Interrelated histories, practices, and forms of communication: Using Arabic calligraphy to learn Arabic typography
[Thesis]
Banan Ahmed Al-Ansari
Kalin, Nadine
University of North Texas
2015
437
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-339-53377-3
Ph.D.
Art Education and Art History
University of North Texas
2015
In this self-study inquiry, I studied my graphic design practice in a professional setting, focusing on my Arabic typographic skills and knowledge. My roles as researcher and design educator indivisibly intertwined throughout this research. I worked to understand the value of calligraphy in art and design education, highlighting its power as an art form while also emphasizing its pedagogical potentials. I utilized two theoretical approaches suited to investigating and understanding the Arabic letters as text and image, Ibn Arabi's science of letters, or 'ilm al-hurûf, and semiotics. I applied my theoretical framework to three distinctive artworks to investigate their uses of the Arabic letters, contemplating their roles in modern and contemporary Arab art.
Art education; Art history; Design
Communication and the arts;Education;Arabic calligraphy;Arabic typography curriculum;Ibn Arabi theory;Science of letters;Semiotics;Visual analysis