Not of a specific time, place, medium, or even religion, the term ‘Islamic art’ both describes the art created in the service of the Muslim faith and exemplifies all artistic traditions of the Muslim culture. As Islam is not only a religion but a way of life, it inspires the development of a distinctive culture with its own unique artistic language that is reflected in art and architecture; its strong aesthetic appeal surpassing time and space, and transcending differences between language, religion and culture.
In Islamic Art – An African Interpretation, curator Annelize Kotze endeavoured to bring together the work of a number of South African Islamic artists, including world renowned artist, and Founder of the South African Foundation for Islamic Art (SAFIA), Achmat Soni. In bringing together the work of artists from various backgrounds, this exhibition seeks to celebrate the diversity of Islam and of who we are as a people of Africa, and constitutes an unequivocal statement: that we disavow that our Africanness be defined by our race, religion, gender or historical origins.
