Already in the thirteenth century, Ibn Arabi’s verses, which form the title of these pages, foresaw the formal freedom of the artistic avant-garde movements and proposed a knowledge process focusing on pure creativity, suggesting a dimensional, social and creative open-mindedness. Ibn Arabi guided us towards the flexibility of water, being anchored in the middle of our heart. This article reflects upon the higher knowledge (ma’rifa) in Sufism related with creativity and the unveiling of internal meaning. Beautiful forms act as a stockpile and distributor of that knowledge. We emphasize the symbolic relationship between ma’rifa, water and creativity. Islamic spirituality has left a poetic, plastic, chromatic and sonic legacy behind on our peninsula, providing a constant source of inspiration in Art. The article also delves into the work of the plastic artists included the exhibition «Jayal», organized by Casa Árabe to show the current status of this heritage in contemporary art.
Sufism, contemporary art, Jayal, Spain, Ibn Arabi, water.