USF Art History Professor Esra Ak谋n-K谋van莽 Studies Geometry of Islamic Calligraphy with Support of NEH Grant
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
USF assistant professor of Islamic art and architecture Esra Ak谋n-K谋van莽 is working
to uncover the mysteries of the geometry of Islamic calligraphy.
Supported by a United States National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Stipend,
Ak谋n-K谋van莽 traveled to Washington, D.C. and Egypt to study inscriptions for her research.
The award provided crucial support to her research, providing new insights into the
types of symmetry employed in calligraphic inscriptions.
鈥淚n DC and Egypt, I have gathered hundreds of calligraphic samples which I will now
need to organize according to their geometric principles,鈥� said Ak谋n-K谋van莽. 鈥淢y goal
is to prove that the creators of these calligraphic designs were well informed of
the rules of geometry, which field premodern Muslims believed was fundamental to noetic
and spiritual growth.鈥�
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created
in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States.
Because democracy demands wisdom, NEH serves and strengthens our republic by promoting
excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans.
The Endowment accomplishes this mission by awarding grants for top-rated proposals
examined by panels of independent, external reviewers.