Escher and Islamic Art: 20 Contemporary Perspectives at Museum Escher in Het Paleis

Museum Escher in Het Paleis in The Hague presents 'Escher and Islamic Art – 20 Perspectives', an exhibition that juxtaposes works by M.C. Escher with those of twenty contemporary artists with Islamic backgrounds. The show explores the geometric language shared between Escher's tessellations and Islamic art, a connection that began when Escher visited the Alhambra in Granada in 1922. Featured artists include Amine Asselman (1989), whose 'Metamorphosis' (2023) uses handmade Moroccan tiles; Fatima Barznge (1968); Layla May Arthur (1999); Emin Batman (2000); Leila Nazarian (1986), who contributes mirror-mosaic skateboards; Hassan Hajjaj (1961), who photographs a man in a hoodie on an Escher-like floor; Shehzil Malik (1987), whose print contrasts a glittering city with an underground world; Suleika Mueller, Nevine Nasser, and Farwa Moledina (1993), who address the female gaze; and Shirin Neshat (1957), whose 'Women of Allah' series includes a woman with a headscarf aiming a rifle. The exhibition not only highlights formal affinities but also engages with themes of cultural appropriation, identity, and the politics of looking.