks that blend spaceship navigation interfaces with the infinite geometry of Persian rugs. Each artwork is part hand-generated, part software-generated, a collaboration between man and machine, tradition and technology. 

The primary ingredients in these artworks are Persian rugs and spaceship interfaces. They are sprinkled with engineering schematics mixed with Arabic and Urdu Calligraphy. Once a composition comes together, every object is vectorized and outlined in various colors. Each object is then algorithmically blended into each other multiple times and in various directions, each time creating an intricate woven portal with a unique persona of its own.

WOVEN PORTALS is a perfect example of Saks Afridi’s “Sci-Fi Sufism,” a genre that fuses mysticism and storytelling to nudge viewers into discovering galaxies within themselves. To create these multi-faceted experiences, Afridi, a Pakistan-born, New York City-based multi-disciplinary artist, draws inspiration from Sufi poetry, Afrofuturism, South Asian folklore, Islamic mythology, Science Fiction, Architecture, and Calligraphy. 

“My practice…investigates the predicaments and perplexities of the life of an “Insider Outsider.” I define this as the practice of achieving a sense of belonging while being out of place, finding happiness in a state of temporary permanence, and re-contextualizing existing historical and cultural narratives with the contemporary.” — Saks Afridi

In addition to accomplishments as a visual artist, Afridi is a renowned art-based Creative Director with 20 years of US and global experience. He’s the proud recipient of two Gold Cannes Lions, three D&AD, two One Show Pencils, and a UN Award for Peace and Understanding. He is a Group Creative Director at Merkley + Partners, where he has overseen the marketing work for Mercedes-Benz, Smart Car, White Castle, and Tic Tac, to name a few.

Each NFT in the WOVEN PORTALS series includes a printable pdf file. These vector-based works can be printed at any size without losing quality. Collectors are invited to print the artwork on any material in any size. If the collector makes a print and decides to then sell their NFT, that print is theirs to keep and enjoy.

The Drop — August 23, 2022

Each of the four artworks on auction comes with a companion piece that will be airdropped to the winning bidder. 

Each NFT in the WOVEN PORTALS series includes a printable PDF file. These vector-based works can be printed at any size without losing quality. Collectors are invited to print the artwork 

WOVEN PORTAL 51a

This Woven Portal incorporates calligraphy of the Arabic letter ‘Nun’ ن, the 25th letter of the alphabet. It is believed to originally derive from Egyptian hieroglyphics of a serpent as well as a fish. The letter curves points to a portal made of infinite Persian rug borders. The accent or…