What ties an 8th-century mosaic in the Dome of the Rock to a contemporary abstract carpet? For Islamic art historian Christiane Gruber, that question has driven three decades of research—pushing her away from the idea of a single "Islamic art" and toward a field defined by plurality and contradiction.

In this episode of This Being Human, Gruber joins host Mai Habib to read political meaning into sacred ornament, and to dismantle a persistent myth: that the Prophet Muhammad has never been depicted in Islamic art history. She traces how these depictions evolved from detailed faces to veiled figures wrapped in flame, and closes on her newest research interest—eco-Islamic art —and why stewardship and sacred water feel more urgent now than ever.

*The Museum wishes to thank Nadir and Shabin Mohamed for their founding support of This Being Human.*

Guest Bio

Christiane Gruber is the Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu Collegiate Professor of Islamic Art History in the History of Art Department at the University of Michigan, and founding director of Khamseen: Islamic Art History Online, a free digital platform for teaching Islamic art and visual culture. Her research spans medieval to contemporary Islamic art, with a focus on figural representation, depictions of the Prophet Muhammad, and book arts. She is the author of several books, including The Praiseworthy One: The Prophet Muhammad in Islamic Texts and Images (Indiana University Press, 2019).

Links & Resources

• This was just one example of Muslim art and culture that sparked curiosity and a great conversation. There is so much more to see at the Aga Khan Museum. Support the Museum's vision to impact lives and contribute to more inclusive and peaceful societies. Go to agakhanmuseum.org to plan your visit or make a donation.
• Explore Khamseen: Islamic Art History Online, Christiane Gruber's free digital platform for teaching Islamic art.
• Learn more about Christiane Gruber and her research at the University of Michigan.
• Read more in Anna Gade's Muslim Environmentalisms: Religious and Social Foundations, referenced in the episode's discussion of eco-Islamic art.

Key Moments

0:21 Introduction to This Being Human and Christiane Gruber

1:16 What comes to mind when we think of Islamic art

6:13 Moving beyond the idea of one "true" Islam

8:16 Reading political and religious meaning into the Dome of the Rock

10:50 The surprising history of depicting the Prophet Muhammad

13:52 The poetry behind the facial veil and the halo

18:57 Picture vs. picturation: representing the more-than-human

20:42 The Rose of the Prophet and the Sunnah of representation

22:19 Founding Khamseen, a "COVID baby"

25:07 Eco-Islamic art, from the Kaaba to climate change

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.