Thread by @BaytAlFann

Geometric patterns are a distinguishing feature of Islamic art, thought to reflect the language of the universe & the greatness of creation.

Today, artists are reinterpreting this traditional artform in new ways.

A thread on 30 contemporary artists redefining Islamic geometry…

1/ For visual artist Margi Lake, the beauty, mystery & genius of Islamic geometric patterns is timeless & universal. They express the principles & realities that govern the cosmos, the natural world & human nature

2/ Artist Julia Ibbini uses algorithms and new technologies to create Islamic geometric paper cut works inspired by the universe

3/ Shaimaa Osman is a Dutch-born, North African Sudanese junior doctor & artist based in Devon.

@salamsanctuary is renowned for her creative approach to Islamic art, through an exploration of geometry, maps & collage

4/ Japanese artist Yukiko Futamura has a passion for Islamic art & illumination. She studied calligraphy & manuscript illumination under artist Miwako Kawaminami for nearly 2 decades. Her work is influenced by Islamic cultures

5/ UK based artist @jennifa_nahar is fascinated by Islamic patterns. Through her work she challenges the possibilities of print and textiles. She is an experienced printed textile practitioner, & has an interest in origami and paper sculptures

6/ Artist Rayhana K Haque work is meticulously detailed & reflects the beauty of the world & beyond through Islamic geometry

‘The beauty & grandeur of God belong to Him; the beauty & grandeur of the world of creation are borrowed from Him’ ~ Jalal Uddin Rumi, Masnavi 11:1103…

7/ Artist Ketsorch uses watercolour as a medium to reflect the mystery and beauty of the universe and solar system, through Islamic geometry and pattern

8/ Bryn Edmonston is a self-taught artist specializing in colorful geometric layered paper cutouts, putting a contemporary twist on an ancestral art form. Her work is inspired by the tiling and plaster carvings of Southern Spain

9/ UK based artist & educator @samira_mian has a passion for Islamic art & culture.

An experienced teacher of mathematics with Islamic geometry, she has created a contemporary take on tradition, promoting her art both in the UK & internationally

10/ Aziza Iqbal is an Indian Islamic visual artist based in Doha, Qatar

A passion for sacred geometry, Aziza uses both traditional & digital media to create vibrant, contemporary geometric compositions, drawn & painted using classical tools & techniques:

11/ Known for her ingenious use of colour & mastery of Islamic geometry, biomorphic patterns & illumination, @EsraAlhamalArt is an artist & researcher based in London

Her work experiments & reinterprets traditional practices in contemporary ways

12/ British Muslim artist & brandalism activist @Teakster is shaping our understanding of contemporary Islamic art today.

He connects communities by challenging perceptions of space, replacing outdoor advertising with beautiful artwork…

13/ Tasneem Afaneh is a Palestinian self-taught artist who lives in Jerusalem. It has always been her aspiration to create art, and her heritage is a key influence in her work

14/ Maryam Souza is a Brazilian Muslim Islamic artist. She lives in São Bernardo do Campo, where one of the largest Muslim communities in Brazil is located. Her work is inspired by her Brazillian heritage, Islamic illumination & Qur'anic verses

15/ Artist @elisadeaneart impeccable use of colours and detailed brushwork are inspired by Islamic geometry & the cosmos

16/ Artist @SKbydesign work tells stories which are about celebrating something long forgotten, and a reclamation narratives. She is interested in colonial legacies, social justice & using art as a tool for change

17/ For British Muslim Artist @shaheenkahmed empathy is central to her practice. Islamic geometry is core to her work, & she explores social justice using maps as a tool for conversation

18/ Artist Eric Broug is from the Netherlands & now lives in the United Kingdom. A specialist in Islamic geometry @enebroug has been leading the development and understanding of Islamic geometric pattern through his research and many books on the subject

19/ Nima Nabavi is an Iranian-American artist who is now based in the UAE. His art practice is driven by a mathematical approach, and a contemplative execution of intricate geometries.

20/ Known as a pioneer in the art industry in Saudi Arabia, @Lulwah_AlHomoud explores the world of calligraphy and Islamic philosophy carefully through her work. She uses calligraphy & mathematical processes to form her own visual language

21/ Clarissa Grandi is a UK-based geometric artist & teacher of mathematics.

@c0mplexnumber is influenced by Islamic pattern & explores the interplay between rigid, regular, human-made geometry and nature’s organic, chaotic geometries & symmetries

22/ Working at the intersection of art and science, @matthewshlian describes himself as a “paper engineer.” His use of both geometry and paper has defined his craft, with drawings, prints & sculpture that are unique in their manifestation

23/ Whilst studying mathematics at university, artist @em_3190 found inspiration in Islamic geometry. After learning more about Islamic illumination, she developed a unique style bringing a contemporary twist to this traditional art-form

24/ Artist Sara Choudhrey explores themes of space and place in her work through shapes and pattern. Sara’s practice involves the construction & application of patterns, where geometry & natural forms are reference points to the cosmos & universe

25/ Born in Pakistan, raised in the Middle East & having lived & worked in North America and Europe, Sara Mir, is an Islamic artist with a mystic soul who believes that everything in creation is interconnected and a sign of Divinity. She explores sacred geometry through her work

26/ Artist @halimacassell is one of the UK’s most distinctive, & dynamic ceramicists & sculptors. Her work is instantly recognizable due to her bold designs, crisp carving & intuitive understanding inspired by geometry, architecture & nature

27/ Lieve Oudejans was born and raised in the Netherlands where she works as a PhD student in the field of cancer biology. Since 2019 she has been practicing Islamic geometric art and is continuously learning

28/ Sandy Kurt's passion for Islamic geometry began in 2016 with an online course, an old compass and some cheap watercolours. An educator & artist, her complex geometry has inspired thousands of artists to get started

29/ For artist Ameet Hindocha, developing a multi-disciplinary practice with geometry at its core has allowed him to tap into an ancient but living tradition of design, and explore it with the tools & technology today

30/ British artist @zarahkhussain combines contemporary digital art with a training in hand drawn Islamic geometry. Her work encompasses animations made with code, interactive apps, painting, paper & sculpture

Discover more contemporary artists inspired by Islamic tradition on baytalfann.com