The Mashrabiya Project

An exhibition and a publication contemplate the mashrabiya, a defining element of Islamic visual culture that features elaborate geometric wooden latticework comprising thousands of individual lathe-turned pieces. In newly commissioned works, six artists from the Muslim world—Dana Awartani, Nidaa Badwan, Susan Hefuna, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Majida Khattari, and Hoda Tawakol—respond to societal and cultural concepts evoked by the mashrabiya. Khaled Abdel-Hamid and other master Egyptian wood turners lead master classes on wood turning and carving. The wood turners also engage local practitioners in the creation of the mashrabiya in a workshop space visible to the public. Led by Museum for Art in Wood’s artistic director Jennifer-Navva Milliken, the exhibition includes a gallery-based liwan, a traditional gathering space in Middle Eastern homes, and an augmented reality installation that transports viewers to restored Islamic heritage sites.

The total grant amount represents project funding plus an additional 20% in unrestricted general operating support.