Historically, artists have been inspired by the Holy Kaaba. Their artworks are beautiful visual representations of Pilgrimage, creating spiritual connections.
To celebrate #IntermationalArtistDay, here are 20 contemporary artists perspectives on the Holy Kaaba
A thread…
1/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist @safialatif
Safia’s work is distinguished by her loose & textured brush strokes. Painting of the Kaaba surrounded by tall grass & wild flowers, Epilogue 2, oil on panel. Epilogue 1 above.
2/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist @_99khxn
Fatima Khan has a passion for Islamic architecture, history & heritage. She explores this in her magnificent paintings of Mosques from around the world.
3/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Saimah Hussain
Saimah is British Bangladeshi born and based in South Wales, Cardiff. She has a passion for painting Islamic architecture and experiments with texture and colour in her work
4/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Siddiqa Juma
Siddiqa is a multi-award-winning and critically acclaimed contemporary Islamic artist from the tiny Zanzibari island of Pemba. This work is titled SUPERNOVA.
7/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Sara Mir
Born in Pakistan, having lived in the Middle East, America & Europe, Sara believes that everything in creation is a sign of Divinity, the Kaaba is present in most of her works.
14/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Hammad Haider
British artist Hammad finishes one of his artworks while on pilgrimage to Mecca. He is Junior architect & his art is inspired by Islamic architecture specifically.
17/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Lamya Kabbani
Emirati artist Lamya’s distinctive colourful works feature holy landmarks as well as scripts from the Holy Quran using various Arabic typography, from Kufic to Naskh.
18/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Ashfia
Ashfia is based in Manchester, UK. She is a student of Tezhip. Her work is mainly floral, pattern-based and often illuminated in 24k Gold leaf or Shell Gold.
19/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Merve Karli
Turkish artist Merve is a specialist in tezhip and miniature painting, particularly influenced by Ottoman painting reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.
20/ Beautiful interpretation of the Kaaba by artist Ahmed Mater
This miniature diagrams faith & religion. Iron filings radiate around a black cube, an emanation of attraction that evokes a pilgrims circling the Kaaba @IslamScienceNet
In 1807, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar, was stolen from Senegal & sold into slavery in America. He left behind an autobiography written in Arabic.
To mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition, a thread on the remarkable story of Omar…
1/ Written in Arabic and recently acquired by the @librarycongress, "The Life of Omar Ibn Said” is not only a rare handwritten personal story of an American slave, but it's also one of the first intimate accounts of the early history of Muslims in the United States.
@librarycongress 2/ Omar wrote his brief autobiography, 190 years ago, & it spent much of the last century forgotten in an old trunk in Virginia. When he wrote it, Omar was 61 and more than two decades into a long enslavement in America, first in Charleston and then North Carolina
Did you know that in Arabic there are 12 levels of friendship? With every level of friendship there is an Arabic word to describe it.
From Sadeeq to Khaleel it is rare to find all 12 levels of friendship in one person.
For #FriendshipDay the 12 levels of friendship in Arabic...
1/ 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙦 (صديق) - a true friend; someone who doesn't befriend you for an ulterior motive. The word "Sadeeq" is commonly translated as truth, so honesty and loyalty is at the core of this friendship
2/ 𝘼𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙨 (أنيس) - someone with whom you're really comfortable and familiar with.
Lubna of Córdoba, originally a slave in the 10th century, rose to become a prominent figure in history.
She served as the secretary to Caliph Al-Hakam II and played a pivotal role in creating the renowned library of Medina Azahara, which housed over 500,000 books.
Moroccan design is all about colour, texture & fluid lines. It is a unique blend of North African, Mediterranean & Islamic styles, creating a distinctive look, which has inspired artists & designers all over the world.
A thread on the art of Moroccan design aesthetics...
1/ City planning, military architecture, urban casbahs, and the intricate beauty of Moroccan carpets, woodwork, and zellij tilework are all part of this distinctive and brilliant world of art.
Moroccan aesthetics continues to influence artists and designers all over the world…
2/ Some of the readily recognized features of Moroccan design include Islamic geometric patterns, vivid colors, and zillij tiles. Zillij tiles are terra cotta tile-work of enamel chips set in plaster to create mosaic geometric shapes…
Arabic calligraphy is the most highly regarded element of Islamic art, as it is the language of Qur’an. The script has the potential for creating ornamental forms
Today, the art of Arabic calligraphy continues. Here are 20 contemporary artists redefining calligraphy
A thread...
1/ Influenced by her British and Pakistani heritage, artist Maaida Noor combines ancient techniques with modern expression. Through her work, she aims to reconnect with nature and spirituality, using harmonious geometries and vibrant colors as her language.
2/ Born in Tehran, @snasernia
began his career primarily as a calligrapher & typography artist. He turns Arabic letters into an abstract language, creating a new concept called Crazy Kufik & deconstructs the rules of Arabic & Persian writing