Arabesque

Arabesque or Islamic art, represents to the adherents of Islam the their united faith and the way in which traditional Islamic cultures view the world.

There are two modes to Arabesque art. The first recalls the principles that govern the order of the world. These principles include the bare basics of what makes objects structurally sound and by extension beautiful (i.e. the angle and the fixed/static shapes that it creates -- esp. the truss). The second mode is based upon the flowing nature of plant forms. This mode recalls the feminine nature of life giving. Upon inspection of the many examples of Arabesque art, some would argue that there should be is a third mode, the mode of Calligraphy.

In the first mode, each repeating geometric form has a built-in symbolism ascribed to it. For example, the square, with its four equilateral sides, is symbolic of the equally important elements of nature; earth, air, fire and water. Without any one of the four, the physical world, represented by a circle that inscribes the square, would collapse upon itself and cease to exist. Furthermore, the choice of which geometric forms to use and how they are formatted are based upon the Islamic view of the world.

Instead of recalling something related to the True Reality (the reality of the spiritual world), calligraphy is a visible expression of the highest art of all; the art of the spoken word. The most important document to be transmitted orally is, of course, Al-Qur'an.

Proverbs and complete passages from Al-Qur'an can be seen today in Arabesque art. The coming together of these three forms creates the Arabesque and this is a reflection of unity arising from diversity (a basic tenet of Islam).