Afruz Amighi
99 Names

99 Names
99 Names
99 Names
ArtistIranian, born 1974
CultureIranian
Titles
  • 99 Names
Date2007
MediumBeads, chain, and plexiglas
Dimensions120 × 70 × 8 in. (304.8 × 177.8 × 20.3 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number2010.211
Current Location
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
114 Islamic Art Gallery
Exposé

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Object Type
DescriptionThe title of this diaphanous sculpture refers to the 99 names of God in Islam and the Sufi practice of dhikr, the ritual recitation of those names. It is also suggestive of the shared religious traditions in Islamic lands. Inspired by the artist’s Zoroastrian father, the work is reminiscent of tasbihs, or prayer beads, used by various religious groups in recitation and prayer. The artist’s transformation of ordinary materials such as metal chains into objects of ethereal effect evokes the spiritual movement from the material realm to the immaterial, divine light of God.
Provenance Research Ongoing Exhibition History"Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam," Brooklyn Museum, New York, June 5 - September 7, 2009; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, May 16 - August 8, 2010.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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Overall front
20th century (probably)
Silver; with decorative wire, turquoise and coral beads, decorative loop-in-loop chains, embossed pendants, and cabochon carnelians
2023.588
Overall front
mid–late 19th century
Silver; fire-gilded and chased, with decorative wire, chains, openwork, and table-cut carnelians.
2023.585
Overall front
20th century
Silver with copper inset; fire-gilded, with decorative wire, embossing, stamped beading, turquoise beads, and glass stones
2023.589
Brooch with Stand
Bruce Metcalf
1977
Silver, Plexiglas, brass, pen and ink, paint, and commercial chain
2002.3955.A,.B
Dr. Charles Smith
1986–2000
Concrete, metal armature, beads, chains, and electrical wire
2003.999
Woman with Large Flower
Judy Onofrio
1995
Wood, glass, shell, printed tin, glass beads, mirror, and chain
2004.1971
Mashrabeya
Sherin Guirguis
2009
Plywood
2011.1004.A-.C
Poppies and Parakeets Panel
late 17th–early 18th century
Sandstone; carved
2015.67
Textile
19th century
Silk; woven with metal-wrapped threads
2020.68
[Panel]
17th century
Wood
2022.366
Front overall
late 19th–early 20th century
Velvet, metallic-wrapped thread, cotton, and tirtil paper
2022.372
Banner
late 17th century or later
Silk; woven with metallic thread
2021.317