Early this year, young artist Noor Iskandar went in search of Mevlana Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic.

It was a journey that took him to Iran and Turkey, important pitstops in the life of the revered spiritual and literary figure, and eventually resulted in works that can be seen at the ongoing Terra Incognita exhibition at independent photography art space DECK.

Terra Incognita is a joint show that features the works of Wilfred Lim and Iskandar, joint recipients of last year’s Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Still Photography, an annual award given to photography undergraduates at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art Design and Media.

The 25-year-old recent graduate’s contribution, a series called How Dust Floats, reflected the experiences of his month-long spiritual journey, combining images he had taken in his trip into collages as well as prayer rugs and white funeral shrouds. The result is what he described as an “intersection between faith and art”. Not to mention some poetry, too — the title was taken from a line of a prayer-poem he had written for the series.

His admiration for Rumi had naturally been the starting point. “I’ve always regarded Mevlana Rumi as one of the figures who have illuminated my life,” he explained. “I have always yearned for solace and used art as a medium to seek that. And Rumi has had his journey to attain Divine Love. What better way to engage in a dialogue with Rumi than artistically?”

Iskandar began his whirlwind trip to Iran in January, spending two weeks criss-crossing the country, including Tehran, Qom, and many other places. It was an apt start to Iskandar’s Rumi adventure — Iran was the homeland of the poet-mystic’s friend and spiritual adviser Shams Tabrizi.

“Iran was like a land of magic, the landscapes seemed like art and the people breathed art,” he recalled. Among the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites he visited during the trip was the Naqsh-e Jahan Square in the city of Esfahan. “Esfahan had an incredible aura. I had many people inviting me and my Chinese traveller friend to join their picnics. They would show us the city and serve tea at their homes.”

His three-week experience in Turkey was just as eventful. He visited not only regular tourist stops like Istanbul and Cappadocia, but also the cities in the eastern part of the country, which saw very few foreigners because of its risky proximity to the Syrian border. “It was the best decision I made. Sanliurfa, where the Cave of Abraham was, is supposedly the birthplace of the prophet and an important Islamic place of pilgrimage.”

And of course, a Rumi-themed trip would not be complete without visiting the city of Konya, where the poet had lived and died in 1273. At the Mevlana Cultural Centre, Iskandar witnessed the Sema, a ceremony famous for its whirling dervishes. He also visited the Mevlana Museum, which is Rumi’s mausoleum. “It was such a cathartic experience,” he said.

Terra Incognita runs until May 24, noon to 7pm, at DECK, 120A Prinsep Street. Closed on Mondays and public holidays. Free admission.

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TRAVEL PICKS

Fancy a trip to Iran or Turkey? Here are Noor Iskandar’s top choices

WHEN IN IRAN

1. GO BACK IN TIME IN ABYANEH. “This is one of the historical villages in Iran, with remnants from the Sassanid period (the last Iranian empire before the rise of Islam). The unique traditional floral chador (the open cloak used by Iranian women) worn in this quaint village caught my eye. It’s located 70km south-east of Kashan.”

2. TAKE IN THE MOSQUES AT ESFAHAN. “The mosques here are just spectacular and walking from one historical bridge to another is just something — especially the Khaju Bridge. Families would be engaged in all sorts of activities and you have street musicians and poets singing along with songbirds.”

3. VISIT THE NASIR AL-MULK MOSQUE. “This mosque in Shiraz has to be one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, with the light spilling through the stained glass windows. Persepolis, which is also near Shiraz, is equally marvelous—to be standing atop a hill and looking at the remnants of a once-powerful empire is soul-stirring.”

WHEN IN TURKEY

1. CHECK OUT CAPPADOCIA. “It’s such a unique city. Taking the hot-air balloon tour may be expensive but it’s so worth it. Cruising above these rock formations, valleys and ridges is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even going on a solo trek in the valleys can be therapeutic.”

2. STOP OVER AT BREATHTAKING HASANKEYF. “It’s a small village located along the banks of the Tigris River in south-eastern Turkey. Sadly, it is slated to be flooded because of the construction of a dam, which has been in the works for a couple of decades now. But I strongly suggest tourists give this part of Turkey a chance—this village took my breath away. Harran, another city near Urfa, also has a similar charm to it. It was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia.”

3. VISIT THE SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE (BLUE MOSQUE). “Although I found Istanbul a bit too much, especially because of the influx of people and the cosmopolitan pseudo-European feel compared to her Anatolian sister cities, this is a sight you cannot miss. The details, the mood that this place of worship has to offer was personally so incredible beyond words.”