I decided I needed some mental health time, so I took off Thursday afternoon. Shannon and I went to a Korean restaurant for lunch, a place I'd been once before. Korean food bears no resemblance to any other Asian cuisine I've had. And, all the jokes on MASH notwithstanding- we both agreed, we liked the kim chee, it is tons better than German sauerkraut.
After lunch, we headed over to the BYU Museum of Art. Every once in awhile they have an extraordinary exhibit, and this was one- Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Art of Islamic Culture.
This exhibit pulls together items from all over the world, and ranging from a few twentieth century works to some pottery and metal items that were over one thousand years old. There was fiber, pottery, metal, mosaics- it was amazing.
We watched a short video at the entrance to the exhibit. One of the concepts that I found most intriguing was the idea of pattern within pattern, image within image. The idea of multiple layers is integral to Islamic art- multiple layers of images, and multiple layers of meaning. The work also tends toward the ornate, and for my taste, a little bit goes a long way But is was all undeniably beautiful.
There were sayings from the Koran painted on the walls throughout the exhibit. I was fascinated by the 99 ways to name God. Many of the verses saddened me, leaving me to wonder how some segments of modern day Islam have come from the beauty expressed in the sayings in the museum to the radical views that our politicians seem so focused on.
I have completed the pattern quilting on 'Grace', and it's clear to me I still have work to do. The flowing lines should be the center of attention on the quilt, and now they seem sort of lost. So I am going to add more thread to them, to try to add highlights and shadows. I will probably also try adding color with some Shiva paintstiks, if I can get colors I like with what I have. I will definitely be making samples for this.
3 comments:
Beverly, from the link you provide to the art exhibit, I had a peek and it looks like it was a marvelous exhbit.
Oh that sounds like a wonderful exhibit. I can remember standing outside the mosques of Turkey and blown away by the designs (I thought it was writing, maybe it was) of Islam. PS, I loved the Imam's call to prayer, too. Beautiful.
Islamic art is a taste to be acquired, I thinks, since it is so complex, but it is beautiful.
I wish you could come over and cook us some lemon pudding, I'm sure Tony would love it as he has a sweet tooth.
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