The World Of Islam: Islamic Art. - Review - audio-visual review

Arts & Activities, Jan, 2001 by B.H.

THE WORLD OF ISLAM: ISLAMIC ART. Video/30 min./ $89.95. Level: High School and College. Films for the Humanities & Sciences, P.O. Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543-2053, (800) 257-5126.

Excellent musical accompaniment and photography reveal the ideas and purposes that lay the foundations for Islamic art. Since Islamic law forbids the representation of the human form, Moslem art has developed a particularly decorative style called "arabesque" that is typically seen in rich and decorative allover patterns. This video shows and discusses the architecture and sculpture of mosques and Koranic schools. We see the illumination and calligraphy of sacred texts, the art of the garden and the influence of the abstract arabesque on Western art. We see the Alhambra, Taj Mahal and India's Red Fort, as well as other exceptional examples of Islamic architecture.-B.H. For information about this program, circle No. 398 on the Reader Service Card.