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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an, 2015

    Birk’s beautifully rendered images of contemporary life fill the pages of the American Qur’an, thoughtfully bridging two cultures and reflecting the artist’s experience of travel in the Islamic world.  Appearing in full for the first time, this lavishly designed volume—containing all 114 suras—melds past with present and East with West, like nothing before it.  The result, hailed by Reza Aslan as "a great favor, not only to Muslims, but also to Americans," is one of the most original art books to appear in decades.

    Hardcover book

    12 × 16 in / 464 pages

    MORE about this artwork

     

    At a time when the United States was involved in two wars against Islamic nations, American-born artist Sandow Birk strove to consider the Qur'an as it was intended: as a universal message to humankind.  Birk began the project with the question, “How can the message of the Qur’an be applied to a contemporary American life?”

     

    From this starting point, Birk embarked on the most ambitious work of his career.  Following in the grand traditions of ancient Arabic and Islamic artists, Birk hand-transcribed the entire Qur'an as was done in centuries past—abiding by the traditional prescriptions as to ink colors, page format, margin size, and illumination of page headings and medallions marking verses and passages.  His hand-lettered calligraphy uses an American tradition of writing—that of urban graffiti street letters found around the artist’s Los Angeles neighborhood.  A myriad of diverse scenes from everyday American life illuminate each chapter, or sura.  While Birk’s skate-surf aesthetic permeates the book, the settings depicted cover an impressive panoply of America culture—unbound by any particular political persuasion or agenda.

     

    Even before the first original paintings in Birk’s American Qur'an project appeared in exhibits at Catharine Clark Gallery (San Francisco) and Koplin Del Rio (Los Angeles) in 2009, veteran art critics expressed concern about its reception.  Birk’s American Qur’an challenges the notion of aniconism—the eschewal of images in Islamic texts.  This book represents the first published version of the Qur’an to contain text accompanied by representational illuminations—versus the geometric and vegetal patterns which adorn other tomes.  In addition, the pairing of Islam’s holiest text with scenes from contemporary American life seemed potentially provocative, given the climate of the times.  The project, however, was not only welcomed by the Muslim community but also celebrated as an "ambitious and valuable undertaking" (New York Times).  At the same time, many saw it as taking part in an ancient tradition, one that, according to Yale University professor Zareena Grewal, "eschewed the irony and satire that have become the knee-jerk impulse of so many Western artists."

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2A, 2011

    Artist's Statement

    Summary

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2B, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2C, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2D, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2E, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2F, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2G, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2H, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2J, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2K, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 2L, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 5 (A-F), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 5A, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    17 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 5B, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 5C, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 5D, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 5E, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 5F, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 6 (A-F), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 6 (Panel A), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 6 (Panel B), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper,

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 6 (Panel C), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 6 (Panel D), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 6 (Panel E), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 6 (Panel F), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 9 (A-E), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 11 (A-E), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 14 (A-B), 2010

    Ink and gouache on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed each
    19 x 27 inches framed each

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 15 (A-B), 2010

    Ink and gouache on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed each
    19 x 27 inches framed each

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 15A, 2010

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 15B, 2010

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed, 19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 16 (A-D), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 16A, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 16B, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 16C, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 16D, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 23 (A-C), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed each
    19 x 27 inches framed each

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 27 (A-C), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    9 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 28 (A-C), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 29 (A-C), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 31 (Panel B), 2009

    Gouache and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches each unframed
    19 x 27 inches each framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 34 (A-B), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic and ink on paper

    Each panel 16x 24 inches unframed, 19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 35 (A-B), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 41 (A-B), 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed each
    19 x 27 inches framed each

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    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 45 (A-B), 2003

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 56, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    Each panel 16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 57 (A-C), 2008

    Gouache, acrylic and ink on paper

    Each panel 16x 24 inches unframed, 19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an / Sura 58, 2011

    Gouache, acrylic, and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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  • SOLD

    Sandow Birk

    American Qur'an/Sura 74, 2010

    Gouache, acrylic and ink on paper

    16 x 24 inches unframed
    19 x 27 inches framed

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    Sandow Birk

    A View of the City of Mecca from Jabal al-Nour and the Cave of Hira, 2014

    Oil and acrylic on canvas

    48 x 65 inches

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    Elyse Pignolet and Sandow Birk

    American Mihrab #4, 2011

    Ceramic and mixed media

    21 x 16 x 2 inches

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  • SOLD

    Elyse Pignolet and Sandow Birk

    CCTV, 2011

    Ceramic and mixed media

    14 x 14 x 12 inches

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    Sandow Birk and Elyse Pignolet

    Medallion, 2011

    Ceramic and mixed media

    50 inches diameter x 5 inches
    Text: Turn away from the ignorant
    —Sura 7, verse 199

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Sandow Birk

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