An afternoon of Islamic Art

The core of Islamic art is to glorify God, an art expert said, deconstructing the geometry used to create tessellation – a close arrangement of repeated patterns – at WeWork River North July 15, 2018.

"Most artists behind Islamic art are anonymous because religious art is not about you but glorifying God," said Gabriel Rojkind, speaking at a workshop on Islamic art. "This can also be reflected in the decorative canons of Islamic art."

Rojkind showcased the creating process of a typical Islamic art pattern.

"It all starts with circles and straight lines." He said, drawing three circles on the screen.

"You can now generate other geometric patterns, like triangles, pentagons or octagrams, from the divisions of the circles. Based on this combination, you can create a tessellation which can repeat forever."

Rojkind explained the meaning of this specific design is to represent unity and the pursuit of order and perfection.

"Geometry, along with other three canons of Islamic art -- calligraphy, arabesques and muqarnas – requires a hundred percent attention to the details," he said. " Once a shape is off, and you get further out, it gets more wrong."

According to Rojkind, the design feature can be found among many Muslim countries due to its long history and rich heritage with a focus on geometric foundations. However, it does change according to different cultures and histories.

"Some countries have a sharp change whereas others don't. Architectures in countries like Pakistan and Iraq are frequently destroyed and rebuilt. Even though some survived, but most of what we see today are the latest versions,” said Rojkind. “By contrast, in India and Indonesia, religious buildings of over 100 years old can still be reserved well."

Mohanmed Chattha, a Pakistani newly moved to Chicago, nodded when he heard Rojkind introduced the Islamic art in Pakistan.

“The geometry feature is very similar to what I learned back home in Pakistan. We can use a compass to draw a sunflower, or something even more complicated.”

Rojkind, and the other instructor Aqsa Bano, encouraged the attendees to create their artworks. Participants partnered with three other people to create tessellation as a team and each team came up with a unique Islamic art design.

“I appreciate the effort of the organizers to create an immersive environment where people can learn more about Islamic art in a more engaging way,” said Amal Mskn, the founder of an event company offering language and cultural experiences in Chicago. “I had a great time here, and I would love to partner with them to create more rewarding experiences for the local community.”

The workshop was hosted by the Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) as one of the community events to strengthen connection within the Muslim American community in Chicago.

“We are very excited to receive so many positive feedbacks of the event,” said Jean Schindler, the chief of staff of MALA, “As a story-sharing organization, we would love to offer a chance for people of the community to get together and celebrate Muslim American heritage.”

Schindler also disclosed that MALA would partner with the Chicago History Museum to launch the Muslims in Chicago exhibition on Oct. 22 this year to promote diversity and celebrate Muslim culture rooted in Chicago.