Portal

Portal evokes a sense of travelling through time and space, presenting an interconnectivity of historical Islamic art and design beyond assumed geographic regions. At the heart of this immersive, space-altering installation is the concept of looking from the past, to the present, and on to the future, instilling a sense of continuity through the tradition of Islamic visual culture and design practice.

Made of multiple engraved and cutwork mirror rings, Portal utilises the inherent material properties of its physical form to play with light, creating shadows, reflections and an infinite sense of depth. Portal looks beyond worldly constrains and allows for space to consider what lies ahead. The use of scaling panels with a chain-like pattern further evokes a feeling of passing through a metaphysical domain, linking heritage design traditions with a sense of place and identity across generations.

The process of analysing, deconstructing, and reconstructing historical surface design from the Islamic world is a means to acknowledge contributions in the field of craftsmanship and demonstrates continuity of Islamic art and design in an ever-globalising context.