User talk:Mike4info

Islamic Patterns Dr. Jan Abas A Personal History In 1964 Syed Zafar Jan Abas Jan was a graduate student of University College, London. He travelled with fellow students, driving to Southern Morocco to explore parts of the Sahara desert. On their way back, they stopped in Granada, and were delighted to see the Islamic tile patterns of Alhambra.

It wasn’t until 1986 that he found the time to study them. He was then employed as an applied mathematician and spent the first part of his career working in computational physics. Over the next 20 years, he never forgot the Alhambra mosaics.

Gradually, from physics he drifted into computer science and computer graphics. He then started to do research into Islamic patterns. After a second visit to the Alhambra in 1985, he began to study Islamic patterns using computer graphics. Ten years later his book “Symmetries of Islamic Geometrical Patterns”, was published in 1995, now a world classic. This book he dedicated to his mother, and to “those who conceived and built the Alhambra''. In July 1997 he set up his first web site on “Symmetry and Islamic Art”, updated to “Islamic Art 2000”. This same site has received hundreds of appreciative comments from people of many persuasions, ranging from primary school children to Nobel Laureates and has won three major awards, including the “Cliff Pickover Award for Excellence in Uniting Art and Science”. As a distinguished German mathematician put it. “Symmetry is one of many ideas by which man through the ages has tried to comprehend and create order, beauty, and perfection.” Whereas the medieval Islamic civilization made a large contribution to the development of the modern world, most are now of historical interest only, introducing “Arabic numerals to Europe“. Can you imagine today's digital world without the strings of 0’s and 1’s, or decimalisation? The other is the exploration of Symmetry through geometrical patterns, and architecture. The development of 3D-Symmetrically generated patterns would provide a visual gateway to the most powerful topic of mathematics needed for the understanding of quantum physics. Jan opened his web site with the idea of developing the Islamic heritage in symmetry and geometrical art for all, to value a unified experience of beauty, truth and harmony. Jan’s mission then changed by 2006. He hadn’t lost his passion for the glorious calligraphy and geometrical art and architecture of the Islamic World. He then chose to operate under the broader umbrella of symmetry. He started to write a new book on symmetry, of which I encouraged him to write, sadly still unpublished. He lived and worked for most of his life in Wales. To express his gratitude, he has promoted Wales and Welsh mathematical culture. Held Master Classes for 25 years promoting Mathematics to bright school children, in their summer holidays. He made a start with a new gallery and you might like to view it. Many links are found on Google. Jan’s digital images are noble, interesting and mysterious. They transport the observer, into a geometric universe, full of colour, which reminds us of the unique atmosphere of the Alhambra, its colour, geometry, and sensitivity. Everyone agrees that Islamic art radiates a special purity, suggests a special transcendence. Mathematics is comparable in that its symbols are meaningful without pointing to single object. Jan has succeeded in capturing some of this on his web pages, making it available for all who use the world-wide-web. Jan wished to cherish and preserve the best from the past, but he had no wish to become imprisoned in heritage. Jean Piaget wrote: “the principal goal of education is to create “people” who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done.” One must go forward. Jan has extended Islamic art, created new types of symmetrical patterns and also invented a number of new art forms, examples of which are displayed on his new web site AbasJanAbas.com. Geometrical and Human Symmetry. Tribute given by Michael Robert Mumford 18th May 2009