Mandaeism is the only surviving Gnostic religion from antiquity, sharing the same Judaic origins with Christianity. Contemporary Mandaean communities are renowned for their artisans and craftsmanship, and are therefore capable of representational art. However, in contrast to conventional Christianity, Mandaean communities adhere to Docetism. This is evident in their representational styles in which they only depict subjects related to divinity with abstract geometric and symbolic designs.

The Mandaean form of art is archaic and suggestive of Cubism, yet it significantly predates the 20th-century movement. Its existence challenges the mainstream and Eurocentric narrative of art history, which suggests that the transition from representational to abstract art only occurred two centuries ago.

Through my work, I shed light on the often-misunderstood history of early Christianity. By studying Mandaean art we find that the landscape of early Christianity involved competing modes of authority, spirituality and social organisation.

Mandaean art has travelled across contexts from a reclusive religious community to me, and showcases my interpretation of their form of art.