Image: American University Museum, Washington, DC
‘Beyond Words: The Sacred Art of Ayesha Kamal’ opens at the American University Museum in Washington on 5 September, remaining on view through 6 December 2026.
Organized by Hummingbird Film Studios, the exhibition presents large-scale mixed-media paintings by contemporary Islamic calligrapher Ayesha Kamal. The works explore relationships among faith, artistic expression and cultural heritage.
Kamal draws on verses of the Holy Qur’an, Asma-ul-Husna (The Beautiful Names of Allah), and Islamic artistic traditions. Her paintings incorporate intricate calligraphy, expressive textures, luminous metallic elements and layered compositions.
The exhibition includes ‘Asma-ul-Husna and Ayat ul Kursi IV’ (2022), a 48-by-48-inch mixed-media work on canvas.
The American University Museum and store are open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., except during exhibition installations.
