Presented in Partnership with Reed Society for the Sacred Arts.
Inspired by the exhibition Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven, MathArtPlay presents a studio-style session focused on the historical and mathematical foundations of Islamic geometric patterns. Participants will engage in guided compass-and-straightedge constructions inspired by historical Islamic architecture while exploring symmetry, tessellation, and polygon construction techniques. The workshop connects closely with Anila Quayyum Agha’s work through its emphasis on Islamic geometric patterns, layered repetition, and geometric design traditions similar to those explored in works such as Intersections. Participants will also see how some of the geometric structures and layered pattern systems found in Agha’s work can be reconstructed using historical Islamic geometric drafting methods through accessible hands-on constructions.
About the Instructors
Dr. Rebin Muhammad is an associate professor of mathematics at Montgomery College and the founder of MathArtPlay. Originally from Kurdistan, Iraq, he earned his PhD in mathematics from Ohio University and has been teaching in the US since 2020. His work explores the intersection of mathematics and art—bringing concepts to life through Islamic geometric patterns, 3D printing, and interactive digital creations. Through MathArtPlay, he shares a vision of math as a creative, hands-on, and culturally rich experience.
Alexandra Veremeychik is a data analyst and Islamic geometric artist with a background in oil painting and watercolor. She cofounded MathArtPlay to help reimagine how we experience mathematics—through data, design, and creativity. Her academic path bridges STEM and the arts. At MathArtPlay, Alex helps design interactive apps that combine math and art and contributes to lesson planning and visual design. She is also actively involved in outreach across Maryland, bringing hands-on math-art experiences to elementary, middle, and high school students.
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