Islamic Design Then and Now | التصميم الإسلامي: بين الحاضر والماضي

In this episode of Hwar AlMadar, we delve into the intricate world of Islamic design. We are joined by Dr. Desmond Lazaro from The King’s Foundation at the School of Traditional Arts, and Dr. Mariam Rosser-Owen, the Middle East curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum. We discover the blend of form and function that characterizes Islamic design, learn about the rich history and methods behind these masterpieces, and explore the fascinating personal journeys of our guests into the realm of traditional and Islamic art. Whether you’re a student, art enthusiast, or history buff, this episode offers a deep dive into the artistic and cultural heritage of the Islamic world.

00:00 Introduction
01:47 The King's Foundation School of Traditional Arts
03:10 Victoria and Albert Museum's Islamic Art Collection
05:37 Our Guests' Personal Journeys into Islamic Art
09:30 Defining Islamic Design
17:32 The ROSHN Project in Jeddah
20:55 Exploring Historical Artifacts
23:41 Detailed Study of Alhambra's Ornamentation
25:08 Interaction of Objects in the Exhibition
25:34 Focus on Wood in Islamic Architecture
26:49 Materials and Craftsmanship in Islamic Ceilings
28:47 Geometric Design and Functionality
31:46 Personal Reflections and Learnings
33:03 The Art of Numbers Theme
35:02 Rapid Fire Questions
42:58 Final Thoughts

Dr. Desmond Lazaro was born in 1968 in Leeds and is presently based in Pondicherry. Captivated by the historic painting traditions of Rajasthan, he studied for 12 years under Jaipur Master Bannu Ved Pal Sharma, to master miniature painting techniques. His PhD thesis on the Pichhwai painting tradition was submitted to the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London. He has researched and written on pigments, papers and cloth that he uses in his creative process. He follows the ancient tradition of creating pigments by hand from semi-precious mineral stone, organic, alchemical, and earth derivations, that are classified not by their color, but from where the pigment is derived. Dr Lazaro’s work, as well as his personal history, spans East and West, and his paintings have been exhibited extensively in India, the UK, and Germany.

Connect with Dr Lazaro 👉 https://www.instagram.com/desmondlazaro/?hl=en


Dr. Mariam Rosser-Owen completed her PhD in Islamic Art and Archaeology at the University of Oxford in 2002. She has been a curator in the Middle East Section at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A) since then, specializing in the arts of the Arab world, with a particular focus on the Islamic Mediterranean and North Africa. She is the author of many publications: her books include Islamic Arts from Spain (2010) and Articulating the Hijaba: Cultural Patronage and Political Legitimacy in al-Andalus (2021). In 2015, she received an Art Fund New Collecting Award to research and acquire contemporary craft from Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt. This project led to her curation of Contemporary Ceramic Art from the Middle East, exhibited at the V&A in 2021. Most recently, Dr. Rosser-Owen has led the research and re-display project on the V&A's Torrijos ceiling, a strapwork carpentry ceiling created in the late 15th century for a palace in Torrijos, near Toledo, in Spain. This will be on view at V&A East Storehouse when it opens at the end of May 2025.

Connect with Dr Rosser-Owen 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mrosserowen/

Hosted by: 
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Hwar AlMadar is a dedicated podcast series inspired by AlMadar, meaning “the Orbit,” an initiative launched by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation at the Islamic Arts Biennale that promotes collaboration and dialogue between institutions with significant collections of Islamic art around the world. 

A live podcast series powered by afikra, Hwar AlMadar is part of The Diriyah Biennale Foundation Public Programs and features leading experts from institutions around the world that contributed to AlMadar in the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 in Jeddah. AlMadar showcases objects that embody centuries of knowledge, masterful craftsmanship, and the spirit of cultural exchange.

The Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 provides a holistic platform for new discourse about Islamic arts, offering an unparalleled space for learning, research, and insight. By juxtaposing contemporary and newly commissioned artworks with historical objects from Islamic cultures, the Biennale explores how faith is experienced, expressed, and celebrated through feeling, thinking, and making. It offers a unique platform for artists to explore themes of spirituality, identity, and the intersection of past and present, while fostering cross-cultural connections and expanding the global understanding of Islamic art and culture.

حوار المدار هو سلسلة بودكاست حيّة تابعة للبرنامج الثقافي في مؤسسة بينالي الدرعية، بالتعاون مع عفكرة. يستضيف البودكاست خبراء عالميين من المؤسسات المشاركة في "المدار" الذي يضم مقتنيات تختزل قروناً من المعرفة والحرفية والتبادل الثقافي، في بينالي جدة للفنون الإسلامية 2025

يقدم بينالي الفنون الإسلامية منصة شاملة لاستضافة وتشجيع الحوار وتوسيع المعرفة بالفنون الإسلامية، وذلك من خلال ما يوفره من فرص للبحث والتأمل والتعلم في مختلف المجالات. يعرض البينالي تحفاً تاريخية من مختلف الثقافات الإسلامية، جنباً إلى جنب مع أعمال من الفن المعاصر، وذلك في محاولة لاستكشاف عمق المعاني الإيمانية، والتعرف على طرق التعبير الإبداعي عنها من خلال الفكر والحس والإبداع. كما يوفر البينالي منصة فريدة للفنانين لاستكشاف موضوعات تشمل الإيمان والهوية والتقاطعات بين الماضي والحاضر، مع تعزيز الروابط الثقافية والتعريف بالفنون والثقافة الإسلامية على المستوى العالمي