Contextual Reference

Honda Koichi

Koichi is a master of Arabic calligraphy despite being Japanese. He belongs to a small community of Japanese who practice Islam’s religion, which originated during World War II. Koichi is an interesting example of interculturality and the construction of cultural stereotypes. His work forces us to reflect on the notion of culture and identity and ask ourselves: why do we find it so shocking to see a Japanese Muslim, a Japanese master of Arabic calligraphy? Also, Koichi incorporates the Arabic characters as a graphic element, paying attention to their delineation and form. His well-known blue pyramid work is built with verses from the Koran and at the top; you can read Allah’s name, the Muslim God, surrounded by a white aura.

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