Art and architecture in the Islamic tradition : aesthetics, politics and desire in early Islam
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Art and architecture in the Islamic tradition : aesthetics, politics and desire in early Islam
（Library of modern Middle East studies, 104）
I.B. Tauris, 2011
Available at 3 libraries
Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. 269-279) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
What is 'art' in the sense of the Islamic tradition? Mohammed Hamdouni Alami argues that Islamic art has historically been excluded from Western notions of art; that the Western aesthetic tradition's preoccupation with the human body has meant that Islamic and Western art being perceived as inherently at odds. However, the move away from this 'anthropomorphic aesthetic' in Western art movements, such as modern abstract and constructivist painting, have presented the opportunity for new ways of viewing and evaluating Islamic art and architecture. Drawing upon classical Arabic literature, philosophy, poetry, medicine and theology, along with contemporary Western art theory, the author uncovers a specific Islamic theoretical vision of art and architecture based on poetic practice, politics, desire and the 'gaze'. In so doing, he addresses the lack of recognition given to early Islamic thought and aesthetics in comparison with other historical periods and traditions.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Architecture and Meaning in the Theory of Al-Jahiz
Architecture and Poetics
Architecture and Myth
Al-Jahiz in the Mosque at Damascus: Social Critique and Debate in the History of Umayyad Architecture
Architecture and Desire
Conclusion
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