Entangled Light
Entangled Light is a solo exhibition by Sobia Ahmad at Hamiltonian Artists. The immersive multimedia installation examines the spiritual and transformative potential of artistic labor through experimental gelatin silver photography and hand-processed 16mm film. Drawing on an ancient Sufi parable about moths drawn toward a flame, Ahmad connects the moth’s attraction to light with the uncertainty, devotion, experimentation, and revelation involved in working in the darkroom.
The exhibition treats analog photography and film as both creative processes and metaphors for spiritual inquiry. Ahmad uses biodegradable photochemical techniques and homemade developers made with materials including kitchen compost, coffee, washing soda, salt, and plants. Chemical residue, light leaks, fingerprints, tonal shifts, and other accidents are allowed to shape the finished images. Working with an entomologist, she photographed and filmed moths and attended evening mehfils, where Qawwali singers preserve the moth-and-flame story through poetry and oral tradition. Images of Ahmad’s hands appear alongside those of the entomologist and the hand gestures of Qawwali performers.
Through repeated photographing, developing, altering, and reprinting, the installation places scientific observation, devotional practice, and embodied artistic experience in conversation. The work presents seeking as an open-ended practice rather than a path toward certainty.
Artist: Sobia Ahmad
When: September 19–October 24, 2026
Venue: Hamiltonian Artists
Opening Reception and Exhibition Walkthrough: Saturday, September 19, 3–6 p.m.
Performance: Bilal Chishty performs on Saturday, October 3, from 1–3 p.m.
Workshop: A devotional poetry workshop takes place Saturday, October 24, from 4–6:30 p.m.
Format: Immersive multimedia installation featuring experimental gelatin silver photographs and hand-processed 16mm film
Tickets: Price not available
Artist Background: Ahmad was born and raised in Pakistan and moved to the United States at age 14. She earned an MFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2024, along with a B.S. in Community Health and a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Maryland, College Park.