The Art of Living: Residential Architecture of the Islamic World
26 March 2001 – 26 June 2001
*Publication for the exhibition is available at the Museum Shop, please click here for more information.
This exhibition comprises of 211 colour photographs and 7 enlargements of islamic resedential architecture, both historic and contemporary. The exhibition is further supplemented by 9 posters of architectural drawings (divided into the architectural styles of the different regions) and architectural ornaments: doors, doorknockers, windows, bas-reliefs and ceramic tiles.
The exhibition also provides an insight into the expansion and development of the Islamic world from the first Muslim empire of the Ummayads in the Arabian peninsula; all the way to the Far East – Malaysia, Indonesia and the southern islands of the Philippines. However, the major motive of interest in this exhibition resides in the iconography of Islamic architecture.
The countries covered in the exhibition are:
The Mediterranean Basin: Andalusia, Malta
Examples of some of the historic buildings featured:
The African continent: Morocco, Algeria, Lybia, Sudan, The Arabic East, Zanzibar
Examples of some of the historic building featured:
The Near East: Syria, Saundi Arabia, Bahrain & Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman
Examples of some of the historic buildings featured:
The Middle East: Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh
Examples of some of the historic buildings featured:
The Far East: Malaysian Peninsula, Indonesia
Examples of some of the historic buildings featured:
The exhibition provides a glimpse into the sites of Islamic culture – By studying the design, the material used for construction, the decorations and overall inner space of an Islamic house and its relationship with the outer space (the city for example).
Along with the lifestyle of the dweller, valuable information was discovrred regarding aesthetic principles, a sense of beauty, social and moral values, political conditions of the time, the economic status of the dwellers and the climate of the area.
Islamic houses may therefore, be considered as living encyclopedias of a rich religious tradition. Despite their diverse materials and decorations, they share a principal identity deeply rooted in the Islamic faith.
About Ovidio Guita
A professional photographer, Ovidio Guita graduated from the University of Florence, Italy in 1983 and has since collaborated extensively with the Department of Architecture history and Restoration of Architectonic Structures of the faculty. A member of the Association of Journalists, he is also on the staff of an Italian magazine, Ville Giardini.