Art in Islam

In the final (two!) days of Ramadan, fused with the current political climate of our country, I felt it would be appropriate to shed a light on the artistic elements inspired by Islam. Taking an unexpected route from what media portrays of the religion and arab culture, both the ethnicity of the Middle Eastern cultures and various sectors of Islam breed peace and philanthropy. But this isn't what the mainstream media wants you to think. No no no, NO. That's where art comes in. Thanks to museums like the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, they're showcasing exhibits integrated in Islam, and inspired by the Arab spring. (If you didn't get to see the Walid Raad exhibit at the MOMA, check out his book published by Respini)

I was lucky enough to catch the Islamic exhibit at the LACMA a while back, and felt so proud to see this new group of progressive artists in the Middle Eastern and Muslim community taking a chance to change people's perception of the religion and culture. To see artists not being bounded by the rules and regulations so often associated with what some ignorant people consider an "extremist" religion. It's thanks to art, and the artists that transport us to another world and change our perspective, that we will be able to push the boundaries of society and disrupt people's preconceived notions and fear of what they do not know. Still art is silent, but it is often the most powerful.