University of Nice, France presentation, Feb 1-2, 2017. IAA conference on Decorative Arts and Ornamentation.

1. The Case for Ornament
A Manifestation of Islamic Spiritualty
Noor Danielle Murteza
University of Sharjah, UAE
University of Nice
1-2 February 2016
Département de philosophie
Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis
Membre de l’Institut Universitaire de France
Lettres et sciences humaines

2. 2
To acceptance committee:
Here is the acceptance email from the conference chairperson to verify the presentation at the University of Nice, IAA conference, 1-2 February 2016.
From: Carole Talon-Hugon <c.talonhugon@gmail.com>
Date: Monday, November 28, 2016
Subject: Ergon and parergon. Organisation
To: n murteza <ndmurteza@gmail.com>
Dear Participant to the « Ergon and parergon. Decorative Arts, Applied Arts, Industrial Arts : Fine Arts and the others » Conference,
Some informations about our conference.
- The conference will start on the 1st February at 9 am and end on the 2d at 6 pm.
- It will take place at the University of Nice, « Lettres et sciences humaines » Faculty, Council Room, 98 boulevard E. Herriot – 06 00 Nice.
- The organization will be: a 20-25-minute presentation and a 5-10-minute discussion.
- We will take lunch next to the conference venue. (Included in the registration fees)
- A gala dinner will be organised on the 1st February in a restaurant of the old part of the city. (Dinner price : 40 euros ; not included in the registration fees).
- The conference will end with a cocktail reception. You are warmly invited !
Travel and public transports
Nice has a huge international airport : many airlines (included low-cost airlines) and destinations. Its web site : www.nice.aeroport.fr/
You can also come by train (SNCF, Thello).
In Nice, take the tramway and the buses rather than cabs (very expensive).
The conference venue is located between the center of the city and the airport. It is served by the bus line number 22. We will send you a precise map in January.
Accommodation
The are many hotels in Nice and during the winter season ; prices must be very attractive in every categories. There are also youth hostels.
Some questions to finish :
Afin de composer le programme précis et complet du colloque, vous l’adresser et le diffuser au plus vite, je vous prie de m’indiquer :
- Will you be present for the whole two days ?
- Do you have special technical reqest for your speech ?
- Do you plan to participate to the Gala dinner ?
I am waiting for your answers as soon as possible and I thank you in advance.
Let me know if there are questions or problems…
Best wishes,
Carole Talon-Hugon
Professeur des universités
Département de philosophie
Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis
Membre de l’Institut Universitaire de France
Carole.TALON-HUGON@unice.fr
06 08 43 10 96

3. Introduction
• If one believes that God is beautiful and is the essence of beauty in all
its manifestations . . .
• And if one believes human beings should attempt to mirror these
manifestations of beauty . . .
• Then I suggest that ornament is the perfect mirror to reflect and
illuminate that beauty, and today I will show through specific
examples that there is a symbiotic and synergistic relationship between
the spiritual and ornamental in the Islamic tradition.
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4. Expressing the inexpressible
• Artists created work that was imbued with Islamic spirituality
• Their art had the following qualities:
1. Limitlessness
2. Sublimity
3. Inexpressibility
4. Infinity Mosque Lamp 1285. Egypt
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5. Islamic art utilizes ornament as its main artistic expression.
Islamic Art and Ornament
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6. • No direct representations, making them
acceptable in the Islamic religious context.
• More than mere imitations of reality.
• Aims to represent something metaphysical.
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Islamic Art and Ornament

7. Wallace Rosenbauer in his article The Function of Ornament says
“…the desire for embellishment is essentially human.” (p.224)
Islamic art is motivated by a desire for beauty
and organized around a set of principles.
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8. Principles
• Not to emulate nor challenge God’s creation.
• No realism. Stylization is used.
• Repetition, creating visual momentum.
• Lack of human forms.
From a manuscript of Divan
of Hafez. 1585
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9. Islamic Aesthetic expresses the need for
embellishment through
• Arabesque
• Geometric Patterns
• Calligraphic inscriptions
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10. Arabesque

11. Arabesque
• A pattern, most commonly
without a center, that extends in
all directions ad infinitum.
Carpet ca. 1650 Made in
India
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12. 12
Arabesque Examples

13. Plate ca. 1580–85 Turkey, Iznik
Folio A.H. 706/ A.D 1306–7 Iraq, Baghdad
Muqarnas tile second half 14th century,
Samarqand
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Arabesque Examples

14. Repetition is a characteristic
• Creating motion, a movement. It spreads
on the surfaces with momentum.
• A feature of Islamic faith. A relation to
mystic Sufi teachings.
• Of the process of tasbeeh, a repetition of
a prayer repeatedly.
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15. Geometric Patterns

16. Geometric Patterns
• Ratios and trigonometry are used by the artists.
• Infinitely complex units were made, that linked other units, extending
to infinity.
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18. Geometric patterns also embody the idea of negative
and positive space, which seem to inspire a sense of
cosmic harmony -whether they are quietly
monochromatic or richly polychrome.
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19. Geometric designs are often combined with vegetal
patterns. These combinations can be seen on various
surfaces.
Writing box late 16th–early 17th century
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20. Calligraphy

21. Calligraphy
• In the Arabic language words are made up
of three letter roots.
• Adding a prefix or suffix or changing the
word in a way alters the meaning
conveyed.
• The malleability of the letters allow an
infinity of visual expressions.
• Connection of the word with the spiritual.
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22. Mihrab A.H. 722/ A.D. 1322–23 Iran
Bowl 10th century,
Nishapur
Tugra 1555–60 From Turkey, Istanbul
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23. Words as pattern
• At times the readability of the text and its meaning are paramount.
• The aesthetic of the writing is what catches the eye and meaning is
secondary.
• Textile design exemplifies this idea.
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24. Giotto Madonna and Child,
1320 National Gallery, Washington DC
Filippo Lippi,
The Barbadori Altarpiece
1438, Louvre, Paris
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25. Contemporary Islamic ornament
• Ornament has not disappeared, and probably never will, since it is
• Some examples
“…essentially human.”
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26. Sheik Zayid Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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27. Iran Tehran Fez Morocco
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28. Conclusion
• The spiritual nature of humans finds its manifestation in Islamic
ornament.
• Ornament is the perfect mirror to reflect symbiotic and
synergistic relationship between the spiritual and ornamental in
the Islamic tradition.
• Many historical and contemporary examples in Arabesque
Geometric Patterns, and Calligraphy have illustrated this idea.
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