Dimensions (Awakening)
April 29th, 2012
In thinking about my final response for this class, I decided that I wanted to create something that embodied the diversity of Islam, while at the same time conveying some of its shared ideals. I wanted to emphasize the idea of Islam as a unifying faith, but one which is subject to different interpretations on an individual basis. I chose to focus on capturing light, as this is a medium that is at once a symbol of knowledge, faith, love, and purity. Light’s malleable and elusive nature makes it particularly appropriate, as an understanding of God is anything but straightforward. This piece uses a variety of textures and surfaces to illustrate the many ways in which this light can be reflected and absorbed.
In addition to the different shapes and textures, I tried to hint at a depth of meaning by making this piece difficult to capture from a single angle. The topography of the aluminum, the shifting pattern of the glass marbles, and the contrast between the brilliant corner of white and the iridescent gold base are meant to mimic how the practice of Islam defies characterization.
The light of Islam is universal, but is reinvented by every surface that it illuminates.
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