On view from January 21 to March 19, 2017, the exhibition will be the focus of public programs by professors from the University of Oregon, Duke, Cornell and Yale.
EUGENE, Ore. -- (December 20, 2016) – The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the University of Oregon campus presents the exhibition “American Qur’an” by Southern California-based artist Sandow Birk. Taking over a decade to complete, every verse of the holy book of Islam is hand‐transcribed by the artist and illustrated, using the calligraphy of the individual verses to frame scenes of contemporary American life. The exhibition, on view from January 21 to March 19, 2017, will open with a free reception on Friday, January 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Two talks and a gallery tour are scheduled for the opening week. On Thursday, January 19, at noon, Birk and his LA gallerist, Catherine Clark, will discuss “The Gallery-Artist Relationship” in a conversation moderated by Jill Hartz, JSMA Executive director and exhibition curator. On Saturday, January 21, at 1 p.m., Birk will lead a gallery tour of the exhibition followed by a panel discussion with Birk; Rick Colby, Associate Professor, Religious Studies; UO student Awab A Al-rawe; and moderator Angela Joya, Assistant Professor, International Studies called “Whose Qur’an?” at 2 p.m. All events take place at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art unless otherwise noted.
Families can learn about clay and glazes in a workshop taught by California-based artist Elyse Pignolet (who is married to Sandow Birk) on Saturday, January 21, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Pignolet, whose ceramic work is on view in “American Qur’an,” will lead a demonstration on tile making and hand-building techniques, after which participants will glaze ceramic tiles. For the cost of $10, all materials are provided. Call 541-346-6410 to register.
In February, Bruce B. Lawrence, Professor Emeritus of Islamic Studies, Duke University and Adjunct Professor, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakf University, Istanbul gives two talks: “Sandow Birk’s American Qur’an: A New Dawn for the Koran” on Thursday, February 2, at 5:30 p.m. and “Who is Allah?” on Monday, February 6, at 7:30 p,.m. in Lillis 175 on the University of Oregon campus. On Friday, February 3, miriam cooke, Braxton Craven Professor of Arab Cultures, Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Duke University, presents her talk, “Dancing in Damascus: Creativity, Resilience, and the Syrian Revolution,” at 3:30 p.m. A book signing for both cooke and Lawrence precedes the talk at 3 p.m.
In a program sponsored by the Oregon Humanities Center’s Endowment for Public Outreach in the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, Iftikhar Dadi, Associate Professor, Department of History of Art, Cornell University, discusses the aesthetic dimensions of Sandow Birk’s “American Qur’an” on Friday, February 10, at 5:30 p.m. “Arab Refugees in Our Midst: Terrorism, Bigotry, and Freedom” is the topic of an Oregon Humanities Conversation with Yasmeen Hanoosh, Portland State Professor of Humanities, on Saturday, February 11, at 2 p.m. This program is co-sponsored by Watershed Arts and made possible by the Oregon Humanities Conversation Project.
On Wednesday, March 1, at 5:30 p.m., a panel discussion -- Whose America?” -- moderated by Chris Chavez, Assistant Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, explores stories of immigration, citizenship, and religion. Birk returns for an artist talk on Thursday, March 9, at 6 p.m. in 177 Lawrence Hall, co-sponsored by the Art Department Visiting Artist Lecture Series.
The public programs conclude with a lecture by Zareena Grewal, Ph.D., Associate Professor, American Studies and Religious Studies, Yale University. Sponsored by Oregon Humanities Center’s Endowment for Public Outreach in the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, this final program is on Friday, March 10, at 5:30 p.m., and will be followed by a discussion between the speaker and Sandow Birk.
“Sandow Birk: American Qur’an” was organized by and first presented at the Orange County Museum of Art in 2015-16. This is the first time the show will be seen in an academic museum. Accompanying the exhibition is a 400-page book, published by Catherine Clark Gallery and W. W. Norton and Company, New York, with essays by Zareena Grewal and Iftikhar Dadi and a preface by Reza Aslan.
The exhibition and its programs are made possible by the Coeta and Donald Barker Changing Exhibitions Endowment; the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation; the University of Oregon Office of Academic Affairs; the Oregon Humanities Center; and JSMA members.
A full schedule of programs can be found at http://jsma.uoregon.edu/BirkPrograms and is listed below.
American Qur’an Events
The Gallery–Artist Relationship: A Conversation between Catharine Clark and Sandow Birk
Moderated by Jill Hartz, JSMA executive director and exhibition curator
Thursday, January 19, noon
Opening Reception
Friday, January 20, 6 – 8 p.m.
Gallery Tour with Sandow Birk
Saturday, January 21, 1 p.m.
Whose Qur’an?
Saturday, January 21, 2 p.m.
Panel Discussion with Sandow Birk; Rick Colby, Associate Professor, Religious Studies; UO student Awab A Al-rawe; and moderator Angela Joya, Assistant Professor, International Studies
Family Fun with Ceramics and Glazes
Instructor: Elyse Pignolet
Saturday, January 21, 3-4:30 p.m.
Cost: $10/personLearn about clay and glazes in this family-friendly workshop. California-based artist Elyse Pignolet will lead a demonstration on tile making and hand building techniques, and participants will spend the rest of the class period glazing ceramic tiles. Participants will be contacted after their glazed tile has been fired and ready for pick up. All materials provided. Ages 6 and up for this family-friendly activity. Call 541-346-6410 to register.
Sandow Birk’s American Qur’an: A New Dawn for the Koran
Thursday, February 2, 5:30 p.m.
Lecture by Bruce B. Lawrence, Professor Emeritus of Islamic Studies, Duke University, and Adjunct Professor, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakf University, Istanbul
Dancing in Damascus: Creativity, Resilience, and the Syrian Revolution
Friday, February 3, Book signing at 3 p.m., lecture follows at 3:30 p.m.
Lecture by miriam cooke, Braxton Craven Professor of Arab Cultures, Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Duke University.
Who is Allah?
Lecture by Bruce B. Lawrence
Monday, February 6, 7:30 pm
Location: Lillis 175
Aesthetic Dimensions of Sandow Birk’s American Qur’an Project
Lecture by Iftikhar Dadi, Associate Professor, Department of History of Art, Cornell University
Friday, February 10, 5:30 p.m.
Arab Refugees in Our Midst: Terrorism, Bigotry, and Freedom
Oregon Humanities Conversation with Yasmeen Hanoosh, Portland State Professor Humanities Saturday, February 11, 2 p.m.
Whose America? Stories of Immigration, Citizenship, & Religion
Wednesday, March 1, 5:30 p.m.
Panel discussion with moderator Chris Chavez, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Communication, and special guests.
Artist’s Lecture by Sandow Birk
Co-sponsored by Art Department Visiting Artist Lecture Series
Thursday, March 9, 6p.m., Lawrence Hall
Sandow Birk’s American Qur’an
Friday, March 10, 5:30 p.m.; followed by conversation with Sandow Birk
Lecture by Zareena Grewal, Ph.D., Associate Professor, American Studies and Religious Studies, Yale University
About the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
The University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is a premier Pacific Northwest museum for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art based in a major university setting. The mission of the museum is to enhance the University of Oregon’s academic mission and to further the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts for the general public. The JSMA features significant collections galleries devoted to art from China, Japan, Korea, the Americas, and elsewhere as well as changing special exhibition galleries. The JSMA is one of seven museums in Oregon accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is located on the University of Oregon campus at 1430 Johnson Lane. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. Free admission is given to ages 18 and under, JSMA members, college students with ID, and University of Oregon faculty, staff and students. For information, contact the JSMA, 541-346-3027.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.
Contact: Debbie Williamson Smith, 541-346-0942, debbiews@uoregon.edu
Links: Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, http://jsma.uoregon.edu
