Muslim Art in the

Philippines
‫مرحبا‬

Mr. Jade A. Adang, MPA

GE7 - Art Appreciation
Notre Dame of Dadiangas University
Learning Outcomes:
▪ explain the origin of Muslim art in the
Philippines;
▪ identify the key characteristics of Muslim
art; and ‫مرحبا‬
▪ identify the stylized decorative motifs that
readily recognizable in Muslim Art.
Islamic art encompasses visual arts
produced from the seventh century
onwards by culturally Islamic
populations.
Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion
articulated by the Qur’an, a book considered by its
adherents to be the verbatim word of God (Allah)
and the teachings of Muhammad , who is considered
to be the last prophet of God. An adherent of Islam
is called a Muslim.
Most Muslims are of two denominations: Sunni
(75–90%),[7] or Shia (10–20%). Its essential
religious concepts and practices include the five
pillars of Islam, which are basic concepts and
obligatory acts of worship, and the following of
Islamic law, which touches on every aspect of
life and society. The five pillars are:

1. Shahadah (belief or confession of faith)

2. Salat (worship in the form of prayer)
3. Sawm Ramadan (fasting during the month of Ramadan)
4. Zakat (alms or charitable giving)
5. Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime)
Islamic Art
▪ Islamic art encompasses the visual arts produced
from the seventh century onward by both
Muslims and non-Muslims who lived within the
territory that was inhabited by, or ruled by,
culturally Islamic populations.

▪ This work is also not associated with any one

faith, period, location, or media. Islamic art, on
the other hand, encompasses a wide range of
artistic disciplines such as architecture,
calligraphy, painting, glass, pottery, and
textiles, among others.
▪ It encompasses all of the art produced by Islamic
civilizations' many cultures, rather than only religious
art. It typically includes secular aspects as well as those
that some Islamic theologians consider to be banned.
Islamic religious art is very different from Christian
religious art.

▪ Islamic architecture, such as mosques and palatial gardens of

paradise, are also embedded with religious significance. While
examples of Islamic figurative painting do exist, and may cover
religious scenes, these examples are typically from secular contexts,
such as the walls of palaces or illuminated books of poetry.
▪ Greek, Roman, early Christian, and Byzantine art
forms, as well as pre-Islamic Persia's Sassanian art, all
inspired Islamic art. With numerous nomadic
incursions, Central Asian styles were introduced,
while Chinese influences influenced Islamic
painting, pottery, and textiles.
Themes of Islamic Art
In Islamic art, there are repeated motifs, such as the arabesque, which
is a repetition of stylized, geometrical floral or vegetal designs. In
Islamic art, the arabesque is frequently employed to represent God's
transcendent, indivisible, and endless essence.

Because many Muslims believe that depicting the human form is idolatry and
hence a transgression against God that is forbidden in the Qur'an, Islamic art
has traditionally centered on the representation of patterns and Arabic
calligraphy rather than human or animal images.
 Islamic Architecture

The term "Islamic architecture" refers to

a wide spectrum of secular and religious
architectural styles. The mosque is the
most prominent Islamic architectural
specimen. Soon after Muhammad's
death, a distinct Islamic architectural
style arose, including Roman building
traditions as well as localized
adaptations of earlier Sassanid and
Byzantine patterns.
Ottoman Mosques
Islamic Calligraphy
Kufic script, which is known for its angular
appearance, is the earliest form of Arabic
calligraphy. Only the consonants are written in
Arabic, which is read from right to left. The
consonants are marked in black ink in the
image above from a 9th century Quran for the
reader. The vowels are indicated by the red
dots on the page.
The use of calligraphy in
the overall design of
objects from many
periods and countries
varies, displaying the
creative possibilities of
calligraphy as ornament.
In some cases,
calligraphy is the most
prominent feature of the
design. The artist uses
the inherent capabilities
of the Arabic alphabet to
create lettering as
adornment in these
examples.
Islamic Book Painting

In the late medieval Islamic

world, book painting
achieved its pinnacle in
Persia, Syria, Iraq, and the
Ottoman Empire. The art
form grew in popularity
across the country and was
influenced by a variety of
cultural influences.
 Islamic Ceramics
▪ Ceramics, both pottery and
building tiles, were
remarkable achievements in
Islamic art, reaching heights
unsurpassed by other cultures.
▪ Early pottery was largely
unglazed, but Islamic potters
developed a tin-opacified
glazing process. The first
Islamic opaque glazes may be
seen on blue-painted porcelain
from the 8th century in Basra.
 Lusterware
Lusterware is a type of
pottery or porcelain with a
metallic coating that is
iridescent.

Luster originated as a glass

painting technique that was
later applied to ceramics in
Mesopotamia in the 9th
century.

10th century dish

Albarello, or storage jar, with vegetal and
epigraphic decoration
Islamic Textiles
When the Islamic dynasties rose to
prominence, they took control of the
region's textile industry, which was
undoubtedly the most important craft of
the time. The carpet was the most
significant textile manufactured in the
Medieval and Early Modern Islamic
Empires.

Carpet and interior of the Harem

room in Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
Indonesian Batik

However, Islamic textile

manufacture was not
restricted to carpets.
Royal factories were
established for the aim
of producing textiles,
which comprised fabric
and clothes.

The Ardabil Carpet, Persia, 1540: The Ardabil Carpet is the

finest example of 16th century Persian carpet production.
 The Development of Islamic Art in the Philippines

▪ The religion of Islam was introduced to the

Philippines by traders and missionaries in the
13th century. Islamic art merged with ethnic
culture to create Filipino Muslim art that portrays
the people's ethnic heritage and Islamic identity.
▪ Islam was mostly centered in the South during
Spanish colonization and American occupation,
but this did not prevent the blossoming of Islamic
art.
 Art of Filipino Muslims

▪ In the Philippines, Islamic art is

mostly found among Muslim
ethnic groups, each of which has
its own particular style of Islamic
art. Filipino Muslims' homes,
clothing, and places of worship
are all decorated with this
distinctive art.

Grand Mosque (Sultan Hassanal

Bolkiah Masjid), Cotabato City
▪ The absence of human form is one of the
characteristics of Islamic art. This tradition
stems from the concept that figural
representations should never be utilized in
worship.

▪ The ancient art form known as Okkir is the

only relic of Filipino Muslim art within
mosques. Hindu and Chinese elements are
thought to have influenced this art form.
Okkir's artwork is geometric and flowery.
King Faisal Mosque, Marawi City,
The usage of dragon or snake imagery is a
Lanao del Sur
frequent motif in this art genre.
Okkir Design in Ramil Tawasil's Painting
The buraq, a winged
horse with a woman's
head, is another figural
representation in Filipino
Islamic art. Prophet
Muhammad's ascension to
paradise is shown in this
imagery. The sarimanok,
a symbol of valor and
dignity, is another well-
known species.
 ▪ Their ethnic origin is reflected in
their clothing style and colors.
▪ The batik fabric design is an
example of an Islamic design
utilized in the Philippines.
Indonesian influence can be seen
in this style of design. It features
geometric and floral designs with
abstract themes.

▪ Human and animal representation, on the

other hand, is a very uncommon motif in
batik.
▪ In the Philippines, Islamic art has
long been associated with the
country's ethnic heritage.
However, changes in the visual
expression of Islamic art have
been influenced by globalization.
There has been a shift in the
adoption of forms and styles
since producing an art that is
oriented on ethnicity.
▪ The Middle East continues to play a
crucial role in defining the future of
Islamic art in the Philippines, owing to
the increasing employment and a
growing number of students studying
abroad.

Overseas Filipino Worker S(OFWs)

 Thanks!
Do you have any questions?
youremail@freepik.com
+91 620 421 838
yourcompany.com

CREDITS: This presentation template was created

by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and
infographics & images by Freepik.

Please keep this slide for attribution.

‫وداعا‬