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Fine Arts · Year 2 · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Muslim Art & Culture

This course explores the artistic, architectural, and cultural contributions of Muslim civilizations across regions and eras. Students examine Islamic aesthetics, calligraphy, geometry, ornamentation, manuscripts, architecture, and contemporary Muslim art through historical and analytical study.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Explain major periods and regions of Muslim art.
  2. Analyze Islamic aesthetics, geometry, calligraphy and ornamentation.
  3. Identify key architectural forms and cultural contributions.
  4. Interpret manuscripts, miniatures, and sacred art traditions.
  5. Evaluate contemporary Muslim artistic expressions and cultural identity.
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Overview of Muslim Civilizations & Cultural Development
  2. 02Foundations of Islamic Aesthetics
  3. 03Calligraphy: Scripts, Styles & Sacred Texts
  4. 04Geometry, Symmetry & Repeating Patterns
  5. 05Arabesque & Floral Ornamentation
  6. 06Manuscripts, Miniatures & Illumination
  7. 07Mosque Architecture & Sacred Spaces
  8. 08 · MidtermIslamic Palaces, Forts & Urban Planning
  9. 09Regional Variations (Arab, Persian, Turkish, South Asian)
  10. 10Islamic Decorative Arts & Material Culture
  11. 11Textiles, Ceramics & Metalwork Traditions
  12. 12Patronage, Craft Guilds & Artistic Production
  13. 13Islamic Art in the Subcontinent
  14. 14Modern Muslim Artists & Cultural Expression
  15. 15Preservation, Museums & Global Influence
  16. 16Final Analytical Project Development

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Students will produce a research-based visual analysis on a selected Islamic art form or cultural tradition.

Deliverables

  1. Visual presentation including imagery, diagrams and contextual notes.
  2. Reflection on cultural significance and contemporary impact.

How it’s judged

§ 04 Watch first
From the PGA Journal
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