(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Linking a rich history of Islamic art to modern arts, an exhibit has opened its doors in Santa Clara, California, showcasing pieces that reflect art evolution by artists in the Muslim community.

"We saw a need to have a show of Islamic Art as it has evolved in different forms, not just the traditional, classic art," Nabeela Raza Sajjad, founder of the nonprofit Islamic Art Exhibit (IAE), told The Santa Clara Weekly.

Extending bridges between different cultures, the exhibit, titled "The Miracles of Qur'an," opened its doors at the Santa Clara Central Park Library which would continue through the end of May.

The theme of the exhibition is based on Qur’an inspirations for a collection of about fifty pieces by artists in the Muslim community.

Admiring the ancient history of Islamic art through centuries, the exhibit tries to offers a window into its evolution from traditional to modern.

The new exhibited items show the use of new media tools such as photography, digitally enhanced collages, and acrylics.

"It's really a blend of modern and classic," says library technology aide Evan S., admiring "No Thing Lasts Forever," a digital piece by Dave Platford and Dawud Rassam.

Ancient Islamic art has been celebrated in different American states over the past couple of years.

The "1001 Inventions" exhibition, which toured different American states, including New York and California, has highlighted contributions by Muslim scholars to the development of astronomy, math, architecture, medicine and engineering.

Though there are no official statistics, the US is believed to be home to 7-8 million Muslim.

Connecting People

The exhibit visitors admired the artwork on display, praising the mix of Arabic calligraphy in a modern way.

"It's beautiful art and culture and religion all together," Said Rahimi, a Santa Calera Muslim resident, said.

"It is peaceful and clears the mind....It has universal appeal."

His daughter Sophy agreed.

"It shows the beauty of the writing," adds Sophy.

Bonding American Muslims and their rich art history, the exhibit encouraged the Muslim community to share their talents with the American society.

"We have a huge Muslim population, and one of the main mosques is in Santa Clara," says Sajjad.

"The Islamic Art Exhibit gives Muslim artists a platform to share their talents with the community."

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