This article discusses the work of two Egyptian artists who are inspired by the urban environment as well as by Sufism. Their art reflects two aspects of Cairene life: the frenetic activity and... Show moreThis article discusses the work of two Egyptian artists who are inspired by the urban environment as well as by Sufism. Their art reflects two aspects of Cairene life: the frenetic activity and density of communication that characterize cosmopolitan centres, and the more contemplative aspects of Sufism. The author argues that Sufi philosophies and practice mediate between the personal nature of spirituality and the realities of urban life in the present day. Show less
Artist Lida Abdul reflects on the character of home and place in a series of film installations created in Afghanistan, including What we saw upon awakening and War games.
The collection “Anatolian Civilizations” reflects Erol Albayrak’s desire to examine the concept of fashion as transmitted by inhabitants of Anatolia. Albayrak envisions his collection as a passage... Show moreThe collection “Anatolian Civilizations” reflects Erol Albayrak’s desire to examine the concept of fashion as transmitted by inhabitants of Anatolia. Albayrak envisions his collection as a passage through time: rooted in the kingdom of Hittites, influenced by ideas of beauty in Urartu, reflecting the sorrow of Troya, and drenched in the passions and mysteries of the Ottomans. These styles are being re-imagined in a “modern” or novel spirit. Show less
Mecca2Medina is the most popular Muslim hiphop group in the UK. Their work expresses self-confidence and pride, relating of both European and transnational Islam. The three British-African band... Show moreMecca2Medina is the most popular Muslim hiphop group in the UK. Their work expresses self-confidence and pride, relating of both European and transnational Islam. The three British-African band members, who are converts to Islam, offer their vision of a good Muslim to raise awareness and pride among Muslim youths and to promote a positive image of Islam. Show less
The Museum of Modern Art in New York (www.moma.org) exhibits seventeen artists who come from the “Islamic” world but do not live there. Depictions here show two perspectives used in Without... Show moreThe Museum of Modern Art in New York (www.moma.org) exhibits seventeen artists who come from the “Islamic” world but do not live there. Depictions here show two perspectives used in Without Boundary to defy the binary oppositions of current politics by resisting essentialist notions of who they are such as: “Islamic or not.” Show less
Artists in Lahore have creatively reinterpreted Mughal miniature painting and its successors. The artist Chughtai initiated this process when he started to reorient his “Indian” painting towards... Show moreArtists in Lahore have creatively reinterpreted Mughal miniature painting and its successors. The artist Chughtai initiated this process when he started to reorient his “Indian” painting towards consciously Islamic styles. Although he had no immediate followers, since the 1980s a new group of artists inspired by Chughtai’s works has started to produce playfully subversive miniature paintings. By using “obsolete” painting techniques in depicting familiar political themes, important questions are raised about the “reality” of the media imagery that surrounds us. Show less
Khosrow Hassanzadeh is one of Iran’s leading contemporary artists. During his artistic career his work became increasingly concerned with Islam as a factor in the interplay between East and West.... Show moreKhosrow Hassanzadeh is one of Iran’s leading contemporary artists. During his artistic career his work became increasingly concerned with Islam as a factor in the interplay between East and West. This article discusses his recent series of works Terrorist to analyse the artist’s efforts to simultaneously criticize the accusing gaze of the West and reclaim the right of self-representation. Show less
Reza Abedini, Iranian graphic designer and professor of graphic design and visual culture at Tehran University, emphasizes in his work the relationship between visual tradition and modern form. His... Show moreReza Abedini, Iranian graphic designer and professor of graphic design and visual culture at Tehran University, emphasizes in his work the relationship between visual tradition and modern form. His passion for graphic design, particularly Persian type and typo-graphy, has led him into linking literature and aesthetics in search for a unique visual dialectic that reflects Persian poetic sensibilities. Show less
In Mapping Sitting, photographic works are presented to raise questions about how portraiture photography functioned in the Arab world as a commodity, a luxury item, an adornment, a description of... Show moreIn Mapping Sitting, photographic works are presented to raise questions about how portraiture photography functioned in the Arab world as a commodity, a luxury item, an adornment, a description of individuals and groups, and as the inscription of social identities. Photographic representations were indicative of new notions of work, leisure, play, citizenship, community, and individuality. Show less
