Key Concepts in Islamic Art

The Arabesque

Those swirling plant forms aren't just decoration: - Represent infinite creation - No beginning or end - Nature abstracted to essence - Meditation through repetition

Geometric Patterns

Mathematics as spiritual practice: - Perfect symmetry reflecting divine perfection - Complexity from simple rules - Patterns extending infinitely - Sacred geometry in visual form

Calligraphy

The word as art: - Qur'anic verses as decoration - Poetry integrated into objects - Names and titles as design elements - Multiple scripts for different purposes

Light and Space

Architecture of the spirit: - Screens creating mysterious shadows - Mirrors multiplying light infinitely - Water reflecting and cooling - Gardens as earthly paradise