After learning the background behind Islamic art, I was somewhat leery about viewing the Met’s exhibit because I received the impression that it ran rampant with underlying, grotesque meanings. I actually enjoyed the exhibit for a few reasons, including the detail present in everything, whether it was a textile, a piece of pottery, a book, or an arched entryway. The armor was interesting, too, especially the one headdress adorned with long strands and feathers. If I had to pick one aspect that stuck out to me the most, though, it would be the architecture. My friend and I continuously walked through the exhibit and glanced at the windows, doors, and arched walkways, noting how much we would love to incorporate them into our future homes. One of my favorite architectural pieces was the white arching structure located in a bright courtyard, with a petite circular fountain in the center. The detail in the archways was exquisite and imperceptibly intricate. In high school, I always found it interesting to learn about the Arab influence on Spanish society, and the Met certainly included some of these influences in its exhibit. Furthermore, I found the brightness and density of the colors used in the tiny paintings incredible. Most of the time, I associate eras around the sixteenth century with darker colors, much like what we have been exposed to with Renaissance artwork. However, this was a pleasant contrast to the somber European works, with its bright turquoises and Turkish porcelain blues.
This exhibit helped me realize what I love about the Met- it offers history with art in a demonstrative manner. It does not attempt to impose its artistic views on visitors like other museums. More “trendy” museums have their place, as well, but the Met provides a pleasant alternative to the hip artistic culture because it leaves room for the spectator to make his unbiased decision. Additionally, some might even claim that the Met portrays life as art. After all, a large percentage of its pieces on display are articles from the everyday lives of our ancestors. I wonder if people back then saw their everyday lives as art. Hey, I wonder if we do.
Islamic architecture is quite unique. I came across it for the first time when visiting the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Israel last year. The building was under Arab control for over a thousand years, and they’ve definitely left their unique mark on the design. The building structure itself was built by Herod at around the year 0, making it one of the oldest buildings still in use today. So while the Islamic influence cannot be seen on the actual outside structure (Islam didn’t even exist when the building was erected) except for a few minarets placed there at a later date, the inside of the building is definitely Islamic in style. It contains many domed ceilings, inlaid with colorful engravings. There are many brightly-colored geometric shapes, specifically crescents, which makes sense because, as we learned, Islamic law prohibits the creation of human images. In fact, the inside of the building looked remarkably imilar to the newly-renovated City Center. Unlike City Center, however, there was also calligraphy on the walls, which I found out later (having to ask someone, as I don’t read Arabic myself) were verses from the Koran about the patriarchs. It was very interesting to be in that building, which is so important to my own heritage, and see how the design was so heavily based on Islamic culture. Although it was an interesting choice, I understand why the designers of City Center decided to base it on Islamic designs, as it is intricate and quite beautiful.
I want to comment on two of the aspects mentioned in this post. For starters, you mention a great point about Islamic art being famous for its architecture. As we were sitting in the class about the Islamic wing, it was fascinating to hear about the different types of Islamic art that have been done throughout history. I, like you associated Islamic art with architecture. It is apparent in the mosque of Cordoba in Spain that we have learnt a tremendous amount from the Muslim school of thought. I think the Muslim architects made great strides in art especially with regard to the architectural world. The Islamic gallery in the Metropolitan Museum of art focuses a great deal on this point and I think it is a great accomplishment of the curators.
The second thing I want to focus on from the post is how you brought in the point that the Met “offers history with art in a demonstrative manner.” Many of the great rooms in the museum focus on reconstructing the different time periods. These “period-rooms” are what make the Met a great place to visit. It is easy to immerse yourself in the time period that you are studying by simply walking into one of these rooms. I posted a few weeks ago about the Greco-Roman wing, but more specifically about the period rooms in this gallery. If you have the time, it would be a great place to go visit and see them for yourself. You will really feel as if you are living in the time period.