Greeted by Islamic poetry pamphlets, attendees stepped into the Union Building’s Quadrangle room, its perimeter lined with tables displaying Islamic art on Saturday.
About 15 artists filled the room during an Islamic Art Festival hosted by the Muslim Student Association this weekend. Organized by religious studies junior Hasan Ansari, the festival offered Islamic paintings, henna, poetry and multimedia epoxy art. As the association’s outreach director, Ansari said he wanted to try a softer angle to his role of presenting Islam to the campus community and avoid the argumentative approach people sometimes see online.
“That’s fine, there’s a space for that, but that’s not what I wanted to do because I don’t think that speaks to people naturally,” Ansari said. “Art does.”
Ansari said he wanted to tap into the Islamic concept called fitrah — the soul’s natural inclination toward a higher entity.
“I wanted to engage in a dialogue that taps into the deepest part of what I believe is the human natural state,” Ansari said. “Beauty was the way I did that.”
Ansari said calligraphy remains a common element in Islamic art, and geometric design stands as an ornate part of calligraphy.
“The idea is that mathematical perfection is reflective of God’s perfection,” Ansari said.
New Braunfels-based multimedia artist Erum Khan incorporates calligraphy into her epoxy-coated pieces, many of which she embeds with semi-precious stones and crystals.
“I didn’t come here (with the idea) I could sell something, I wanted to represent myself and Islamic art and Islamic culture,” Khan said “Everybody is asking questions, and I really love it. I love to answer each and every question.”
Design freshman Farah Kamal showcased her piece detailing a woman placed in front of a mosque amid other buildings, drawn as a homage to Kamal’s Palestinian heritage. A hand descends from the top of the canvas pouring olive oil into the woman’s head as ripe olive branches grow out.
“You’re pouring in the culture, embracing it, letting it soak into you,” Kamal said. “And then it’s growing out, showing you’re growing with your culture.”
Ansari said he hopes Muslim attendees of the festival are touched by it.
“If (non-Muslim attendees) walk away with any inspiration … that’s also a hope of mine,” Ansari said.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Khan is from Houston instead of New Braunfels. This has been corrected. The Texan regrets this error.
