Jameel Prize 5: beauty, spirituality, complexity, humour, and humanity

My latest exhibition review for Church Times is on the Jameel Prize 5 exhibition at the V&A. The Jameel Prize is an international award for contemporary art and design inspired by Islamic tradition. Its aim is to explore the relationship between Islamic traditions of art, craft and design and contemporary work as part of a wider debate about Islamic culture and its role today.

In the exhibition review I say:

'this exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to explore contrasts and differences between art inspired by the Islamic tradition and that inspired by the Christian tradition.

Calligraphy, geometry, and pattern traditionally feature significantly in Islamic art. The latter two feature here but, as the judges note, this year’s outstanding shortlist displays real diversity, including beauty, spirituality, complexity, humour, and humanity. Within this diversity, we find much that resonates with expressions of spirituality within the Christian tradition — in particular, use of light and journeys.'

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Rumi - Twenty Poems.