JEDDAH: A new exhibition titled “Geometry of Beauty: A Language to Read or an Equation to Solve?” has opened at MNWR Space in Jeddah, bringing together 28 artists whose works explore art, science and spirituality through Islamic geometry and Arabic calligraphy.
Presented by MNWR in collaboration with Hafez Gallery and Makhtut Studio and curated by Abdelrahman Elshahed, the exhibition runs until Nov. 7.
Qaswra Hafez, founder of Hafez Gallery, outlined the aim of the exhibition.
“‘Geometry of Beauty’ is born from our dedication for uniting traditional and contemporary approaches, inviting artists to explore whether beauty is a language we speak or an equation we uncover; from the orbit of an atom to the sacred circle of the pilgrim’s tawaf (circumambulation around the Kaaba).”
Hafez said the collaboration with MNWR Space and Makhtut Studio “brings this exploration full circle, revealing how Islamic geometry and Arabic calligraphy address universal questions of form and meaning that can speak directly to today’s audience.”
Curator Abdelrahman Elshahed explained that the exhibition grew from a single question linking devotion, science, and visual logic. (Supplied)
Elshahed said: “The show began with a simple question: is beauty a language we learn or an equation we measure? From the atom’s orbit to the pilgrim’s tawaf, circular motion, proportion, and repetition tie science to devotion and to the visual logic of Islamic art.
To select the participating artists, he sought those who could “activate that triangle — heritage, inquiry, and experiment,” considering mastery of calligraphy or geometry, conceptual clarity, technical skill, and a balance between generations, genders, and artistic disciplines.
He said: “We built coherence through shared ‘keys,’ the circle, the grid, and the golden ratio, sequencing works in constellations, calligraphy beside abstraction, manuscript ornament beside sound and light, so motifs echo across media.”
He added that his background as an artist and calligrapher trained him “to see structure inside emotion, line as breath, spacing as silence, proportion as meaning.
“That sensibility guided the curation, privileging works where craft and concept are inseparable, while ensuring the process, hand-dyed papers, ruled geometries, algorithmic patterning, and embodied gestures, is legible so viewers can ‘read’ how beauty is built.
“Above all, I hope visitors leave sensing continuity between their heartbeat and a compass-drawn rosette, between cosmic order and everyday care, and see faith, reason, and creativity not as separate rooms but as one house with many doors.”
Among the featured artists is Ehab Mamdouh, who spoke about his series “Reflection of the Soul.”
Among the featured artists is Ehab Mamdouh, whose series “Reflection of the Soul” explores the principle of reflection as both a spiritual and aesthetic act. (Supplied)
“‘Reflection of the Soul’ is a meditation on the principle of reflection: just as clear water reflects everything around it and a mirror reflects whatever stands before it — what happens when words themselves are reflected?”
His paintings, inspired by the verse “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” and the divine name “Al-Raheem,” extend from what he calls his “own artistic school grounded in the Law of Uniqueness and Repetition.”
“Amid the demands of my daily work as the director of a media company and filmmaker, I find in art a profoundly personal space to express and reveal the reflections of my soul, away from market requirements,” he said.
Mamdouh added about the exhibition: “From the moment one enters the gallery, a palpable sense of serenity and spirituality emerges, alongside a refined artistic diversity that highlights the interplay and cohesion among the works.”
He praised Elshahed’s curation that creates “a vibrant dialogue between the Islamic visual heritage and contemporary modes of scientific thinking.
“Geometry, calligraphy, and ornamental heritage are read through the lenses of mathematics, algorithms, and data, generating bridges of knowledge that connect intuitive sensibility with scientific method.”
For artist Basmah Al-Saqabi, whose work focuses on the Arabic word “Allah,” the exhibition embodies the meeting of sacred light and structured form.
“At the center of this piece lies the Arabic word ‘Allah,’ radiant as the essence of divine light that rises above all else. Surrounding it are interwoven colors and geometric lines — symbols of the vast universe with all its diversity and reflections,” she said.
Inspired by her late father, pioneering calligrapher Mohammed Al-Saqabi, her piece merges deep spirituality with geometric abstraction.
“Being part of ‘Geometry of Beauty’ feels like entering a galaxy of luminous minds, where each artist forms an orbit of thought and vision. The exhibition does not merely gather artworks; it creates a new map of beauty that connects art, science, and the human spirit,” she said.
For Al-Saqabi, geometry offers a path to transcendence. “I treat precision as a means of honoring chaos. Geometry, to me, is not a limitation but a gateway to contemplation, giving creativity a framework through which it can breathe,” she explained.
Artist Abdulrahman Al-Kabran has contributed a work titled “Between Earth and Sky,” a visual meditation on the spiritual journey of humankind.
Artist Abdulrahman Al-Kabran contributes a work titled “Between Earth and Sky,” a visual meditation on the spiritual journey of humankind. (Supplied)
“I used the pilgrim’s ihram (two pieces of unstitched cloth) as a symbolic surface representing purity and detachment, transforming it into a visual tapestry of dots and buttons that signify the collective movement and rhythm of the crowds circling the Kaaba.
“The diverse colors merge harmoniously, reflecting the unity of world cultures,” he said. “I balance precision and creativity by transforming geometry into a spiritual language.
“It symbolizes cosmic order, yet I introduce handmade materials that break its rigidity and restore the human touch, allowing the work to become a dialogue between mind and spirit,” he said.
He said such exhibitions “revive the essence of Islamic art. When viewers see how lines and forms evolve into a harmonious system, they realize that science and art speak the same language — the language of creation and divine order.”
Artist Maha Khogeer, whose work “Siyah va Sefid” (Black and White) reinterprets calligraphy as pure form, and explained that her approach seeks to liberate letters from linguistic function.
“My piece is a balanced visual composition between blackness and whiteness. The piece re-contextualizes calligraphy as an independent element, transcending its traditional linguistic function to become a visual expression rich in contrasts,” she said.
Khogeer believes that art inevitably mirrors life. “Every artist is a product of the culture, history, and civilization in which they were born and raised. It’s clear that their work is a reflection of the ideas, feelings, and experiences shaped within the context of their time and place.”
She added: “Exhibitions like ‘Geometry of Beauty’ are essential in the contemporary art scene.
“The displayed works open up a space for dialogue, convergence, and interaction between ideas and cultures, highlighting the richness of the arts and showcasing the inherent beauty within them,” she said.
