Beyond Words Calligraphy From the World of Islam

Beyond Words: Calligraphy From the World of Islam presents 128 individual works, all of which exemplify the importance and role of calligraphy. Calligraphy is frequently used in almost every kind of media within the Islamic world—and hence has become a unique testimony. After the rise of Islam in the seventh century and its initial spread, the Arabic script took on a very special significance, becoming a unifying factor—an identity marker—across geography and ethnicity. The audience is introduced to different types of writing and the different usages from official documents to metalwork, ceramics, textiles and architecture. The David Collection, Copenhagen, Denmark, through Jan. 26.