Presentation about Islamic Calligraphy by Elinor Holland

Elinor Holland of New York City, working on an educational panel at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Calligraphy in Arabic Script: Lifting the veil

This will be an excursion out of our usual world of Roman letterforms. Imagine yourself in medieval Spain in the year 1100. The continent of Europe is in darkness but there is a great light shining in the Muslim lands to the south and east. A whole civilization is flourishing and from its pen flows the beautiful Arabic script.  Translations of Greek philosophy and science, which later inspired the Renaissance, are being translated and copied in Arabic! Thousands of miles away, in Baghdad, a school of calligraphy is developing and forming the basis for the tradition of Arabic script calligraphy, which continues to this day.

This traditional art form is the highest form of art in Islamic culture and is an essential part of a civilization that exists from Morocco to Indonesia. The beauty of Arabic letterforms transcends culture and can be appreciated by all who view it. This lecture/slide show is meant as an introduction to those who have a little or a lot of exposure to this art. We will survey the important styles and developments and discuss method and materials, and view many beautiful masterpieces of calligraphy, with an emphasis on the great Ottoman tradition.

Elinor Aishah Holland is a professional lettering artist. Her passion and enthusiasm for calligraphy began during a visit to Istanbul as a teenager and has not ceased for many years. As a free lance lettering artist in Roman and Arabic scripts, her work includes all aspects of involvement with the art, including exhibiting, teaching, doing commercial and commission work. She has been a student of Master Calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya for many years, and travels to Turkey for additional tutelage as often as possible.  Ms. Holland has also studied with top teachers in the Western tradition as well, and continues to further her craft and knowledge of calligraphy and related book arts and illumination at every opportunity. She teaches, presents and exhibits throughout the US and Canada. Clients include the Smithsonian Institute, The NY Public Library, Clinton Global Initiative, NY Society of Scribes, Long Island University. She resides with her family in the suburbs of New York City.