Artist and Art Historian: Professor Joanne Allen鈥檚 Solo Exhibition Opens
Although Professor Joanne Allen鈥檚 students know her as a Medieval and Renaissance specialist in the AU Art History Program, they may not know that she鈥檚 also an accomplished artist. Allen鈥檚 solo exhibition Infinite Geometries: Exploring the Arts of the Medieval Islamic World is on view now through March 1 in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda.
In this first exhibition of her work, Allen presents drawings, oil and watercolor paintings, intaglio and relief prints, and fabrics based on the art history of the medieval Islamic world, in particular the Great Mosque of C贸rdoba in Spain. We spoke with Allen about the exhibition, her background as an art historian, and her artistic practice. 听
A reception will be held on February 16, 5:30-7 p.m. Learn more about the exhibition and .
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What is your background as an artist and art historian? 听
JA: I鈥檝e always been interested in art. I鈥檝e produced art since I was a child and had an intellectual interest in it as well. I chose to study art history and focus on the Medieval and Renaissance eras. With my research, I do a lot of traveling, and I always bring my sketchbook with me. I鈥檝e found that it helps my aesthetic eye to sketch historical artworks and buildings. Having this practice of drawing helps me understand art and architecture.
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Where did you receive your training as an artist? 听
JA: I moved from England to the US in 2012, and since then I鈥檝e really accelerated my art. I became involved with local organizations including the Torpedo Factory and The Art League, where I took printmaking, and Scripts n鈥 Scribes, which teaches courses on Islamic art, design, and calligraphy. They sometimes partner with the Smithsonian, and I took a calligraphy class with them in conjunction with an exhibition on the Art of the Quran at the Asian Art Museum. They bring in guest instructors from around the world, including from Istanbul, Spain, and London, which has expanded my knowledge of contemporary Islamic art.
Your exhibition includes a variety of media. How do you choose which one to use for each piece?
JA: I have a vision for how a print could end up鈥攚hether it鈥檚 relief or intaglio, because those are made through different processes. Each lends itself to a different aesthetic. For relief, I cut away the non-printed areas, and leave only what is raised to make the print. Intaglio is incising right into the plate, so there鈥檚 a lot more precision to it, a lot of fine lines that are better for representing architecture. With watercolor, there鈥檚 a wide range of colors that we don鈥檛 have in printmaking. I can add minute details more easily in watercolor than in printing. The design tells me what medium it鈥檚 best suited to.
How did you decide to focus on Islamic art?
JA: Initially, I started engaging with Islamic art by going to museums and sketching their collections. I was always drawn to those intricate geometrical patterns. Despite the difficult designs, I continued to push and challenge myself. Now, I can do it freehand鈥攊t鈥檚 an intellectual and visual challenge. Alongside that, I鈥檓 really interested in the social history of Islamic art, especially in Sicily and Spain.
The Great Mosque of C贸rdoba in Spain appears frequently as a subject in the exhibition.听
JA: Yes. I鈥檇 always wanted to visit, and eventually I went by myself for a weekend and sketched the whole time. It surpassed all my wildest dreams to see that building. I teach about C贸rdoba, which has been a cathedral and a mosque at various times, in my Complex Problems class 鈥淒epicting the Divine.鈥 That was another motivation for going, to be able to really explain it to my students. Since the 9th century, it鈥檚 had six major extensions or renovations鈥 four in the Islamic era and two in the Christian era. It鈥檚 such a complex building with a complicated history.听
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How do you think about Islamic art history when you create your art? 听
JA: I see calligraphic, geometric, and biomorphic designs working in tandem with one another. Especially how geometric designs developed so differently across regions鈥攕o mathematical, so precise, so intricate. I wonder at the spiritual component of creation for people who made these designs long ago. They speak to me of the wonders of God, the interconnectedness of the universe, and the infinite. Personally, I feel a sense of calm as I produce patterns, for example, filling in each tile. That repetition has a calming effect on me. 听
All artwork images听courtesy of the artist.