@ Riverside Art Museum
Exhibition: June 10 – September 9, 2017
Members Preview and Opening Celebration: Friday, June 9, 2017, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Free for Members Only
Sandow Birk embarked on an ambitious project to hand-transcribe the entire Qur’an according to historic Islamic traditions and to illuminate the text with relevant scenes from contemporary American life. Nine years in the making, the project was inspired by a decade of extended travel in Islamic regions of the world. Birk also sought out museum collections to view ancient Qur’ans so as an artist he could uphold the integrity of how these sacred words are presented.
The result is an extraordinary body or work. Birk has created individual gouache paintings of the text rendered in elaborate script inspired by Los Angeles graffiti tags and scenes from contemporary American life.
This exhibition will feature approximately half of the 200 ink and gouache on paper paintings.
Related Exhibition Programming
Members Preview & Opening Celebration for Florescence and American Qur’an | Friday, June 9, 2017, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., For Members Only, Free
Please join us for this free for RAM members only event to preview the Sandow Birk: American Qur’an exhibition that opens on Saturday, June 10 to the general public. This reception is also a celebration of the artists and artwork behind Naida Osline: Florescence and Sandow Birk: American Qur’an.
To RSVP, please call 951.684.7111.
Gallery Talk and Tour with Artist Sandow Birk | Saturday, June 10, 2017, 1 p.m., Free with paid admission or membership
Join artist Sandow Birk as he gives a short talk and tour of his exhibition.
