Description

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The book is a study of the life and impact of Mohamed Zakariya, a contemporary American artist, who through his pursuit of a centuries old art form, Islamic calligraphy, has become known world-wide for his work. Along the way, he has had a major role in bringing this art form to the US and through his teaching, public appearances, and work, creating a uniquely American version of the practice of Islamic calligraphy. The account of Mohamed Zakariya’s life is told from a variety of perspectives, from his students, from colleagues, and by scholars. This multivocal approach to the subject results in a nuanced, thoughtful presentation of a complex and brilliant artist. Essays by leading scholars in the fields of Islamic art, calligraphy, and Islamic religious studies unpack the complexities of Islamic calligraphy through history, and place Zakariya and his work in a historical context stretching back over many centuries, but also explain why he is a maverick at the forefront of a global resurgence of traditional Islamic calligraphy.

About the Author

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Nancy Micklewright writes about visual culture in the Ottoman Empire with a focus on gender, and is currently working on her new book, Dressing for the Camera, Fashion and Photography in the late Ottoman Empire. Through 2019 she was Head of Public and Scholarly Engagement at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. A former university professor and senior program office at the Getty Foundation, she has a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in the History of Islamic Art and Architecture. A machinist by training, American-born Mohamed Zakariya is a classically educated Islamic calligrapher who earned diplomas in three calligraphic scripts from the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art, and Culture in Istanbul. His work has been collected and displayed worldwide, including at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Zakariya designed Eid holiday stamps for the U.S. Postal Service in 2001, 2009, 2011, and 2016. He has been featured in several movies, including the 2002 PBS documentary Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet.

Praise For…

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"Only a work of both art and scholarship would be suitable for commemorating the extraordinary lifework of the American Muslim artist and scholar, the master calligrapher, Mohamed Zakariya. Consisting of essays by art historians, scholars of Islam, his calligraphy teachers and students, and himself, this invaluable volume shows Zakariya and his art as flowing directly from the pen of the tradition of Islamic calligraphy and especially its Ottoman zenith." —Dr. Alan Godlas, Associate Professor, Department of Religion, University of Georgia

"Mohamed Zakariya, a symbol of perseverance and productivity, a unique personality full of self-motivation, creativity, and originality, has equipped himself with everything needed to practice the art of Calligraphy. His exceptional inner drive to discover, learn and produce pushed him to break all the barriers that emerged during this journey. Challenging and overcoming every obstacle on his way, he carried himself to the top, becoming a significant representative of Islamic Calligraphy in the West." —Master Khattat Deniz Öktem-Bektas & Master Khattat Davut Bektas