Name of Allah 

Editor: This artwork is called "Name of Allah" by Hafiz Osman, and it appears to be created using ink. I am immediately struck by its elegant geometry. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s beautiful, isn't it? Viewing this, I'm drawn to considering Islamic art not simply as religious, but deeply socio-political. This piece reflects a devotional practice intertwined with power dynamics and historical circumstances. Calligraphy, particularly when invoking the name of Allah, acts as both a spiritual act and a powerful assertion of cultural identity, especially relevant when considering the eras of its production. The very act of meticulously rendering this name embodies a refusal to allow cultural erasure. Editor: So, the act of creation is a form of resistance? Curator: Exactly! Consider the repetitive geometric forms, almost meditative. In what historical contexts do similar forms appear in art and architecture associated with resistance movements, or the preservation of indigenous traditions, where symbolic repetition affirms the endurance of a cultural memory against forces attempting to dismantle it? And what philosophies might inform those parallels? Editor: That's something I hadn’t considered. It reframes the whole piece. Curator: It also raises interesting questions around gender and power. The male-dominated tradition of calligraphy challenges us to examine the place of female artists within Islamic art history. Who were the female calligraphers of the time and were their voices different? How do their contributions broaden our understanding of the spiritual power imbued in art? Editor: Thinking about art as both devotional and a statement changes everything for me. Thank you for that perspective! Curator: And thank you for pushing me to re-examine my own assumptions about its role!