Viewing and Creating by the Spirit

While touring the Islamic exhibit, I was able to enjoy many of the works of the Middle East that are both foreign and common to our own culture. The color schemes may have been different in many ways to modern works, but the idea of symbolism is still prevalent in many of our nation’s national monuments and in many of the churches of different denominations that dot our land.
The details and intricacies were perhaps the most astounding figures of the exhibit, as each detail was more than the last – some works of art I doubt that even machines could produce that level of intricacy. I find this to be a result of the common variants found in every work of art: religion and dedication. These things are not so different from our own society and religion, whether we are Mormon, Jewish, or simply believe in the power of the almighty dollar.

Geometric art was extraordinarily prevalent in the Islamic art, perhaps even more so than in our own western art. Each element and shape fit into anther to form a greater whole, and give purpose and meaning to another. Especially striking were the ways in which different elements and shapes could come together as one whole when viewed through the slot (the many seemingly disorganized shapes and colors created a whole scene of an elephant when viewed through the right angle and pathway).

I was inspired to pay more attention to the whole of the details while both viewing and then later reflecting on the works found in this exhibit. I hope to better emulate that idea of paying close attention to the details while striving to achieve the greater vision of the whole above. Just as when we observe the laws of God or Allah for a greater purpose, there is beauty in that exactness and hope in the details that we are able to provide. These details similar to how each of us leave our own intricate prints on society, while making the larger object easy for someone to understand who can appreciate, but does not get overly fixated on the details therein.

Islamic Art Exhibit

Last year I had a friend who is from the Islamic part of the world. He attends BYU because his uncle and aunt did and testified that BYU is a great university to attend. They also said that this university would be a safe place for him to be. As such he traveled for countless hours to the United States for an education. When he found out that the Islamic art exhibit would be here he was one of the first to view the exhibit. His excitement to the exhibit opened my eyes to the reality that this exhibit is a piece of his culture and as such I had a peaked interest in attending the exhibit.

I really loved going through the MOA. What felt foreign to me was all the calligraphy. Islamic art tends to use words as art whereas a lot of art outside of Islamic art is done with images that bring words to mind. Also, the use of images within images was presented and that was also foreign. I loved how sometimes you had to step back and take a look at the full picture and sometimes you had to step closer to see the little details. However, most of the time, you had to keep twelve inches away from the artwork. I know that because a security guard had to advise me not to be so close to the artwork, silly me. What felt very familiar was the belief of God which was advocated in all its pieces of art, whether it be through calligraphy, symbols, carpets, or doors. Everything that was exhibited was representative of God. This was familiar to me since we believe that everything we do should glorify our Father in Heaven.

By glorifying God through art in the Islamic faith it is the same as Christian art. However what makes it different is that Islamic art uses for geometry and patterns. Christian art uses more images of the life of Christ. These images include Christ, colors, and a definite image. Islamic art uses simple shapes and sizes. This can be an expression of reverence by not exploiting the image of God. 

Islamic Art

While I have seen Islamic art on TV or in magazines before, this was my first time ever being up close and personal with it. What was amazing to me was the great amount of detail that was in each and every piece of art. The piece, “Bowl with Animals” especially amazed me with its intricate design and fragile composition. In terms of foreignness and familiarity, I mostly felt like I had seen pieces which resembled these in the media or literature I have read. However, while the pieces looked a little bit like what I expected, it did not stop me from feeling far removed from our modern culture. In a lot of ways the color is what generally creates distance between me and the work of art, as many of the pieces are use muted, desert colors (brown, red, tan) over more vivid colors.

Geometry and pattern obviously plays a huge role in Islamic art. Most every piece contains some pattern, and many are symmetrical in their composition. While I may not know if this is exactly the case, in the movie The Prince of Egypt, Jethro sings “A single thread in a tapestry/though its color brightly shines/can never see its purpose/in the pattern of the grand design.” Essentially Islamic culture emphasizes community, and that we are all part of a “grand design.” Thus, by having pattern permeate throughout their artwork, Islamic artists are reinforcing the idea of cumulative significance: that we are all only part of God’s great plan. This is what I think is the reason for pattern in Islamic art.

What I learned about my own creative tendencies is that I can be a lot more open about expressing my beliefs in my art. Many great artists have represented their faith through their creations, and experiencing this exhibit has taught me that I can also do this with my creations as well. Truly, allowing your beliefs to influence your art gives it a much greater significance than it would have otherwise.

Art of Islam

Going into the whole thing I was really interested in what I would be seeing. I have had many previous encounters with those of Muslim faith and I was really excited. I served my mission in Mozambique where there is a large population of Muslims, and I loved being around them because they were so happy and respectful. I tried to go into the art exhibit with that same attitude, and it really benefitted me. I absolutely loved the exhibit. The texts on scrolls, tablets, and parchment were fascinating to me, possibly even my favorite part. I thought it was interesting that even though all of the art was different from our culture it was still relatable. Things that are important to us are also important to them and it’s cool to see how art can bridge the gap of difference and ignorance. One of the things that I liked the very most is how much of the art had letters, writing, and inscriptions. I feel like words can be our greatest tool and can be considered art. Our culture doesn’t really focus on that when it comes to visual art. Sure we have books, short stories, poems, and things like that- but you don’t expect to see it in an art exhibit. We expect paintings, sculptures, and visually stimulating art. The fact that Muslim artists do such a great job of combining the two is beautiful.

I felt like in every piece of art there was a piece of the Islam religion. God plays such a huge part in their everyday lives that God and art are so intertwined and connected it kind of makes me wish I were a part of it. Even their religious texts were considered art. In Christianity I feel like we sometimes miss the mark. We get a little too wrapped up in depicting the biggest moments that we miss the depictions of God in our everyday.

The geometry and pattern in Islamic art was beautiful. I feel like it really brings a sense of peace and harmony. I know that sounds cliché, but that’s what I feel. As I walked through the exhibit I really was so relaxed and it gave me some time to reflect.

After going through the exhibit I realize that so many of us get wrapped up in trying to make these big majestic films, that sometimes it’s better to take a step back and think, “what will make my audience think. How can I inspire them.” I don’t know if that makes sense, but I really loved the exhibit and it really has helped me see a new side of creativity.

Islamic Art Exhibit

    Going to the Islamic Art Exhibit was really quite neat. Honestly, I have never actually been to an exhibit at the MOA, even though I eat lunch at the cafe there nearly every day. One of my flatmates has taken Arabic here at BYU, and is minoring in Middle Eastern Studies. As a result, I have hear more about that region of the world, and have come appreciate it more than I would otherwise. Needless to say, I was looking forward to seeing the exhibit so that we would be able to talk about it and she would be able to enlighten me further.
    Overall, I thought the exhibit was really well done; I was surprised at how enjoyable it was and how quickly time went by (though I had only a short 30 minutes to spend there). Compared to art in Western civilizations, Islamic art is vastly different. It was interesting to see how many pieces incorporated either letters of their alphabet, or figures that were similar to the alphabet. I though this was particularly interesting because, in Western art, we tend to focus on either landscapes or people, etc. With Islamic art, their characters are so beautiful that they can, and frequently do, use it to create amazing artwork. However, In more earlier years of Western culture, letters could be very stylized, so in some ways, it really was not too different than how Western ark used to be.
    Furthermore, I was surprised to see how many artifacts were religiously carved or drawn. I suppose that by doing this, they kept their faith at the forefront of their minds and had a constant awareness of the devotion to the religion. This devotion was, and is, so important to them, that they placed it wherever they could. Although Christian art is manifest by means other than just paintings, the Islamic people seem to be more keen on putting religious symbols or depictions on every day items than Christians.
    Even though I have been way more exposed to Western art, I found the style (geometry and pattern) of the Islamic art to be absolutely gorgeous. In fact--especially in regards to the patterns that were connected, or seemed to tie together--I felt a sense of grander and wonder when observing these relics, almost as if they were representing the eternal nature of God and time. I think that it is possible that this is the actual purpose of such designs, and that they are so precise because of the devotion and reverence that the Islamic people have for Deity.
    After visiting the exhibit, I learned that I can appreciate things, that may seem a bit obscure to me at first, once I get a sense of where the creators were coming from. I love variety in creativity, too. The artists whose work I observed inspired me to pay close attention to details because that is where a lot of beauty can be found.

Islamic Exhibit

So, I checked out the Islamic art exhibit. But only cause I had to for homework. Thankfully, it ended up being awesome. I’ve never taken the time to really look at/study/try-and-appreciate this type of art, so this was a really wonderful experience. A lot of it wasn’t like anything I’d really seen before. I’ve seen Arabic writings, but never on a scale this large. It was awesome how they used their writing as an art form. As a simple dude that only sees it as undecipherable pictures, it really appears to be a work of art. I’d seen sculptures and pottery similar to the ones displayed in the Islamic exhibit, but even these were different because of their engravings and subject matter.

It seems to me that nearly everything in Islamic culture is meant to bring you closer to God. They write their scriptures and decorate the bindings with beautiful, elaborate calligraphy so it’s worthy of God. They understand the deep complexity of the earth God has created, but still find simplistic, geometric patterns to replicate. Christian artwork is quite often somber and meant to almost scare the viewer into repentance and piousness. This Islamic art invites the viewer to see how great God is and make their own decision to follow him.

I love how selfless all of the art was. There was never a “created by” or signature on any of the pieces, which is a stark contrast from modern art. It seems that the Muslim artists are too busy exercising their talents (and, because of this, almost thanking God for them) and bringing others to God to bother asking for praise. They are able to create because of the gifts God has given them, so they give all the praise to God through their art. It’s a really admirable thing, and makes me realize that I can be so much more thankful for what God has given me in my own life – especially when it comes to my creativity.

Beauty and Belief

I really liked the exhibit. It was fascinating, and I actually learned so many things about Islamic art and culture that I thought I already knew. I had previously been at the temple doing baptisms for the dead with my roommates, so I was dressed up and I felt very sophisticated, which made the experience seem a little more profound. The art was in many ways very similar to the kinds of things we see in Western Culture. The thing that I found to be the most different was the calligraphy. The words flowed so much more than our style of writing. In comparison, our writing looks blocky and awkward. The writing (according to one of the plaques) in Islamic culture is one way they put their faith into their artwork. Apart from putting scripture, teachings of the prophets, prayers, and psalms directly on their artwork, I learned that they also put a lot of work and though into developing the style of writing itself. They believe that when writing the things of God, one should make it as beautiful as possible.
Another way that they manifest their faith through their artwork is in the use of mythical creatures. Apparently, in Islamic culture they find mythical creatures to be just another proof of the existence of God. This doesn’t really fit well with classic Christian thought, and this is especially evident in the examination of the two types of art. Islamic art is full of representations of animals, as a tribute to the beauty of the creations of God, and this includes mythical creatures. Christian art not only lacks mythical creatures, there is not a lot of art including animals of any kind (at least in art that is directly religious).
This observation brings me to my last thought. In another one of the plaques describing Islamic culture and religion, there was a quote from the Qur’an. It read, “God is beautiful and loves beauty.” This statement not only helped me to better appreciate the Islamic art, but it also rang true to me on a personal level. Some people think that art is an inefficient use of time, but I wholeheartedly disagree, and now I know a simple sentence that describes my feelings. God is beautiful, and He appreciates beauty just like we do. In fact, He probably has an even greater appreciation for beauty. He created this Earth, and this Earth is perfectly beautiful. If we, as we learn in the Church, are going to be creating our own worlds one day, then it is vitally important that we learn to create and appreciate beautiful things as well.

'Slim Art

What did I learn about my own creative tendencies? That my creative tendencies are infantile. The exhibit made my most impressive and proud work look like refrigerator art. And that’s saying something, because I have a 3 paintings hanging in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Picasso’s Guernica hung only 23 feet from my magnum opera--until 1981, of course, when Guernica was returned to Spain. Were Pablo still alive, I’m sure he’d be honored.

But enough about me...

I was excited for this assignment. I was planning on going to the exhibit anyway. Mostly because I’m refined and cultured and appreciate that sort of thing, but also because many of the Muslim dignitaries that were here for the opening last week were guests at my hotel. They’re a silly bunch. Not really, though. But it was fascinating to talk to them, they were very impressed with and proud of the exhibit. And many of them were very excited at the prospect of meeting the “Mormon Prophet,” who was rumored to attend the opening. 

One thing I loved about the artwork was how much it incorporated the written word. The exhibit said “the letter is the vessel for the sacred meaning, and this vessel was made as beautiful as possible so that its beauty is worthy of belief.” The various fonts of calligraphy and the intricate decorations on the pages of Qur'an manuscripts were not only extremely artistic and beautiful, but you could feel the faith of the artist. Great art abounds from all nations and eras. But I don’t think I have ever seen art with this amount of piety. There is no way the artists could have sanely completed works such as these without a deep abiding faith in their creator. The attention to detail and symmetry on these manuscript pages glorifies God. God is perfect, and the originators sought to spread His perfect word with the most beauty and perfection that they could aspire to. The motivation for these works was not monetary, and that’s the most fascinating thing. The sole purpose was to create a beautiful medium in which to spread the word of God. 

The rest of the art was beautiful and mesmerizing to behold, but none of it truly inspired me as did the written work. It humbled me to consider how much love a believer must have in their faith to produce something of that quality to edify God. The closest thing I can equate it to is the artistry inside the Salt Lake temple. The original furnishings and decoration--particularly in the Celestial room--are intricate and spiritually stirring in their beauty. To think on the situation the Saints at the time, the greatness of the project and the perfection to which they completed it is truly inspiring. We revere those artisan saints and wonder at the beauty of their work, and recognize the grandeur of their faith in God and faith in the restoration. Surely the faith of the Muslim artisans is on par with that of our pioneer forefathers. Certainly 1.6 billion people gotta be right about something. 

MUCH TOO MUCH

My mother and I had planned to go to this exhibit before we received this assignment (cute, I know), so you could say I killed two birds with one stone--that is, if you wanted to use such a vulgar expression in reference to an experience that was overwhelmingly beautiful and more than a little dwarfing. I think my reaction was due to both low expectations and wearing uncomfortable clothing, as well as some other, less stupid factors. Either way, I left the MOA jittery; I then decided to go home, take a shower, change clothes, and buy myself a chocolate muffin. I think I'll return Saturday afternoon, when I'm more grounded. Still! This doesn't diminish the affect this art had on me. Obviously, I thought it was gorgeous and intricate and a testament to the human etc., as I'm sure everyone else did/does. Hopefully no one who went feels awful about it? They'd really be missing out. Anyway, the biggest ideas that sat in my brain were ones of worship and heritage. And though I listed it second, I'll be talking about heritage FIRST. Surprised? This is the stuff good writing is made of.
My name is Jacob Tehrani, son of David Tehrani, son of Mohammad Tehrani, an Iranian immigrant. Tehrani = inhabitant of Tehran, Tehran = the capital of Iran. My fourth of Iranian blood hasn't had a tremendous hand in my identity, and didn't effect the way I was raised in a lot of obvious ways. Mostly food based influences, I think (a lot of rice and tadig, pomegranates chosen with a discerning eye, fruit leathers, hummus?). My grandfather travels to Iran frequently, but we've never really discussed his childhood and the culture in which he was raised. Despite being a talkative man, he's not always easy to talk to, if that makes sense. Because of my lack of knowledge about that part of my ancestry, I have to remind myself that I am an idiot when I feel my chest swelling with pride upon viewing incredible Iranian cinema and other art. These are works of my "homeland" in only the loosest sense. If you haven't noticed, I am incredibly white. Nonetheless, these feelings arise, and it happened again today as I shuffled around the museum, taking note when a piece came from the land of my (probably ashamed) ancestors.
Farsi/Persian is a profoundly gorgeous written language (spoken, not so much), and seeing these meticulously-crafted calligraphy scrolls and other works of worship really struck a chord with me. Religion has inspired divine--heh--art of celebration, aching sorrow, and daily devotion. The act of pouring over a piece of parchment and etching with the utmost care seemingly simple phrases like "Glory to God" is utterly and amazingly and affectionately human. It can be seen as an offering or a recognition or an instruction, but it draws a line between something considered "low" to something considered "high", and it is done with effort and feeling and care. It's just too much to handle. It's really, really great.

Islamic Art Exhibit

 The Islamic exhibit was very interesting. It wasn't what I was expecting. I think I was expecting to see less artifacts and more 'art' but then as I went through I realized that a lot of the historical things I was viewing were art, especially to us. While a lot of the things to an Islamic person would have seemed completely every day, for us they were art. The images, sculptures and rugs spoke worlds about their culture and what was important to them. The religion in the culture is of course different from our BYU mormonism. There were many God's that were displayed on one of the walls. I think it said that there were 100s of different God's. However, there were also a lot of similarities. Family is very important to them. They are very concerned with adoring their God's. They have prayer rugs that they use when they pray. Religion is a huge part of our life just like it is in ours. Some of the religious things I saw in their artwork was the beautiful representations and symbols of their God's. Their artwork is a great representation of their adoration of their God's. I think a lot of the way they worship is through art and the symbols of their worship and the recited prayers (from the prayer rugs). In Christian art, there are typically just images of deity and of Bible stories we hold dear to our hearts. The geometry of the Islamic art was incredible. It talked about the circle and how it doesn't have a beginning or an end. The table cloths were also made into circles. Symbols are extremely important in the expression of reverence. Christians have symbols as well. Mormon's have a lot of symbols. All of these are used to attach remembrance of divinity to ordinary things. I think that most artists, myself included tend to stick to our own culture as a means of expression. I was actually thinking while I was in the exhibit about how beautiful everything was and wishing I understood more about it. I also remember thinking that I could take an idea from a different culture and introduce it to my own and it would seem new, exciting and different. 

Material and Immaterial

I found this exhibit pretty awesome, and it was a refreshing to look into an art exhibit that had a very different aesthetic than much of Western art. Many times upon walking into an exhibit of famous Renaissance painters, I have been struck by lifelike renditions that capture the human form and perspective and lighting in realistic ways. When I walked into this exhibit, I was impressed instead with the intricacy of the patterned paintings, inscriptions, and texts.

Instead of the overwhelming focus on depictions of figures and landscapes that exists in Western art, Islamic art seems to focus on repetition of patterns and designs. I was interested to learn about the Islamic interpretation of time and how this influences the faith's artwork. Muslims have traditionally espoused a belief in the rotating cycle of time, where religious events rotate throughout the year; the patterns in Islamic artwork, therefore, represent the faith's belief and way of thinking. Patterns and designs interweave and repeat, just as time follows a cyclical pattern. This cyclical view of time leads to Islamic belief in the transience of material things, which view stands in direct contrast to Allah, who is eternal and never-ending. By portraying patterns in their art, Muslims are glorifying the God they believe is as everlasting as the cycle of time.

While God is certainly never portrayed, even human figures are relatively scarce, especially to a Western viewer. Muslim artists, in keeping with their belief that art—and creating art—can glorify God, often forewent signing their pieces. If the purpose of their art was to serve as religious devotion, then why sign it? For the praise of men?

In relating the things I learned in this exhibit with my own creative tendencies, I discovered that while I appreciated the designs in the exhibit, I have rarely given much value to my own designs of a somewhat similar nature. I have long enjoyed drawing, but even though I would sometimes doodle patterns and symbols, I never considered that such material could be serious artwork. I always focused on creatures or spaceships or aliens or something similar. This exhibit was a useful reminder to me that there is a much wider range of legitimate subject matter in the world; even things as originally uninteresting as words can be transformed into stunning works of art that are as valid as any Rembrandt.

Blog 6, Spencer Tasso, Wow!

The Islamic display was stunning and informative, to say the least (it’s a figure of speech…) Honestly I know very little about the religion of Islam, their practices, etc. I watched a film a while back on it but I’ve forgotten much of what I learned. Nonetheless, this exhibit helped renew my enthusiasm for a religion that seems to take a lot of flack for extremism, radicalness, etc. Of course in reality, the extremists constitute very little of their religion, as it always is with radical practices.

My overall response to this exhibit was one of reference, awe, and intrigue, although it was all very foreign to me. I’d never really heard that much about Islamic art, it doesn’t seem to be the popular thing on the street around here. I’d never really seen much either. The art was extremely impressive, especially stylistically, which was something I was not used to. It all seemed so time consuming, yet beautifully rendered, and not for personal gain or glory. As is tradition, the glory is to God. Likewise, I was impressed that many of the artists didn’t even sign their own work- they do it to praise God. Something (random) I’ve always wondered is who Muhammad really is.  He’s obviously their prophet and a man of tremendous influence over them, and yet I know extremely little about him, not that I’m an expert or anything. But it seems that Jesus’s life was documented and such, we even know what he looks like. Muhammad on the other hand (once again, not that I’m by any means an expert) seems to have much less documentation. When did he live? Was he a real human? A myth? A demigod?

The following things interested me. The names of God, and how they are paradoxes. The pseudo aesthetics on a pot, the words are meaning less. The circle exhibit at the end. The visual language of their art. Their symmetry, geometry, calligraphy, etc.

Overall I was impressed and awed at what they created. I need to put more time into my own work, praising God more, and being more humble, like them. They are awesome. I’m definitely coming back when I find the time, it was amazing. 

Symbolism, Pattern, and Beauty in Islamic Art

After walking through the Beauty and Belief Islamic art exhibit, I felt edified and enlightened. I can honestly say I’ve never seen an Islamic art exhibit, but I’ve also never seen such an interestingly presented exhibit. The use of modern technology to enhance the ancient art was fascinating. I liked the iPads that listed all the names of God, and the moving projections on the walls. Those familiar things helped keep my interest while so many foreign things surrounded me. The thing that felt most foreign to me was the ancient Islamic writing. I’ve seen other art that uses symbols and repeating patterns, but the long scrolls with beautiful hand-painted characters made me feel like I was in another time and place.

As I thought about Islamic art versus Christian art, I noticed several differences but also a few similarities. Islamic art uses a lot of symbols, like birds and other animals, and so does some Christian art. I’ve seen several paintings where the Holy Ghost is depicted as a dove, or where a lamb is representative of Christ. These things seem similar to Islamic art. However, I don’t think Christian art uses geometric patterns the same way Islamic art does. My favorite piece in the exhibit was a long canvas with swirling words all over it. On the plaque beside the piece it said that the text was illegible, but that the pattern of the words gave it new meaning. It is interesting to me that the shape of the writing in this case was more meaningful than the actual words. The pattern had a kind of hypnotic effect, and perhaps symbolized eternal life or the patterns found throughout the natural world. I thought that was a beautiful way to express a reverence that perhaps words couldn’t quite express.

As I experienced the exhibit, I noticed certain things that I was drawn to. I loved the long scroll in the entryway, I admired the ancient prayer rugs with their intricate designs, and I was entranced by the swirling text piece. I think this is because I like patterns, but I don’t necessarily prefer predictable patterns. I think I like more naturally flowing shapes rather than shapes drawn with a straight edge and a compass. I think this tendency arises from my love of nature and natural shapes. I love mountains and trees, which are made up of patterns, but are also unpredictable and free flowing. I notice that more natural and intricate patterns are more relaxing to me, opposed to the rigid perfection of geometric shapes.

A Simple Beauty

I was really excited that this was our assignment for this week because from the beginning of the semester I have been walking through the MOA wondering what they were building and why.  My first response to the exhibit was that there was a lot of Qur’an’s and I thought that was really interesting.  I’ve never really Bibles in an art museum before and I just thought that was so interesting that they would create artwork around their most sacred book.  It made me think that I should be doing that to my scriptures.  I think creating beauty around their scriptures is so amazing and they honor this book with beauty and why shouldn’t we do that with out scriptures?  It’s shows how much they appreciate this book.

 I really loved going and visiting the exhibit and seeing the amazing artwork, most of my life I have seen European artwork and Islamic artwork is nothing like European artwork.  It’s so beautiful in its own way; bring out the beauty in the simplest bowl or rug.  In most artwork made in Italy or Paris it’s a painting or a sculpture of people or a landscape, there isn’t any bowls or scissors or rugs that were considered art and put in a museum.  But I really like that these pieces were put in the show because they are beautiful and unique and amazing.  I think that I really learned something about what I consider art and what my creative tendencies are.  I was going through this exhibit and just marveling at the bowls and the rugs and the scrolls that were in this show.  They are just bowls, someone could have eaten out of that thing but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful because it really is amazing.  I also really like the scissors the show, they were a bird but it was a pair of scissors, which is amazing that something so simple is really stunning.   I think this shows that I love everyday things that can be beautiful and can be made to be marveled at.