Defense Date
2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts
Department
Dean's Office Qatar
First Advisor
Basma Hamdy
Second Advisor
Marco Bruno
Third Advisor
Yasmeen Suleiman
Fourth Advisor
Patty Paine
Abstract
Contemporary design discourse remains grounded in functional, seemingly user-centered paradigms, often neglecting what lies beyond the tangible within a human experience. This research challenges such frameworks by positioning design as a dialogue with what exceeds the physical, moving toward the experiential, where meaning precedes and informs form. Drawing on Islamic philosophy, particularly the relationship between zahir and batin (outward form and inward meaning), the study repositions design as a medium for remembrance (dhikr) rather than mere utility.
Through a critique of modernist and postmodernist principles, the research proposes a series of objects that engage with memory, introspection, and transcendence in meaningful and lasting ways. Time is approached as a thematic design problem, not to measure it more precisely but to encounter it more intuitively and inventively, reflecting on its ephemeral nature.
The project culminates in three multi-sensory artifacts that unfold through time, guiding deeper awareness, reflection, and spiritual attunement.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-7-2026