Non-western art critique

Sarah Khalil

Humanities 101

Professor Bomboy

October 10, 2015

Non-Western Art Critique

            All around the world there are many art pieces that represent exquisite detail and tell many stories. Every art piece reflects the artist’s personality and culture. This is definitely seen in a lot of non-western art pieces such as Islamic art. The most fascinating thing about Islamic art is its religion. The fact that Islam was the only religion to spread at such a fast pace and have a diversity of cultures shared within it, is what makes it so interesting. Still to this day, Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion. Islam was born in the seventh century causing it to stretch from Spain to Africa and even India. Due to this, the Islamic empire ruled the Mediterranean Sea and was announced as one of the most successful empires in history. Not only was religion spread, different cultures and styles were absorbed and expanded along the way as well. Islamic culture and art are well known for their diversity and assimilation of many different ethnic backgrounds. The different styles of art and culture is seen to be expressed in mosques around the world. One particular artwork resides in the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

The Great Mosque of Córdoba is located in Córdoba, Spain and was built in 784 by 'Abd al-Rahman I and was later expanded and reconstructed in the 9^th and 10^th century. It is one of many early examples of Islamic Architecture (Fiero 243). Inside the mosque contains a mihrab; a beautiful Islamic art piece. A mihrab is a niche that marks the direction of Mecca for Muslim prayer (Fiero 244). The mihrab and mosque are both authentic as they’re well known to contain major historical figures that express all the different cultures that have existed in Spain. Córdoba is well-known for growing continuously over the past years, because of this the mosque and mihrab have bear witnessed the successful reconstructions and changes it has had to endure. Córdoba itself has many areas that belong to different styles and timelines, all of which reflect on each other to hold a high degree of authenticity.

When it comes to Islamic art there are three motifs that dominate it: geometric, floral, and calligraphic (Fiero 244). Calligraphy is the decorative handwriting found on every Islamic art piece written in Arabic. Most calligraphy pieces consist of verses from the Quran, the Word of Allah (Arabic word for God) or any Islamic script. This is seen on the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” as it consists of calligraphic bands all around it. The mihrab also consists of gold tesserae’s that adorn the arch. Islamic art is well-known for consisting of “meander and frame” which is an expression that means that a pattern will go on forever and ever unless it’s stopped by something. This is another feature seen on the mihrab with calligraphy pieces going on and on until they hit a border. This Islamic aesthetic is seen with calligraphy, floral, and geometric motif pieces being expressed in repetition and infinite rhythmic patterns (Fiero 244). The infinite repetition of patterns represents the unchanging laws of God. Such as the five pillars of faith in Islam, which are common rules that are expected of Muslims to follow. Since the use of human and animal forms are forbidden in Islam, Islamic artists use geometric forms instead. As stated before, the Islamic empire was one of the most powerful and with that brought on many resources and inventions such as mathematics. Muslims are known to be the founders of mathematics. Hence, why in the Islamic culture, the geometric design is used continuously because it connects Islamic faith to mathematics. Not only that but geometric patterns are seen as logical and orderly just like Allah. This is also seen on another artwork located inside the Great mosque of Córdoba. Which is the dome above the mihrab. The “Dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” consists of crisscrossing arches that form a geometric pattern that are elegantly covered with gold mosaic in an extravagant pattern.

There are many elements incorporated into this particular artwork, such as shape. Which is a simple horseshoe arch, containing many thin lines separating the different calligraphic phrases. The color of the arch contains very natural yet elegant colors, as it appears to look golden yet touched with natural colors of different shades of brown, yellow and black. The texture appears to look smooth and clean. The value of the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” is well balanced; it’s not too dark or too light. There are both equally balanced amounts of dark and light value, which is makes it aesthetically appealing to the eye. Any mihrab in any mosque is designed to have a 3D spatial depth for the imam to stand while calling on for people to prayer. Lastly, I would describe this mihrab as containing a well-rounded form.

Not only did the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” contain many elements of art, but it also contains many principles of design. The principles of design are basically to rearrange the elements of art. For example, one can contrast value and one can contrast the use of space. In this mihrab, there is definitely a contrast of space because the huge dome is located right above the mihrab and allows one to see a significant contrast between a small amount of space of the mihrab and the gigantic amount of space located on the “Dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” right above. The proportion of the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” is that it contains many thin lines as seen with the calligraphy. Also the proportion of color is equally balanced, the same amount of color is seen to be distributed evenly in equal amounts all over and around the mihrab. The emphasis of the mihrab would be the empty amount of space in the middle of the mihrab. I believe that is the focal point of the whole artwork, because no matter how much I stare at the mihrab to study its design, my eye seems to come back to the empty space in the middle. There is rhythm and repetition all over the mihrab, because my eye bounces from like object to like object. This is not only seen on the mihrab, but all over many artworks all over the mosque. There is a pattern of Arabic words beautifully written all over in an almost “never ending” pattern until it hits a border. I believe if ones artwork contains rhythm and repetition, it automatically contains a sense of balance. The “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” also contains a sense of unity. Everything in the mihrab is put together, unified and matched together to the point where one can cut the mihrab in half and have both sides symmetrical. I believe most Islamic artworks contain a sense of unity because Islam itself is a religion that brings its followers together in harmony.

The obvious function of this art piece is that it was built for a place of worship and built for the imam to lead prayer, although now it is used simply to attract tourists. Throughout history, many different things change drastically. In this case, it was once a mosque and is now a Catholic cathedral. In modern society, many historical pieces all over the world are used to attract tourists; which is why one may go to Spain today and visit the Great Mosque of Córdoba. It fits in the culture that it was produced in because of the beautiful colors used in this mosque. In Spain today, it’s very common to see many buildings full of bold colors and beautiful designs. It also integrates Islamic culture by displaying elegant calligraphy in Arabic on the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” and other parts of the mosque. It fits in the culture that produced it because the art piece itself is located in a mosque that represents Islamic culture by proving that Muslims have indeed visited and spread Islam across Spain. The cultural information it conveys is the fact that today, the Great Mosque of Córdoba is a mosque and a cathedral. This shows religious changes that have taken place in Spain over the years. Not only that, but the fact that many Muslims today follow many similar designs of the mihrab onto other Islamic artworks.

As a practicing Muslim, I’m actually ashamed that I have never seen or heard of this mosque before, although I probably haven’t heard of it because it is now a cathedral and a “mosque”. When I first saw this mosque, I was astonished. Astonished because it was built hundreds and hundreds of years ago and is more beautiful than any modern mosque I’ve seen nowadays. The thing that amazed me the most is how spacious it is and how it got more exquisite as the years went on. It also amazes me how beautiful the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” has contained to be over the past decades. Never in my life, have I seen such an aesthetically pleasing Islamic mihrab. All of these reactions are caused mainly because I live in a predominately non-diverse town and have never been exposed to beautiful non-western artworks. I honestly wish I lived during that time period just so I could experience how luxurious and beautiful it must be to pray and connect with God at the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

          

“Mihrab of the Great Mosque in Córdoba” photograph by monchoparis (originally created in 784)

 

“Dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” photograph by bongo vongo (originally created in 784)

Works Cited

Fiero, Gloira K. The Humanistic Tradition. 7^th ed. Vol 1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Print.

Monchoparis. Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba. 2015. The Great Mosque of Córdoba, 

    Córdoba. Flickr.com. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.

Vongo, Bongo. Mihrab Dome of the Great Mosque in Córdoba. 2007. The Great Mosque of    

     Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. Flickr. Web. 18 Sept. 2015