Molded Luster Tile with Sentence Fragment in Raised Calligraphy, Floral and Geometric Motifs, Kashan, Iran, firsthalf of the 13th century. Molded fritware polychrome painted over white slip under transparent glaze. Newark Museum Purchase, Gift of Herman A. E. Jaehne and Paul C. Jaehne.

PHOENIX, AZ.- Phoenix Art Museum is presenting Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam Through Time & Place, the first exhibition on art and Islam at the Museum in more than two decades, from January 26 through May 26, 2019 in the Art of Asia galleries. The comprehensive exhibition, organized by the Newark Museum, features more than 100 artworks, including handwritten texts, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, photographs, and paintings, from across centuries and from nearly every continent, with the exception of Antarctica. Unlike previous national and international exhibitions on the subject, Wondrous Worlds is organized around the Five Pillars of Islam instead of geography, time period, or material, offering a fresh perspective on the intersection of art and Islam. 

“We are delighted to host Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam Through Time & Place,” said Amada Cruz, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum. “This exhibition offers a unique and global view of art and Islam, and we are excited to share these extraordinary works with our community.” 

A Single Earring with Floral Motifs (double-sided image), Iran, Qajar Period (1789–1925). Gold, enamel, pearls. Newark Museum Purchase.

Curated by a team led by Katherine Anne Paul, PhD, curator of the arts of Asia at Newark Museum, the exhibition is structured around the Five Pillars of Islam, considered the core beliefs and practices of the world’s second largest religion. The Five Pillars are shahada (declaration of faith), salat (five daily prayers), zakat (almsgiving, or charity), sawm (fasting for Ramadan), and hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). Each section of the exhibition showcases a range of objects from various countries and centuries, including works created in the service of Islam by Muslim artists for Muslim patrons, items created for purposes that are not explicitly religious, and objects by non-Muslim artists created for both Muslim and non-Muslim patrons. Featured works include books of poetry, woven prayer rugs depicting paradise, inscribed coffee pots, game boards, and musical instruments. These traditional objects are displayed alongside contemporary works, such as calligraphic Sufi poems and sculpture, to demonstrate how artists today continue to explore through various mediums the ways in which art and Islam intersect.  

Wall Tile with Turquoise Saz Leaf, Blue Hyacinth, and Sections of Red and Blue Palmettes, Iznik, Turkey, late 16th or early 17th century, Ottoman Period (1299–1922). Fritware polychrome painted over white slip under transparent glaze. Newark Museum Purchase.

“Islam connected cultures across the Middle East, the Mediterranean world, and as far as China through travel, trade, and faith,” said Janet Baker, curator of Asian art at Phoenix Art Museum. “Its impact on the intellectual and scientific worlds was vast and long-lasting.” 

By presenting artworks that span centuries and continents within the context of the Five Pillars, Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam Through Time & Place provides Museum guests with the opportunity to experience the living legacy of Islam through an in-depth examination of the religion’s global reach and influence across generations. Over the course of the exhibition, the Museum will present various public programs inspired by the artworks on view, including public lectures featuring local Muslim leaders and family-friendly activities in the galleries, to help build awareness and engage the community in conversation about the world’s fastest growing religion.

Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam Through Time & Place, Phoenix Art Museum, January 26, 2019 - May 26, 2019

Unknown, Inscribed in Thuluth Script, Hand of Fatima Charm with Six-Pointed Star, Algeria/Morocco, before 1928. Brass. Newark Museum Purchase.

Samuel Bourne, Interior of Diwan-I Khas Palace [Audience Hall] of Red Fort, Delhi (1648), India, 1863–1870. Collodion process print on paper. Newark Museum Anonymous gift.

Unknown, Man’s Sawari Coat with Boteh and Woven Floral Motifs, India, Kashmir, late 18th or early 19th century, Mughal Period (1526–1857). Tapestry-woven silk, metal-wrapped threads. Newark Museum Gift of Mrs. August Gilbert Buse.

Unknown, Interior of the Taj Mahal (1631–48) in Agra. Newark Museum, Anonymous gift 00.2158B.

Unknown, Portrait of a Beauty, late 19th century. Colors and gold on ivory (painting), ebony, copper, glass (frame). Newark Museum Gift of Dr. J. Ackerman Coles.

Pendak Skirt with Woman and Sheep and Floral Motifs, Java, Indonesia, before 1923, Netherlands East Indies Period (1800–1942). Cotton, resist-wax print (batik). Newark Museum Gift of Dr. H. H. Rusby, 1923 23.396.

Unknown, Inscribed Coffeepot and Cups, before 1928. Brass, copper, silver. Newark Museum Purchase.

Unknown, Portfolio with Eight-Pointed Star and Geometric Motifs, Algeria, before 1928. Leather, gold. Newark Museum Purchase, 1928 28.821.

Unknown, Red Carnations, Blue Tulips and Blue Saz Leaf on a Dish with Flower Petal Rim, Iznik, Turkey, 18th century, Ottoman Period (1299–1922). Fritware polychrome painted over white slip under transparent glaze. Newark Museum Purchase 1929 29.885.

Unknown, Inscribed Astrolabe Adorned with Symbols of the Zodiac, Angels Elevating a Crown and Horse Head, 1863. Brass. Newark Museum Purchase, 1929 29.1453A-G Egypt, 1863.

Unknown, Jobbana Covered Jar with Interlocking Ring Motifs, Morocco, late 18th – early 20th century. Earthenware with white, blue, yellow and turquoise glazes. Newark Museum Purchase, The Member’s Fund 1978 78.5A,B.

Unknown, Portrait of Alhaji Shehu Muhammad Kangiwa with Olive Leaf Wreaths, Burkina Faso, late 20th century. Factory printed cotton. Newark Museum Gift of Jo M. Sullivan, 2014 2014.40.8.