The Muslim Students Association celebrated Islamic art and culture in the rooftop lounge of Hamilton College House Friday evening as part of Islam Awareness Week.
Featuring expositions of calligraphy by interior designer Reem Hussein and photographs by Islamic photographer Said Nuseibeh, the event attracted around 30 guests.
The evening began with a Quranic recitation by Anjum Cheema, MSA president and a College senior, who explained the cultural implications of the Quran with, "The Quran for us, is something we read every day. We read parts of it in each of the Five Prayers. ... When the Quran was revealed, at that time the Arabs valued poetry above everything else."
He continued to expose its poetic content through reciting one of its chapters in song.
Following the short prayer, Renata Holod, professor of Islamic art at Penn, gave a slideshow presentation highlighting some integral aspects of Islamic art, particularly calligraphy.
"I thought it was really organized," College and Wharton freshman Lena Zurkiya said. "I was very impressed, because I did not know what to expect. It turned out really well, I think. I liked that they brought the professor."
Holod explained that "we are looking for 'uniformal' aspects" when examining Islamic art, due to the traditions that have been passed down in Islamic calligraphy.
Holod displayed art dating from the Islamic world of centuries ago to contemporary work from artists around the world.
Serving as an introduction to the world of Islamic art, her talk emphasized the fact that "these particular artists were not generally known, even in the place where [their art was] made," and that general knowledge of Islamic art is still limited.
Hussein then gave a brief talk, in which she addressed life as an Islamic artist, particularly one with immigrant parents.
"I really liked the talk by the painter," College junior Mariyahl Hoole said. "I thought that she was really creative with the paintings."
Hussein explained her mindset when developing such religious pieces. "I felt very connected to it, and my mind was always focused on God. So after a while, I also discovered that a lot of the artists out of the Ottoman Empire were not only training to write very well and perfect their art, but they were taught that when they were going through the manuscript ... to go into a meditative state."
Attendees, consisting of both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as select faculty, were welcomed to light refreshments consisting of traditional cuisine from Muslim countries.
Foods such as hummus and tabouli were featured on the table.
College sophomore Hamideh Moayedpardazi, representing the MSA, commented on the turnout. "I thought it was successful. We had many people come out."
IAW continues this week through Thursday, culminating with a lecture by Azizah Al-Hibri, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, called "Can Islam and Democracy Coexist?"
