Author: Komel K

REVIEW: The Literary History of Layla and Majnun

Komel K Leave a comment
The exhibit features an illuminated double-page opening of the Layla and Majnun story as written by Nizami. Photo courtesy of the Michigan Library

The Of Love and Madness: Layla and Majnun exhibit at the Hatcher Graduate library gives visitors a glance into the literary history of a romantic tale. With Arabian origins and a variety of versions to the story, some of these many versions are scripts from the library’s Islamic Manuscripts Collection. Aside from being a collection with scripts that date as far back as the 16th century, all of the manuscripts on display happen to be illuminated manuscripts — documents with text that are decorated with initials, borders, and/or illustrations.

The first illuminated manuscript I looked at was a copy of Nizami’s Persian version of the tale, pictured above. The beauty of a story about powerful love was reflected in the vibrant details of the pages: Persian words were cushioned in gold detailing, royal blue & crimson red contrasted wonderfully with the pages, and intricate floral designs tied the colors of the page together. The next manuscript I saw was a copy of Jami’s Persian version within his Haft Awrang, a collection of seven different tales with one of them pertaining to Layla and Majnun. This copy, pictured below, features a headpiece with title marks.

Jami’s Persian version of the Layla and Majnun tale within his Haft Awrang. Photo courtesy of Komel K
Fuzuli’s Turkish version of the tale, completed in 1536. Photo courtesy of Komel K
Along with these illuminated manuscripts of Layla and Majnun, the exhibit also features another famous couple in Islamic literature, Vamiq and Azra, through a papyrus fragment. I found all of these pieces to be wonderful, and would definitely recommend others to visit this exhibit. Stop by the 7th floor of the Hatcher Graduate Library anytime until the 22nd of February in order to view the physical variants of such an adorned tale!

PREVIEW: The Literary History of Layla and Majnun

Komel K Leave a comment
Azerbaijani folk art based on Nizami’s novel. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The Hatcher Graduate library is currently featuring manuscripts from their Islamic Manuscripts collection, which pertains to a Persian love story written by Nizami Ganjavi. These manuscripts, written in the 9th century, focus on a woman named Layla and a man named Qays Ibn al-Mulawwah (who later was nicknamed Majnun) and their virgin love. This ancient tale has been adopted, rewritten, and altered many times, from Sufi writers to Indians to European writers. Visit this exhibit before it ends, in order to view original manuscripts of a beloved story in the world of literature.

Details 
When: Now until February 22nd
Time: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
Location: Hatcher Graduate Library, 7th Floor Exhibit Space

REVIEW: David Zinn Workshop

Komel K Leave a comment
Photo courtesy of Viral Forest

The Ann Arbor District Library hosted local artist and University of Michigan alum David Zinn for his workshop—Drawing from Your Imagination with David Zinn—on January 5th in order to share his artistic techniques with those who attended. Although Zinn is well-known for his chalk and charcoal works on city streets and buildings, this artist used the Thursday afternoon to delve into the creative thought process of his artwork.

The workshop took place in the library’s multi-purpose room, located in the basement. I arrived five minutes past one and found myself in a room bustling with locals both young and old, all enthusiastic to hear from the artist. After they found their seats and chatter hummed down to faint whispers, Zinn introduced himself to us through light jokes and references. His words were accompanied by a slideshow of his latest street art pieces, which were certainly entertaining to look at.

One of the works that Zinn featured in his slideshow. Photo courtesy of Demilked

Zinn’s introduction eventually transitioned to demonstrations of his creative thought process. The artist first explained to his audience how blank canvases were intimidating to him, as ideas for art were limitless and therefore overwhelming. Having a canvas with a mark, however, gave Zinn a starting point for his ideas, even if that canvas happened to be a sidewalk with a line of grass. Zinn then elaborated this point by having attendees engage in drawing exercises where everyone would make a scribble, swap papers with someone else, and see what they could draw from that scribble. After everyone saw the products of this exercise, Zinn facilitated another drawing exercise where one person would draw on a folded sheet of paper and another person would complete the drawing on the other side. By viewing art that was created from canvases with a mark, everyone, including me, had a better understanding of where Zinn was coming from.

One of the drawings made from the second exercise of the workshop. The top half was drawn by me, while the bottom half was drawn by another attendee

The workshop ended ten minutes after two, with applause from attendees. I was content with what I learned from the workshop, and am considering on attending future workshops by Zinn in the Ann Arbor District Library.
If you happened to miss out on this opportunity with a local artist, be sure to check the AADL website to see when the next David Zinn workshop will be!

PREVIEW: David Zinn Workshop

Komel K Leave a comment

Image result for david zinn

A local to Ann Arbor and University of Michigan alum, David Zinn will be holding a workshop at the Ann Arbor District Library this Thursday, the 5th of January. Zinn has been making his mark on the city with artwork through  murals, business logos, posters, and cartoons, but he is well known for the chalk art he makes on the streets and sidewalks of Ann Arbor, Manhattan, and other locations. In recent years, Zinn has recieved global attention from outlets such as Facebook and the Huffington Post. This local artist is now sharing some of his artistic experience through the workshop, Drawing from Your Imagination with David Zinn, where he will be demonstrating illustration techniques with color pencils. Take the opportunity to meet and learn from David Zinn this week, one of Ann Arbor’s local artists!

Details
When: Thursday, January 5th
Time: 1:00 -2:00PM
Location: Ann Arbor District Library, Multi-Purpose Room

Workshop is intended for kids grade six to adults, free admission.

REVIEW: Tibetan Book Covers from the MacLean Collection

Komel K Leave a comment
A Tibetan book cover featuring carvings of three divine figures and intricate decal, coated in gold-colored paint. Photo courtesy of the Crow Collection website

I had never thought of book covers as anything besides dusty, worn out blankets that hugged pages of a story together, but the special exhibit at the UMMA proved me wrong. Being the first ever exhibit in the United States to showcase Tibetan book covers, Protecting Wisdom: Tibetan Book Covers from the MacLean Collection, this collection is currently on display until April 2 of 2017, and so I took the opportunity to visit.

Expecting to see 8 x 11 cardboard covers encased in cloth or leather, I was greeted by wooden covers that measured two feet wide and about a foot tall; 33 or so of these were either situated on the gallery walls or in showcases. As I made my way through the gallery, I took in the intricacies of these Tibetan treasures: multiple gods were carved into these covers along with dragons, peacocks, floral decals, and so on. Paint in hues of gold, red, and green embellished the slabs of wood. Some of the detailing was so intricate that the cover was designed by several people.

Tibetan book cover
Photo courtesy of the Crow Collection website
Tibetan book cover
Photo courtesy of the Crow Collection website

The elaborate nature of these book covers is understood through its purpose. For Tibetan Buddhists, books are a divine presence where the Buddha lives and reveals himself, and so to honor him, detailed book covers were frequently commissioned. Tibetan book cover design has a history of more than a thousand years, and so these covers date back from anywhere in the 11th century to the 18th century. A gem of the exhibit is a wonderfully carved and painted book cover from the early 1290s.

I left the exhibit with a newfound respect for the art of designing book covers, especially the Tibetan book covers created by Buddhists. This exhibit is currently on display until the 2nd of April from 8:00am to 5:00pm from Tuesdays through Sundays, so please come out to view this gallery!

REVIEW: Catie Newell’s Overnight

Komel K 2 Comments
Catie Newell’s three-dimensional piece Overnight. Photo courtesy of www.cathlynnewell.com

The UMMA has features captivating artists in their special exhibits, but from June 11 to November 6 of this year, the museum has brought a member of the University of Michigan to the spotlight: Catie Newell.

After briefly reading a synopsis of the artist and her work, I enter the room. My presence is immediately acknowledged by two rows of prints, who beckon me to their attention. I answer their call and inspect them: images of dark city nights radiate tones of mystery, but in each scene, light illuminates a fragment of old buildings or tall trees. I’m captivated by the metallic sheen of these prints, animating the light within the images so that the scene that sits before my eyes interacts with me rather than standing isolated.

One of the pieces to the Nightly collection. Photo courtesy of Michigan Radio.

The prints, however, are derived of their attention once I notice an array of aluminum wire that hangs from the center of the room. Usually enlightened at night, I gaze at the structure, attempting to translate Newell’s perspective of darkness and urban landscape into coherent sentences. Perplexed at the subject of the gallery, dissatisfaction festers within me when my visit to the gallery is cut short.  

A Detroit-based architect and assistant professor at the U-M Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning, Catie Newell is entranced by light and its relationship to architecture; the two seem to interact in a situational fashion, rather than separate entities. Newell encompasses this relationship by the two pieces showcased at the UMMA. Nightly, which is the collection of prints I mentioned earlier, uses the streetlights of Detroit as its subject. With this project, Newell investigated the two dimensions of the city: one that is clear at daylight, and one that thrives in the shadows of twilight. Overnight, the three-dimensional piece, works in collaboration with the gallery’s exposure to light in order to serve as a living entity of how architecture behaves in light and dark.

Catie Newell’s Overnight exhibit sparked a fascination of the elusive behavior of light in me that I did not know I would have. This exhibit will be open until November 6 from 8:00am to 5:00pm, so please do come out to see Newell’s work!