Geometric Aljamía: a Cultural Transliteration is a cross-cultural collaboration that addresses how connections between the Middle East and the West during the Golden Age of the Islamic Civilization continue to be relevant and vibrant in the 21st century.
Since ancient times, geometric perfection has been thought to convey sacred and universal truths by reflecting the fractal interconnections of the natural world. In the Islamic world, geometric ornamentation may have reached a pinnacle where it has been assimilated into all aspects of everyday life. One finds these same similarities across different cultures and embedded in many diverse ethnic patterns. The artists of Geometric Aljamía examine an extended cross-cultural integration of geometric patterning and how this commonality creates a connection.
This exhibition includes artists, designers, performers, and writers from Afghanistan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the United States. Organized by Wylie Contemporary, Inc, Virginia.
Artists
Mohammad Saleh Amin, Jorge Benitez, Reni Gower, Hanane Korchi, Tamim Sahebzada, and Julia Townsend. Curatorial statement and artists biographies may be viewed here.
Objects
26, wall mounted artworks (papercuts, graphite wall tracings, perspectival drawings, optional 3D sculpture); approximately 225 running feet.
Venues
VCUQ Gallery, Doha, Qatar | March 2013
Langford120 Gallery, Melbourne, Australia | August 2013
Total Arts Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Aug – Sep, 2014
Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA | Nov 16, 2014 – Feb 21, 2015
Chapman University Art Collections, Orange, CA | Aug 15, 2016 – Jan 15, 2017
Helen E. Copeland Gallery, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT | Feb 27 – Apr 7, 2017
Kohl Gallery, Washington College, Chestertown MD | Jan 15 – Mar 15, 2018
The Phillips Museum of Art, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA | Jan 24 – Mar 8, 2019
Ellin Gordon Gallery, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA | Aug 24 – Sep 29, 2019
The Daura Gallery, Lynchburg University, Lynchburg, VA | Jan. 6 - April 10, 2020
Howard County Center for the Arts, Ellicott City, MD | Sep 4 – Oct 9, 2020
Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH | Nov 5 - Dec 12, 2020
Las Cruces Museum of Art, Las Cruces, NM | Feb 5 - Mar 13, 2021
Images
A sampling of exhibition images may be found below. Click on images for full size viewing.
Since ancient times, geometric perfection has been thought to convey sacred and universal truths by reflecting the fractal interconnections of the natural world. In the Islamic world, geometric ornamentation may have reached a pinnacle where it has been assimilated into all aspects of everyday life. One finds these same similarities across different cultures and embedded in many diverse ethnic patterns. The artists of Geometric Aljamía examine an extended cross-cultural integration of geometric patterning and how this commonality creates a connection.
This exhibition includes artists, designers, performers, and writers from Afghanistan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the United States. Organized by Wylie Contemporary, Inc, Virginia.
Artists
Mohammad Saleh Amin, Jorge Benitez, Reni Gower, Hanane Korchi, Tamim Sahebzada, and Julia Townsend. Curatorial statement and artists biographies may be viewed here.
Objects
26, wall mounted artworks (papercuts, graphite wall tracings, perspectival drawings, optional 3D sculpture); approximately 225 running feet.
Venues
VCUQ Gallery, Doha, Qatar | March 2013
Langford120 Gallery, Melbourne, Australia | August 2013
Total Arts Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Aug – Sep, 2014
Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA | Nov 16, 2014 – Feb 21, 2015
Chapman University Art Collections, Orange, CA | Aug 15, 2016 – Jan 15, 2017
Helen E. Copeland Gallery, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT | Feb 27 – Apr 7, 2017
Kohl Gallery, Washington College, Chestertown MD | Jan 15 – Mar 15, 2018
The Phillips Museum of Art, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA | Jan 24 – Mar 8, 2019
Ellin Gordon Gallery, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA | Aug 24 – Sep 29, 2019
The Daura Gallery, Lynchburg University, Lynchburg, VA | Jan. 6 - April 10, 2020
Howard County Center for the Arts, Ellicott City, MD | Sep 4 – Oct 9, 2020
Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH | Nov 5 - Dec 12, 2020
Las Cruces Museum of Art, Las Cruces, NM | Feb 5 - Mar 13, 2021
Images
A sampling of exhibition images may be found below. Click on images for full size viewing.
