Mohamed Zakariya: A 21st century Master Calligrapher

Nancy Micklewright (editor)
Paperback, 184 pages
9781941610916

Lavishly illustrated, this collection of essays and images is the first to present a comprehensive overview of the life and work of Mohamed Zakariya, the most important American Islamic calligrapher, told through the words and eyes of the artist himself, scholars, students, and colleagues from the international world of Islamic calligraphy. The book examines links between the world of Ottoman calligraphy and today’s practitioners, Mohamed Zakariya’s place in a global lineage of calligraphers, and his role in shaping the next generation of artists. The reader is treated to the extraordinary and complex processes of making inks and paper.

Mohamed Zakariya: A machinist by training, American-born Mohamed Zakariya is a classically educated Islamic calligrapher who earned diplomas in three calligraphic scripts from the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art, and Culture in Istanbul. His work has been collected and displayed worldwide, including at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Zakariya designed Eid holiday stamps for the U.S. Postal Service in 2001, 2009, 2011, and 2016.