Bayt Al Fann is delighted to curate this publication as a dialogue between women artists inspired by Islamic art and the work of William Morris. Created to mark the groundbreaking exhibition, William Morris & Art from the Islamic World, held at William Morris Gallery from November 2024 to March 2025, this unique project celebrates the confluence of Islamic art traditions and Morris’s revolutionary aesthetic vision, underscoring the vital contributions of women in both realms.
 
William Morris, a prominent 19th-century British designer, poet, and social reformer, was deeply inspired by various artistic traditions, including Islamic art. As a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, he sought to revive craftsmanship, celebrating handmade goods and intricate designs over industrial mass production. His admiration for Islamic art was evident in his pattern designs, textiles, and wallpaper, which reflected the geometric precision, floral motifs, and intricate symmetry characteristic of Islamic aesthetics.