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Description
Discussing Islamic Art, Aesthetics, and Visuality
Do you want to get involved in the Islamic Art discussions? Discussing Islamic Art, Aesthetics, and Visuality (A Unique Platform of Cultural Debate) is a ten-session (25 hours) virtual professional module, an online course, introducing the artistic culture of Islam from the viewpoint of its aesthetics and meaning. It is conceptualized as a forum for both learning and appreciating the rich and beautiful arts of Islam so that the audience will get a sense of what these arts mean and express for the Muslim faithful. The program aims to cover the most important artistic art forms and visual concepts that distinguish this culture in both aspects of its unity and diversity.
The Muslim world is indeed vast and encompasses an immense variety of local cultures. It is also spiritually shaped by different interpretations of the Islamic faith. Nevertheless, this world remains united through the shared acknowledgement of the truth of God’s words in the Qur’an and of God’s messenger and representative, Prophet Muhammad. This acknowledgement constitutes the metaphysical core of Islam that informs Islamic art-making.
Classes will be based on visual materials displayed on the screen. Fundamental spiritual concepts will be explained in an accessible manner. Therefore, there is no need to be familiar with Islam or knowledgeable in its culture, as the course proposes, above all, compelling insights.
The audience will ask questions as the lecturer will be talking or at the end of the presentations during a questions and answers session.
Module lecturer
Dr. Valerie Gonzalez
Research Associate, SOAS, University of London
(email address: vg13@soas.ac.uk , valerie.gonzalez152@googlemail.com)
Module objectives
- Introducing the world of Islam through both its spirituality and visuality
- Stimulating appreciation of the Islamic arts and their meaningful beauty
- Showing the richness of Islamic artistic creation throughout history
- Giving a sense of the conceptual foundations of Islam as both a faith and a way of life
Format:
Two sessions per week
Date and time of the first week:
Tuesday and Thursday , 3 pm to 5.30 pm GMT.
All classes are every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 pm.
Schedule
Session 1: ‘What is Islamic art?’
Session 2: ‘Islamic Logocentrism as the Metaphysical Foundation of Islamic Artistic Creation’
Session 3: ‘The Qur’an as Aesthetic Paradigm’
Session 4: ‘The Multiple Functions of Calligraphy in Islamic Visuality’
Session 5: ‘The Uniqueness of Islamic Ornament’
Session 6: ‘Examining the Space and Visuality of the Mosque Through a Few Key Buildings’
Session 7: ‘A Masterpiece of Medieval Islamic Architecture: The Alhambra, Granada, Al-Andalus (Present-day Spain)”
Session 8: ‘Islamic Book Culture I: Aesthetics of Persian Painting’
Session 9: ‘Islamic Book Culture II: Aesthetics of Persianate Painting in South Asia in the Medieval period of the Sultanates and in the early Modern Mughal Empire’
Session 10: ‘The Beautiful World of the Islamic Portable Objects: Ceramics, Metalwork, Glasswork, Ivories, Textiles’
Islamic Arts
Who should attend?
Anyone unfamiliar with Islam and interested in discovering it thanks to the appeal of its superb arts, students and professionals alike.
Any Muslim student or professional would be enticed by the perspective of revisiting their own culture and learning more about its artistic aspects.
Method of Course Delivery
This course and all discussions will be held online in the English language and you should have good proficiency in this language.
Certification
Upon completion of the programme, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance from the Oxford International Collaboration Centre.
Tuitions
The registration fee for Professionals is £175 and for Students is £115.
Reduced registration fees apply to applicants from Lower-middle-income and Low-income Countries, please send an email to info-at-oicc.uk
Pay Your Fees Here
You can register your space as either a student or professional here: https://www.oicc.uk/shop/
Register immediately online
Click ‘Discussing Islamic Art, Aesthetics, and Visuality’ to book your place. You will receive a confirmation email from the admin team.
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