Levha on Repentance Mehmed Sami Efendi (1838-1912) Turkey, 1318 A.H./1900 A.D. Gold on black distemper; cardboard ground Script: jali taliq Text: I am drowning in the sea of my rebelliousness. I seek your protection, O Prophet of God. (Ottoman Turkish and Arabic; source unknown but probably from the records of the Prophet’s companions.)

VCU’s School of the Arts and Anderson Gallery is pleased to present a special collection of Islamic calligraphy. The exhibition titled: Islamic Calligraphy from the State of Qatar will feature an impressive range of exceptional work from a number of countries in the Islamic world and represent the talent of some of the foremost practitioners of the art of Islamic calligraphy.

Mohamed Zakariya, internationally known scholar, artist and authority on the history of Islamic calligraphy, curates the exhibition. The exhibition celebrates the recent gift of this collection by H.E. Sheikh Hasan bin Mohammed Al-Thani to the state of Qatar. This exhibition is made possible by the state of Qatar and is on view in conjunction with the first annual symposium, Expanded Frontiers: An International Symposium on Islamic Art, organized by Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the state of Qatar on November 5th and 6th, 2004.

Islamic Calligraphy from the State of Qatar will feature nineteen works featuring the preeminent mode of artistic expression for the Islamic world, calligraphy. Exhibition curator Mohamed Zakariya states, “The works selected for this exhibition demonstrate the broad spectrum of artistic presentation and development in the art of Islamic calligraphy—that is, works created in the Arabic script by Muslim calligraphers from various regions and nations. Chronologically, the works range from the 9th to the mid-20th centuries; in provenance, from the Arabian heartland, where the art was born, to Persia, India, Ottoman Turkey, and China.” Described as the art of beautiful writing, this exhibition of calligraphy celebrates a major gift. “The selections for this exhibition are drawn from the extensive collections assembled by H.E. Sheikh Hasan bin Mohammed Al-Thani and subsequently donated to the state of Qatar. We are pleased to present this outstanding work to an American audience for the first time,” states Richard E. Toscan, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Dean of VCU’s School of the Arts.

This exhibition marks a first for showcasing the art of calligraphy at VCU’s Anderson Gallery and careful consideration has gone into presenting the historic pieces. Adjacent to each of the works, vital contextual information with translations done by Mohamed Zakariya will be displayed. Additionally, some of the tools of calligraphy will be showcased for reference. “Calligraphy is taught master to student, one on one, using the Islamic concept of taqlid; that is, the belief that proficiency is attained by following the best existing examples. When the master considers that the student is proficient in a particular script, the student is given a license, usually at a ceremony,” states Mohamed Zakariya.

Islamic Calligraphy from the State of Qatar will be on view at VCU’s Anderson Gallery through December 5, 2004.