I've always loved the perfect forms of the letters I saw in the Quran and Islamic art pieces, ever since I was a child, and I wanted to recreate these scripts with my own hand.
Student Profile: Selma Lelic's Journey to Arabic Calligraphy
Reviving an Ancient Arabic Script: An Interview with Artist Joumana Medlej
A Journey in Eastern Art: An Interview with Yukiko Futamura
I think I've been attracted to Islamic art and exotic things since I was a child. I was fascinated by the decorative patterns of the mosque, Arabic music, and traditional Indian and Middle Eastern costumes. The Taj Mahal in India, the Alhambra Palace in Spain, and various buildings and mosaics of Arab culture that I saw in Morocco and Sicily made a strong impression on me.
A Man of Many Firsts: A Conversation with Master Calligrapher Yushaa Abdullah
Yushaa Abdullah is a pioneer. He is one of the first master calligraphers from Nigeria who brought the art, and support from Istanbul to the whole of the Black African Region. He is a man of many firsts. He is the first person in the African region to receive an Ijazah or diploma in Arabic calligraphy, studying under Turkish grandmaster Hasan Çelebi.
Guest Speaker Session : A Conversation with Calligrapher Gulnaz Mahboob (May 23, 2021)
The Art of Numbers: A Conversation with Artist Samira Mian
The Art of Perception: A Conversation with Master Artist Majid Alyousef
My objective is to discover new perspectives that the elegance of calligraphic forms, which was developed over many centuries to reach this level- could be presented in a more thoughtful context with a more sharp and bold statement. Talking more technically each letter is developed and crafted in a specific shape or direction that was the thing I like to show in my work.
The Art of Storytelling: A Conversation with Artist Laurelie Rae
As an art historian, I believe objects can tell really good stories. Although I may be biased, I believe that art history is one of the best subjects, because art history involves art and culture, it involves history and it involves politics. We don't have any other subject that is as inclusive and holistic. For instance, you can look at one piece and you can understand by the glazes they used, the motifs, what was going on in that period. It is a documentation of the influences at that moment and I find that incredible.
Inside Islamic Geometric Art : A Conversation with Richard Henry and Adam Williamson
An online event held on August 16, 2020, with panelists Richard Henry and Adam Williamson, founders of the Art of Islamic Pattern. The event was moderated by artist Rifat Taher
The Art of Balance: A Conversation with Ebru Artist Sabiha Ozgur
Ebru is a result of different factors working hand-in-hand in the perfect balance. Fluid dynamics are at work here: the water’s surface and density, and the interaction of surface, the paint, the surfactant ox gall, the quantity of gall in the paint, and the environmental temperature are all very important. It may take some time to establish the right delicate balance, but when everything is in harmony with each other, the process works smoothly. So, my masters always reminded us that we should be patient, we should do our best, but we should be mindful that it isn’t only us that is making of the art piece – there are many factors at play.