Contemporary Islamic artists repurpose the artform for personal expression

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
"God is Alive, He Shall Not Die (blue)" by Nasser Al Salem, Saudi Arabia (2012). Neon in infinity box, 47 1/4 x 47 1/4 in.
CALIFORNIA---The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents "Islamic Art Now: Contemporary Art of the Middle East." The exhibition features 25 works—including photography, sculpture, video, and installation—by 20 artists from Iran and the Arab world, including Lalla Essaydi, Hassan Hajjaj, Shirin Neshat, and Nasser Al Salem (above), among others. The works  demonstrate the virtuosity and creativity of artists from the Middle East and diaspora communities. The artists in this exhibition are not reinventing Islamic art but rather repurposing it as a form of personal expression," said Linda Komaroff, Curator of Islamic Art.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art: "Islamic Art Now: Contemporary Art of the Middle East," (ongoing); 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles CA; (323) 857-6000; lacma.org