The Ancient Arabic Alphabet As an Input to Inspire Contemporary Metal Ornaments

Abstract

The current study addressed the topic of inspiration as an important field in the field of arts in general and metal ornaments in particular. Therefore, the research problem was represented by the main question: What is the possibility of drawing inspiration from the ancient Arabic alphabet and using it in designing contemporary metal ornaments? This question includes sub-questions about methods of inspiration in the visual arts and the forms of the ancient Arabic alphabet. The objectives of the study were to identify the possibility of drawing inspiration from the ancient Arabic alphabet and using it in designing contemporary metal ornaments; identifying methods of inspiration in the visual arts, and identifying the forms of the ancient Arabic alphabet. The study used the descriptive analytical method to suit its objectives. After presenting detailed mechanisms that address the topic in the theoretical framework, the applied framework came through designing a set of (16) designs of metal ornaments inspired by the ancient Arabic alphabet. The designs were presented to a number of specialized arbitrators for their opinions.

After analyzing the opinions of the arbitrators, the results revealed that the percentage of agreement of the arbitrators as a whole regarding the possibility of drawing inspiration for contemporary metal ornaments designs from ancient Arabic alphabets reached (89.5%), which is a high percentage of agreement.                                                                                                                                                   The study emphasized the importance of drawing inspiration from the cultural and civilizational heritage in the Arabian Gulf, and the study recommended benefiting from the cultural and artistic heritage in the Arabian Gulf and conducting artistic studies to reveal the aesthetics of this heritage.