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The Big Picture: Spiderweb art
by Conrad Astley4/ 8/2005
ARTWORK designed to help people transcend everyday life is on
display in Sale.
The Handasah: Unity in Pattern exhibition, now being shown at the
town's Waterside Art Complex, is a series of paintings inspired by
the Islamic art tradition.
The paintings by Zarah Hussain, follow complicated methods of
geometric pattern making.
The artist has painted the patterns onto handmade paper and tiles,
uses watercolours she has made from natural substances such as
cochineal, earth pigments and semi-precious stones.
But she says there is far more to the exhibition than pretty
pictures.
The artist said she had always been fascinated by Islamic pattern,
made up of interlocking geometry with flowing shapes, stars and
rosettes, and has attempted to incorporate this into her own
designs. She describes the patterns as "spider webs of God" which
have enabled her to escape the preoccupations of everyday
life.
The patterns, which can be found in every type of Islamic art and
architecture, are designed to help humans contemplate God by
allowing them to understand the order and harmony of
creation.
Zarah Hussain said: "My paintings are inspired by patterns from all
over the Islamic world and I am fascinated by the sense of
vibration, energy and spirituality present in geometry.
"I have discovered the inherent beauty of number and how this
relates to the natural world and the order that pervades the
universe."
Handasah will be on display at the centre until August 13,
as part of the Parampara programme promoting the work of South
Asian artists.
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