In winter 2024, The Art House unveiled Paradise Carpet, a mesmerising installation by British Muslim artist Zarah Hussain. Blending vibrant animation, immersive light, and ambient sound, the exhibition transformed the main gallery to explore the power of spirituality, geometry, technology, and Islamic design.
As overhead projectors cast shifting, intricate patterns onto a soft floor, visitors were invited to sit, pray, or meditate in a serene wash of colour and light while bathed in an ambient soundtrack. The exhibition created a calming, contemplative experience open to all.
Acting as a legacy to the exhibition, we are delighted to launch Paradise Carpet: An Audio-Visual Meditation. This guided audio-visual meditation immerses you in animations created by Hussain. Research supports the idea that audio meditations can offer a sense of calm, peace, and balance, benefiting emotional well-being and overall health by reducing stress and promoting relaxation through focused attention.
This meditation has been voiced by various members of The Art House’s Studio of Sanctuary, spoken in multiple languages, including Arabic, Kurdish and Urdu.
The project culminates in a final guided meditation that weaves these voices together – blending languages into a shared, universal experience. Bringing in multiple languages celebrates the rich cultural identities within The Arthouse’s local community, allowing more people to connect emotionally and spiritually in their own tongue, as well as transforming the meditation into a collective expression of belonging.
Paradise Meditation – Guided Audio Mediation in English
Paradise Meditation – Guided Audio Mediation in Arabic.
Paradise Meditation – Guided Audio Mediation in Farsi.
Paradise Meditation – Guided Audio Mediation in Multilingual blended language.
Important notice
This version of Paradise Meditation is a creative intervention voiced in a blend of English, Farsi, and Arabic. It intentionally weaves multiple languages and voices together to reflect the values of community cohesion and cultural richness at the heart of the Studio of Sanctuary. While some may find it more challenging to concentrate due to the layered audio, this is a deliberate artistic choice – inviting listeners to engage with the work as a shared, meditative experience that transcends linguistic boundaries.
With special thanks to The Studio of Sanctuary, Mohammad Al Johmani and Minoo Salilli
. 
The project has been kindly supported by the Bagri Foundation and The Space.
Visuals created by Zarah Hussain. With thanks to Idries Akhtar, Eissa Akhtar, Navid
Akhtar
Music and sound design: Peter Chilvers