THESIS Mishael Bint Nassir Bin Khorsan Alajmi Masters in Exhibition Design
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Art Corcoran College of Art + Design, Washington DC, Spring 2010 "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful" TABLE OF CONTENTS
SIGNATURE PAGE i
THESIS STATEMENT ii
THESIS ABSTRACT iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv
KHATT—The Basis of Calligraphy
Culture, Religion, & Philosophy 1– 6
Adaptation for life 7– 11
Tools + Materials 12– 14
Cultural Awareness 15– 18
BIBLIOGRAPHY 19
NOTES 20– 21
APPENDIX
Site selection 23
Exhibit outline 24
Exhibit diagram 25
Exhibition Floorplan 26
Schematic design 27– 30
Model 31– 32 Corcoran College of Art + Design
18 May, 2010
Graduate Thesis Committee:
(Signature of Student)
(Print Name of Student)
(Signature of Advisor)
Gretchen Coss (Print Name of Advisor)
(Signature of Advisor)
Lorraine Schmidt
(Print Name of Advisor)
(Signature of Department Chair)
Catherine Armour (Print Name of Department Chair) Thesis STATEMENT
By exhibiting the enhanced and evolved forms of Arabic script, Khatt will illuminate new ways of perceiving other cultures.
ii Thesis ABSTRACT
Arabic script has textural and visual anomalies between its two defined categories, traditional and modern. The dynamic elements of its forms attract a younger audience who may not be familiar with the riches of Arabic culture. Islamic history is full of intellectual mastery and ingenuity that has brought guidance and value to our Islamic civilized society today. Through techniques that take the visitor back in time, Khatt will reveal this dialogue and introduce an insight to the ancient manuscript, the Quran, Muslims' foundation for life. This exhibition will explore the continuity of Arabic culture, how it maintains and preserves its essence in a diverse modern society. Utilizing geometry, pattern, and shapes as a basis, my exhibit will help illustrate the evolution of ideas and techniques that are inherent cultural values. Examining this art can help bring to life the nuances of Arabian culture, religion, and philosophy. It will also aid the audience as they learn more about this elevated noble art, encouraging a new cultural understanding.
iii Thesis ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
All praise and gratitude is due to Allah, the most gracious, merciful, and magnificent. Allah's blessings are infinite and he has bestowed upon me the strength, the fortitude, and the energy to pursue this humble academic endeavor. The prophet says: "He who does not thank people does not thank God," and it is only ﷺ Muhammad appropriate that I mention those who have significantly contributed to the completion of this thesis. First and foremost, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been an unwavering supporter of my entire academic career, and I will always be a proud citizen who will contribute to the expansion of the study of design and Islamic design in particular. Secondly, my family has always been my source of inspiration, support, and strength; I will forever be indebted to them. Lastly, this work would not be possible without the generous supervision of my instructors. Much appreciation is extended to Ms. Gretchen Coss and Ms. Cybelle Jones for helping with the production and design of this project. Dean John Dickson who has been most gracious with his time and instrumental in helping me overcome administrative issues. Ms. Francheska Guerrero and Dr. Casey Smith have been true role models and mentors who have left an indelible impression. Finally, My appreciation extends to Ms. Hamida Khan, my academic advisor at The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in Washingon, D.C. I hope that this thesis will inspire many others and be a means of communication among the masses, for I truly believe art and design bring people closer together.
iv CULTURE, RELIGION, AND PHILOSOPHY
The holy book all Muslims seek for guidance, relief, and illumination to their lives is the Quran, the only living manuscript from its time. Just like the Torah and Christian Gospel, the main emphasis is God, the creator of all things. The Quran is a culmination of divine messages emphasizing the mercy and oneness of God. The mind is the greatest offering from God; it enables man to think, observe, and understand right from wrong. In Islam, “There is no contradiction between faith and understanding, or reason, since the world was made subject to such rational divine laws, as the laws of nature, and can thus be perceived and imitated by the reasoning mind; the insight of reason into the world order necessarily, as it were, leads to belief."1 This belief makes man stronger to easily resist temptation and take full responsibility for all his actions on earth. After the revelation of the Quran upon the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon Him) Islamic art was defined. The Islamic attitude towards art has two opposing features: a “Work of art is something to wonder about, to be amazed by; it belongs to the category of wondrous things that became known as the aja’ib... "wonderful” or “astonishing”, a term used constantly to praise manufactured items of all sorts.”2 The other concept is that a “ Work of art is a falsehood, a lie, because it gives you the impression of something that it is not. It can be seen, therefore, as reprehensible, and some Muslim thinkers, even in our time, continue to argue this point.”3 In Islam it is forbidden and sinful to represent life and is seen as a manifestation of Allah and form, therefore, this was applied to all religious contents of Islam. Yet other cultures and traditions depict images of life, but only in a secular context.
1 Muslims are vicegerents to God on earth, and it is their duty to protect and preserve His word as well as maintaining and preserving His earth. ‘Jannah’ in Arabic means heavenly garden and ‘ jannaat al-firdaws’ means highest garden of paradise. Depictions and creations of landscape, gardens, waterfalls were one artistic way to represent these paradises (see fig. 1 ).4 Seen throughout Muslim cultures, particularly Mosques, this visual reminder is an inspiration to do good. (see fig.2).5 The Quran had to be presented in a way that brought attention and importance of the written word. Therefore, the primitive and functional form of writing the Quran evolved into a sophisticated formal art; calligraphy, khatt, one of the highest and purist forms of visual art in the Islamic world.
Through the qalam (pen) existence receives God’s order, from Him the candle of the qalam receives its light, the qalam is a cypress in the garden of knowledge, the shadow of its order is spread over dust (Qadi Ahmad).
Many theories arose from the revelation of the Quran. Different forms of Islamic art culminated from the philosophy and science during Muslim civilizations. Scholars came up with two philosophical tenets about the aesthetic theory of art. The first was “atomism”, that all things living or not are made up of identical atoms. These atoms were made up of “things”, and artists may do as they wish with these forms as long as they do not rival with God. From here artists resulted in diverse creations of Islamic ornamentations with the combination of motifs to resemble nature in its true state. Mystic thoughts made up the second theory, that all forms had two meanings. The outer was easily understood by everyone and the inner meaning was only accessible to the well-informed.6 Throughout Islamic history many Muslims came up with their own mystical interpretation making it difficult to understand this art.
2
fig.1
3 fig.2 The Umayyad Mosque, Eagle Dome, Damascus.
4 All Islamic scholars provide us different theories that evolved from one another, but two famous Muslim scholars brought to us revolutionary approaches on Islamic art. Ibn Al-Haitam(965–1039) was a scientist and polymath from Basra, Iraq. He was a pioneer and was referred to as the “father of modern optics”. He developed the theory of visual perception and its visual meaning essentially creating a contemporary form we all recognize today. Ibn Khaldun was a 14th century scientist and philosopher born in North Africa; present-day Tunisia. He was conscious about the function of art and its importance throughout society. He left behind the greatest legacy to all humanity Al-Muqaddimah, translated "Prolegomenon". Written in 1377, it was an in depth view on the universal history ranging from historiography to demography. Until today is a crucial reference book to Muslims, Arabs, and foreigners.7 Today the most commonly adapted form in Islamic Art is geometry. From the 10th century onward this mathematics and proportional form was used by Muslims as an abstraction of form. Omar Khayyam, of Iranian descent, recognized 13 different forms of cubic equations. This preferred art form is used all over Islamic regions alongside calligraphy and organic forms and became the lingua franca of aesthetics and Islamic design. To make a complex shapes diagonals are drawn at 30° intervals through the center
of each circle (see fig.3).8 A uniform shape evolves from this mathematical approach adding more complexity.
~ The Islamic calendar Hijra, meaning the Prophet Muhammeds' migration from Mecca to Medina was in the year AD 622. The Islamic calendar uses AH for (anno Hejira) or H. This calendar is also based on the Lunar year which comprises of twelve months.
The following formula is an accurate conversion from Hijra to the Christian calendar .
H x 32/33+622=C OR (C-622)x33/32=H
5 fig.3
6 ADAPTATION FOR LIFE
Different languages and cultures have spread throughout the world because of war, religion, or commerce. The language of the Quran, Arabic, connected Muslims from all countries around the world. The first verse of the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (pbuH) through the Angel Gabriel: “Read in the name of the Lord who creates, creates man from a clot! Read, for your Lord is most generous; it is he who teaches by means of the pen.” Quran 96:1–4. From the seventh century A.D. onward the written word and the development of calligraphy would take place throughput the Islamic region. During the spread of Islam there was a need to write the Quran and preserve the word of God to keep it intact. Being that Allah is the creator of life, it is forbidden for Muslims to create a manifestation of Allah and form. Calligraphy became the foundation of forms as a visual expression. "Islam has exerted also a more subtle, a more indirect influence on the development of calligraphy: by discouraging the graphic representation of human beings and animals it channeled the creative energies of Muslim artists toward other decorative arts, especially calligraphy.”9 The prophet Muhammed (pbuH) had a stamp with his name in calligraphy, and He would use it to approve any written Quranic text as a form of authentication (see fig.4).10 Calligraphy is only taught by masters and usually free of charge. It is practiced for years, and when the master feels you have obtained the knowledge and skill of this writing they will present an “ijaza” meaning license, which is signed by other masters giving you the permission to teach and work independently. This is all done to maintain this heritage and authenticate any works produced.
7 fig.4
"To the Arab world calligraphy is more than handwriting. It is a "spiritual technique" that beaches out with grace and elegance to engage the eve, mind and soul..." Kamel Al-Baba Anyone unfamiliar with Arabic culture can mistake calligraphy with everyday writing, especially because Arabic in its nature uses connected letters and is fluid in shape and form. Writing in Arabic is simply to communicate information and the beauty aspect of it is irrelevant. Calligraphy– art of beautiful writing– uses Arabic letters and practiced for years by masters. It has an artistic significance beyond everyday writing. Strict rules were developed by these masters and passed down generations to preserve this art. The easiest way to read calligraphy is to start from right to left, the way Arabic is read (see fig.5). If the words within the composition are closely placed together it's best to locate the separate words to read the phrase (see fig.6).11 Another common shape in calligraphy is either a circle or oval, in this case, Arabic can be read from the upper right down to the lower right corner making out separate words. This will help readers understand the content whether it be religious or cultural.
fig.5
8
fig.6 Ibn Al-Bawaab, also known as The Illuminator of Arabic Script, helped to perfect the primitive writing form. During the 3rd century AH, Ibn Muqlah a famous Islamic calligrapher developed this form further and discovered a solution to a perfect and proportional script also known as al-khatt al-mansub. It was he who changed what used to be a primitive form to a structured harmonious script. His passion was to create an elevated art that was noble for the Holy Quran. He also created a systematic code for six main scripts which then became the foundation for calligraphy (see fig.7).12 This system used a circle with the diameter of the letter alif as its basis (see fig.8).13 Yaqut Al-Mustasimi then invented a particular way of trimming the reed pen creating oblique cuts, which then developed other various forms.
SIX MAIN SCRIPTS fig.7
THULTH RUQAA
TA'LIQ NASKH
KUFI DIWANI
IBN MUQLA’S PROPORTIONAL WRITING SYSTEM fig.8
9 These different forms were reserved for specific applications, but all these scripts were adaptable to different materials and textures. For a non-Arabic speaker, when looking at complex calligraphy, they need to understand how Arabic letters look and reads. Following Latin, the Arabic script is the third most widely used alphabet in the world. Like Latin, there are several other countries that use the Arabic alphabet but read differently. Arabic is written from right to left just like Hebrew, and consists of 28 letters. 18 of them share the same base shape, and are all composed of 3 strokes: vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. Each letter has 4 different looks depending if it's in the beginning, middle, or end of the word. Most of these letters include all three of these strokes. Given the flexibility of these shapes, calligraphers would adapt a new style keeping intact its base shape. The need for verbal clarity created this dynamic evaluation of Arabic script as we know it today. Preserving and maintaining the word of God kept Muslims motivated to develop what began as a primitive form known as jasm script, which took place in Mecca and Medina. This script would take up the name of the local place it was developed, hijazi, with no cross reference to its style. This script needed to distinguish itself forming a new form called Kufic which spread widely through the entire Arab regions, Iran, and Spain and was used to write the Quran. This starting point created rounded, triangular, curved, elongated, and straight shapes that was ready for a systematic revision. This revision was done by Caliph Uthman during the sixth century and then by Abd al–Malik the Umayyad (646 –705) who applied special marks to help with proper vocalization of the Quran.14 This radical and dramatic transformation took place during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries when these letters were elongated and curved to create human, animal, and botanical formations. The fluidness in Arabic script created distinctive looks that were adapted and made by calligraphers from different regions (see fig.9).15
10 fig.9
Sixth century primitive form in Arabic.
Short vowels and diacritical marks. Excerpt from the Quran in sixth century Kufic style.
Vocalic + ornamental additional Three different Arabic letters with different pronunciations, symbols in the Arabic alphabet. but same basic shape.
11 TOOLS + MATERIALS
The end of the 9th century through the 11th a visible change in the Qurans format took place along with the development of ornamentation. The orientation, size, and material was adjusted to accommodate the Qurans functionality, it changed from horizontal to vertical increasing its length, creating an easier format for Muslims to handle. Morocco was an exception to this format and used a square format. Parchment – made of animal skin – was the material used for this written script as it was readily available.
PAPER
Paper later replaced parchment when it was introduced in the Middle East because it was cost efficient, accessible, and easily reproduced. Paper used for calligraphy is dyed and coated with a mixer of starch. A burnishing tool is then used to give it a smooth finish, making calligraphy writing easier to flow on paper. This finish helps acts like a coating making mistakes easier to lift and more forgiving. Colored paper, like hues of blue and green are usually used for the Quran, while other texts use cream or off-white. Stark white is avoided because of its vividness and takes away from the calligraphic form.
INK
Before the advanced techniques in calligraphy today, ink from the inside of Mosque lamps would be scraped, signifying a type of blessing of the written word. Today, masters make their own ink by combining Arabic gum and dissolving it in water. This water soluble mixture is easier for calligraphers to deal with because mistakes could be easily lifted. The ink is placed in a miniature vessel with silk fibers (see fig.10).16 These fibers help prevent the pen from absorbing too much ink. Just like paper, ink comes in different colors using different techniques. Invisible ink was used for secret messages, ground glass for shine, and gold for religious and royal documents.
12
PEN
The calamus pen or qalam, a significantly important object that was mentioned in the Quran during its revelation. "If only the trees on earth were pens and the [inky] sea were later replenished with seven other seas, God's words would never be exhausted." Quran 31:27. The vitality of the pen has assisted in the accomplishment of the written word. This natural most important tool to a calligrapher, is cut from a single reed straw or bamboo. This material is preferred by masters because of the fluidness it lends to the form and shape of writing. The nib is cut at specific angles to create certain styles and filled with silk, wool, or a small sponge (see fig.11).17 This method protects the pen from hitting the bottom of the inkwell and minimizing the ink intake that can lead to blotches
LEAF SKELETONS
These were popular during the late Ottoman empire among the Sufis. An assortment of tobacco, ivy, fig and mulberry leaves were pressed and dried but still retaining some of its flexibility. A Quranic verse would be written on the back in gilded text using a stencil that would contain the ink mixture (see fig. 12).18 The surrounding leaf tissue would be removed very carefully using a small prick. Today many of these leaf skeletons are sold in craft stores for decorative uses and greeting cards
13 fig.10 Iranian ink vessel
fig.11 Two reed pens, one bamboo, and one porcupine quill for stirring.
.ﷺ fig.12 Inscribed in the nasta'liq script with a prayer for help from Prophet Muhammad
14 CULTURAL AWARENESS
The importance of global marketing has lead designers to develop international communications in several languages. Arabic and Latin are commonly seen in conjunction and a combination of these two requires skill and knowledge to convey the same information in a readable manner. Since the popularity of Arabic and Latin follow each other, a comparison of the two will help bring forth a better understanding of their dynamics and functions:
LATIN • Written and read from left to right • Has upper and lower case letters • Letters are used alone except in cursive and ligatures • Is designed based on a set of baseline to establish the heights of ascenders and descenders
• Stretching of letters distorts it and ruins the integrity of the type font • All letters have their own shape
ARABIC • Written and read from right to left • Has no upper, lower, or italics
• Words are always connected • Measurements of letters are done accordingly to a complex system, and rarely sit on the same baseline
• Stretching of letters create new enhanced styles
• Letters share similar shapes
A connection of cultures through a visual language can communicate their presence in each form. Richard Buchanan best writes "Culture is the search for principle in the everyday engagement of life as well as in the special human engagements of science, art, politics, and design. In short, culture is what we do when we are alone or when we are together in such a pursuit."19 The remembrance of culture and heritage exemplified through type can help to understand other ways of life. 15
Most words in different countries have an embodied meaning that can be lost through literal translation, and can sometimes offend ones culture. Designers that are unaware of the Arabic language can forget its cultural significance which sometimes can lead to incorrect translation, or worse offending the culture. Seeking deep into different cultures, traditions, and religious contexts can help convey a message directly and effectively. For instance, in Arabic, when translating a text, proper classical Arabic known as fouss'ha is used. Non-Arabic speakers tend to assume Arabic has several languages, but in reality it's only one with several dialects from different Arabian regions. By understanding these nuances the combination of languages can be used to enhance each others identity, and the possibilities would be endless. To provide an example outside the Arabic culture will provide a better sense of this. The famous slogan "Got Milk?" done by the American Dairy Association was so successful they wanted to reach out to the latin community; the Spanish translation was "Are you Lactating?"20 There are several other examples of cultural insensitivity especially in religious contexts. Designers also try to compromise elements of typography with another culture adapting their own style to integrate with another (see fig. 13).21 Unless aware of the cultural differences, this approach will lead to misinterpreted communication. The following images exemplify the use of Arabic in a sacrilegious manner (see fig. 14 –16).22
fig.13 Same destination with two different directions.
16
fig.14 This Channel gown design by Karl Lagerfeld in 1994 had fig.15 Life magazine published this image of a Muslim praying embroidered verses of the Holy Quran that offended the Islamic facing Mecca. The caption suggested that his "spiritual thirst" religion. A public apology was issued and the dress is quenched by Coca –Cola and not his religion. was then destroyed.
fig.16 In the British Independent article an apology from Nike was published when they designed a sneaker mimicking the name Allah in Arabic script.
17 With over a billion believers worldwide, Islam has motivated and inspired the evolution of Arabic script, transforming what began as a primitive style into an influential form of art. The adaptation of Islamic faith encouraged Muslims to abide by Islamic rules and embed stylistic creations that are within these inherent laws. Hence, bringing together different regions that produced various elements of Islamic art that were immediate in reviving the primitive form drawing importance to God's divine messages. The Islamic philosophical thought contributed to these expressive forms that were than adapted into several secular context. The conservative Muslim beliefs helped develop new art forms that were apparent in all different medias, and distinguished Islam from all other religions. Identifying Arabic script as the Muslim way of communication has established the prominence of reading and writing, the basis of this art form. Therefore, the precision in detail and concentration further developed the nuances of Arabic creating adaptable formats, enabling calligraphy to integrate itself with different objects. This noble artistic expression containing valuable messages was developed on the hands of several masters who were brought together by the peaceful religion of Islam. This calligraphy enhanced the beauty of the written word impacting the way people perceive this culture. It was with the qalam that helped transmit the ultimate source, the Holy Quran. This noble book changed people's ignorance into civilized Muslim societies who contributed and discovered explorative fields. This expansion provided and revived the development of many other cultures creating an embodied presence throughout history.
18 BIBLIOGRAPHY
AbiFares Smitshuijzen, Huda. 2004. Center for Arabic Typography. http://www.khtt.net
Boutros, Mourad. Arabic for Designers. Jordon: The National Press, 2005.
Boutros, Mourad. Talking about Arabic. New York: Marky Batty Publisher, 2009.
Chebel, Malek. Symbols of Islam. London: Thomas and Hudson, 1997.
Cleminson, Ralph. The Complete Guide to Calligraphy. Canada: Firefly Books Ltd, 2006.
Clévenot, Dominique. Splendors of Islam. New York: The Vendome Press, 2000.
Delius & Hattstein. Islam: Art and Architecture. Cologne: Könmann, 2000.
Fehérvári, Géza and Safadi, Yasin H. 1400 Years of Islamic: Art A descriptive Catalogue. Singapore: FEP International Pte Ltd, 1981.
Khalili, Nasser. Islamic Art and Culture A Visual History. Woodstock & New York: The overlook press, 2005.
Kvernen, Elisabeth. 2009. Calligraphy Qalam. http://calligraphyqalam.com
Lockerbie, John. 2005. A background to two-dimensional design – geometry and pattern. http://www.catnaps.org/islamic/geometry.html
Lowry, D. Glenn, Fu Shen and Yonemura Ann. From Concept to Context Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy. Washington D.C. : Library of Congress Cataloging –in–Publication Data, 1986.
Mandel Kahn, Gabriel. Arabic Script. New York: Abbeville Press, 2001.
R. Hayes, John, eds., The Genius of Arab Civilization Source of Renaissance. Second edition. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1983.
Zain Al-Din, Naji. The Beauties of Arabic Calligraphy.
19 NOTES
1. Markus Hattstein and Peter Delius, eds., Islam: Art and Architecture, (Cologne: Könmann, 2000), 20.
2. Ibid., 46.
3. Ibid.
4. Fantastic Landscape, 14th century. Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art.
5. Umayyad Mosque, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Mosque.
6. Hattstein and Delius, Islam: Art and Architecture, 46.
7. Ibid., 48.
8. http://catnaps.org/islamic/geometry.html.
9."Calligraphy: A Noble Art," Saudi Aramco World 15, no.4 (1964):1–7. http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/196404/calligraphy-a.noble.art.htm.
10. http://www.sheiknazim.com/portal-bin/content/view/110/.
11. Wisam Shawkat, Basmalah Wissam new 2, http://www.khtt.net/page/14721/en.
12. http://29letters.wordpress.com/2007/05/28/arabic-type-history/.
13. http://calligraphyqalam.com/people/ibn-muqla.html.
14. Gabriel Mandel Khan, Arabic Script (New York: Abbeville Press, 2001), 10.
15. Ibid.,90.
16. Pantea Tofangchi, http://calligraphyqalam.com/gallery/index.php?album=period-6- Tools&image=Tools4.jpg.
17. Elinor Aishah Holland, http://calligraphyqalam.com/gallery/index.php?album=period-6- Tools&image=Tools3.jpg.
18. Nasser D Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, http://calligraphyqalam.com/gallery/index. php?album=period-4-OttomanTurkey&image=cal-0395.jpg.
20 NOTES
19. Richard Buchanan, "Branzi's Dilemma: Design in Contemporary Culture," Design Issues, 14, no.1 (1998):3 –20.
20. Mourad Boutros, Arabic for Designers, (Jordon: The National Press, 2005), 56.
21. Ibid., 54.
22. Ibid., 90.
21 appendix APPENDIX SITE SELECTION
In order to capture the spirit and essence of Islamic calligraphy I need to designate a space that is open to cultural diversity. The Kennedy Center in Washington DC is known for creating harmonious displays and performances from countries all over the world, promoting cultural awareness through art. Incorporating multilingual scripts in a cohesive design will play off the already existing theme of the nations' flags. As a result, this space will highlight religious, historical, and cultural aspects of this history keeping young adults curious and engaged in the visual identity of Islam.
23 ORIENTATION: The Need to Write MERGING WORLD’S A traditional Islamic family will help guide visitors The absence of Arabic interface in western technology throughout the exhibit, and give an insight on the encouraged native Arabs develop a hybrid language using subtleties and nuances of Islamic Calligraphy and Latin type with Arabic numerals. Arabic culture.
THE FAMILY CULTURAL CONTEXT Designers that are unaware of the Arabic language can forget its cultural significance which sometimes can lead to incorrect translation, or worse offending the culture.
Meet: Aimina & Aisha THE WRITTEN WORD Ali & Fatima By discouraging the graphic representation of human Abdullah & Muhammed beings and animals it channeled the creative energies of Muslim artists toward other decorative arts, especially calligraphy.
RICHES OF AN ANCIENT LANGUAGE FEMALE CALLIGRAPHERS With over a billion believers worldwide, Islam has Since the 10th century onward, these women possess motivated and inspired the evolution of Arabic script, a great skill and talent taking the responsibility of transforming what began as a primitive style into an writing many fine Koranic manuscripts. influential form of art.
EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW | Exhibition outline 24 The Need to Write (orientation) Riches of an Ancient Language Riches of an Ancient Language (traditional) (contemporary)
Preservation of the word Fluidity in form
Primitive form Adapting new styles Meet the family Islam and the Quran
Merging World’s Absence of Arabic interface Developing a hybrid language
Cultural Awareness Cultural significance Respecting other cultures
The Written Word Female Calligraphers (film) Subtleties and nuances of Arabic script Woman practicing Methods and techniques in calligraphy calligraphy today
EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW | Exhibition diagram 25 Merging World’s Cultural Context
Riches of an The Written Word Ancient Language
The Need to Write orientation
Riches of an Ancient Language Female Calligraphers film
EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW | Exhibition Floorplan 26 The holy book all Muslims seek for guidance, relief, and illumination to their lives is the Quran, the only living manuscript from its time.
ORIENTATION: The Need to Write FEMALE CALLIGRAPHERS: Film A box of reed pens will be displayed for visitors to use A short film will feature different stories of and will also be a keepsake to remind them of their Muslim woman practicing calligraphy today. overall experience.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS | Rendering 27 RICHES OF AN ANCIENT LANGUAGE: Traditional The need for verbal clarity created this dynamic evaluation of Arabic script as we know it today. Preserving and maintaining the word of God kept Muslims motivated to develop what began as a primitive form to beautiful calligraphy as we know it today.
Riches of an Ancient Language
RICHES OF AN ANCIENT LANGUAGE: Contemporary The fluidness in Arabic script created distinctive looks that were adapted by calligraphers from all different regions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS | Rendering 25 i ask cultural context
Designers that are unaware of the Arabic language can forget its cultural significance which sometimes can lead to incorrect translation, or worse offending the culture.
MERGING WORLD’S CULTURAL CONTEXT The absence of Arabic interface forced native Arabs to use the Latin Designers that are unaware of the Arabic language can forget its cultural interface instead to express Arabic words. This phenomenon was an significance which sometimes can lead to incorrect translation, or worse offending interesting new representation of typography. Merging World’s will focus the culture. Seeking deep into different cultures, traditions, and religious contexts on the cross cultural exchange that created a hybrid language. Visitor’s can help convey a message directly and effectively. “i ask” will give visitors the can type their name in English and watch how the Fatima and Ali type in chance to ask questions to a panel of five different people that have the knowledge Arabic using Latin and Arabic numerals. and experience with cultural sensitivity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS | Rendering 26 THE WRITTEN WORD Creating informative displays and inter actives that include tools, instruments and materials will bring a different perspective on the various techniques used in calligraphy. This direct experience will give an insight on the subtleties and nuances of Arabic speaking audiences, and will also provide a brief glimpse on the Islamic faith and Arabic culture.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS | Rendering 30 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS | Model 31 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS | Model 32