Project: Creating and Understanding Arabesque

Context

Islamic art is a visual representation that encompasses a wide geographic and chronological range, extending from Spain to India during the 7th to 19th centuries. It encompasses a wide array of cultural and historical landmarks including, but not limited to palaces, mosques, mausoleums, gardens and fortresses, amongst which geometric art serves as a universal symbol for Islamic culture and is an example of abstract art that evolved to represent Islam itself.

Islamic art embodies the diversity and unity of people who lived across different regions and times. Despite the cultural diversity, Islamic art developed distinctive and unmistakable characteristics, like the predilection for decoration through geometric, vegetal (Arabesque) patterns, and writing. Calligraphy, the art of writing beautifully, is one of the most expressive manifestations of Islamic culture.

In the teaching of Arts, Islamic art is an extremely relevant and current subject. The students may greatly benefit from understanding the influence of religion and culture in art and how art reflects the values and ideas of a society. Islamic art also provides a diverse view on art history and contributes to the objective of an integral and balanced artistic education.

In order to better understand this subject, I suggest the following resources:

• The Art of Islam: Language and Meaning by Titus Burckhardt, published by World Wisdom

• Khan Academy educational website: Islamic Art: An Overview

• BBC Documentary “Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World”, available on Netflix.

Practical activity

Title: Creating and Understanding Arabesque

Objective:

The main objective of this project is that the students create an art piece using the Arabesque technique, which is a key element in Islamic art, while explaining its meaning and origins.

Detailed description of the project:

The students, in groups of 3 to 5, will do an in-depth research on the Arabesque, focusing on its origins, meanings, uses throughout history and its importance to Islamic art. Afterwards, they will plan and create their art piece which will use Arabesque. The final piece will be presented with a comprehensive written explanation of the creation process, materials used and meaning of the piece.

Necessary materials:

• A3 card stock paper

• Pencil and eraser

• Drawing pens (different point sizes)

• Ruler

• Acrylics or watercolours

• Different sizes of brushes

Detailed step-by-step:

1. Research on the Arabesque: Use the resources suggested in the context section and other reliable sources to learn about Arabesque. This step should take about 2 hours to complete

2. Design Planning: Plan your Arabesque artwork. Think about what motifs you will be using and how they will interact with one another. Remember, Arabesque utilizes repeating and interconnected patterns

3. Creating the Design: Using the pencil, start the planned design on paper, which should take between 2 to 3 hours to complete.

4. Colouring: Once satisfied with the sketch, begin adding colour with your chosen medium. Take your time in this step and do not rush. It should take approximately 3-5 hours.

5. Report: Write a detailed report on your project which should include your research on the subject, the process of creation of the artwork, and an explanation of the meaning behind your artwork.

Project Delivery:

At the end of the project the students will have to deliver the following:

1. The final art piece using the Arabesque technique.

2. A project report which includes the following elements:

• Introduction: In this section students should place Islamic art in context and specifically the Arabesque, speaking about its relevance in Islamic art and culture, as well as introducing the objective of the project.

• Development: Here is where the students will explain the step-by-step creation of their piece. They should include the choices made at each stage and the difficulties encountered, as well as the theory behind the Arabesque. It is important to discuss the methodology used and to present the results obtained.

• Conclusions: The students should highlight the main points and reflect on what they have learnt throughout the project.

• Bibliography: All the consulted sources for the realization of the project must be stated.

The students should dedicate between five to ten hours for the realization of this project, with a delivery time of one month since the start date.