Fascinating Islamic Style

When we think of Islamic art, many will picture the exquisite arabesque decorations that embellish mosques.  But not all Islamic art involves abstract, detailed patterns—the Islamic art world is diverse in Asia. The religion of Islam was born in Mecca, in the Arabian Peninsula at the beginning of the 7^th century.  Spreading from the Middle East, across Asia and other parts of the world, it is said that Islam has about 1.6 billion followers.

In Asia, many adherents of Islam, Muslims, live in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. The term “Islam” means “voluntary submission to God” in Arabic.  Obedience to the law laid down by Allah, the One and Only Eternal God is essential for the faith and the Qu’ran, the Islamic holy book embodies this law.  Since the Qu’ran forbids idolatry, the creation or the worship of the images of God is prohibited in Islam.  However, it does not mean the complete proscription of sculpture and painting in Islam.  In fact, many artworks that depict human and animal figures have been made in the field of secular Islamic art, without restriction.

Distinct from Islamic religious art, this exhibition shows about 20 works created by contemporary artists living in the Islamic world in Asia.  In this exhibition, there are paintings from Pakistan and Malaysia, which incorporate the decorative calligraphy and geometric patterns that are unique to Islamic art.  On the other hand, figurative pieces portraying human figures, which clearly address social issues can be found in paintings from South Asia.  Incorporating elements of miniature and poplar art, these works address the clash between Hinduism and Islam or various issues that Islamic societies face.

We hope this exhibition will give you a chance to experience the diverse art of the Asian Islamic world.