Collection: MEHMANKHANE (Guesthouse)

The Guesthouse – A Calligraphy Project Inspired by Rumi

The Guesthouse is a video calligraphy performance by Mehdi Naghavi, where words are transformed into visual meditations through ink and rhythm. This 3-minute piece draws inspiration from the timeless poem “The Guest House” by Rumi (Jalal al-Din Balkhi), interpreted in English by Coleman Barks.

Each word in this performance—such as “Tan” (Body), “Zeyf” (Guest), “Gheyb” (Unseen) and “Khosh” (Delight)—is hand-lettered with expressive strokes in a vibrant pink-red ink. The visuals are set in harmony with an original musical score, composed using AI-generated music that is deeply rooted in the emotional tone of Rumi’s words.

The work reflects Rumi’s central idea: that every emotion or experience, whether joyful or painful, is a visitor from the unseen world and deserves to be received with grace.

The video is available on YouTube and featured on the homepage of this website. To accompany the performance, a collection of limited edition posters (only 5 per design) is available exclusively here. Each piece is printed on museum-quality paper and hand-signed by the artist.

This project offers a moment of reflection — an invitation to pause and honor the feelings that come and go, just as Rumi teaches in his iconic poem:

“This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival…”

— Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks