Significance of Repetition

The principle of organization in art are aimed at finding certain solutions for unity and consist
of developing a unified whole out of diverse elements that results in a balance between
harmony and variety. Repetition comes under the principle of harmony, one of the seven
principles of organization. When the visual effect is used in a number of times on the same
design or composition, it is known as repetition. It means that certain things, which are most
likely the element of art tor example line, shape, texture, form and color, are being repeated
to unify a design or establish a feeling of harmonious relationships.

Repetition of identical or similar elements like a planned pattern, a certain motif or rhythmic
movement is the easiest relationship for a viewer to grasp in a composition. We also tend to
respond easily to any work of art that emphasizes the repetitive patterns of nature such as for
example in a flower, we observe a series of similar petals or a series of rings as in a sliced
onion. Even though we may find satisfaction in the repetition of familiar and similar things,
Sometimes we can also get very excited to discover relationships in the spice of variety.

In Islamic art the message of Tauhid is diffused both in the content and the form. In order to
avoid the use of representational figures, be it humans, animals or objects of nature, it
concentrates on the abstract connotation of art such as calligraphy, geometric patterns and
stylized figures from plans. This is achieved through the use of artistic devices like
stylization, non-individuation and more than in other cases repetition which plays a Very
important role in artistic form as well as in expressing its content.

Lamya pointed out that:

Muslim artist did not merely reject nature as representative of the Divine They expressed aesthetically the very
truth embodied in the statement that Allah (S.W.T) is unknowable in earthly terms and inexpressible in naturalistic
representations

The view of God and reality has also influenced the organization of denaturalized motifs. The
formal characteristic of non-developmental form does not stress on any one local point. In
fact, it prevents any one module in the design from taking precedence over another but
instead emphasized the idea of infinity by the use of repetition and symmetry. Qualitatively
speaking there is not much difference between symmetry and repetition for providing the
concept of unity in non-developmental art because both are involved in emphasizing the
combination of multiple repetitive items. However quantitatively, symmetry is only confined
to repetitive pairs while repetition is not confined to pairs but may involve in two or more
unlimited number of repeated items.

As Lamya put is beautifully:

Repetition and symmetry check such integration and evolution and help establish
that feeling of never-ending pattern...