Calligraphy on Persian Carpet

Prahlad Buggana

Dimensions:  Length=1meter and width=1.5meter

The common misconception about Muslims is that they are terrorists. This is a wrong misconception. It order to clear people’s mind and change their thoughts, this artwork represents a strong message: “Bismillah AL-Rahman AL-Rahim”, which means “In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Compassionate”.  It has often been said that the word ‘Bismillah’ holds the spirit of the complete Qur'an, as well as the proper spirit of all religions. Muslims often say this phrase when embarking on any significant endeavor, and the phrase is considered by some to be a major pillar of Islam. This expression is so magnificent and so concise that all but one chapter of the Qur'an begins with the word ‘Bismillah’.

More than the art technique, it is was the idea of getting these little pieces together, which means getting the right frame, carpet and the right words on the carpet. In order to combine these pieces, I used Photoshop. As you can notice in the image above, the frame, carpet and calligraphy fit well together. This artwork is supposed to be hung on the wall. When people pass by, it reminds them to remember God and thank him. It is good to have such positive words around to make one do good deeds. Religion is represented by people, therefore it is important for people to set good examples for others to follow. This will help in clearing misconceptions about Islam.

Ottoman arts, and artists such as like El Seed and John Berer have inspired me to portray such calligraphy in my art work. The carpet design used is Persian and the frame is said to be from Iraq.

My name is Prahlad Buggana, born and raised in Hyderabad, India. This is my final year in the American University in Dubai as a Management major.  My interests include watching football and my favorite team is Chelsea. Being a business major, this course has helped me see a different side of art.