Islam and Water

Water plays a central role in Islamic religious practice, and in the lifeworlds the Islamic world, from late antiquity to the present. This course examines water in relation to the artistic production of the Islamic world, encompassing architecture, portable objects, and paintings (mostly in books). Indoor and outdoor fountains in residence and mosques, bathhouses, basins and channels in gardens, and cisterns to store water are only some examples of water architecture. Objects used for transportation, storage, and consumption of water were highly adorned, and designed for complex tasks such as water filtering. Paintings depict scenes of bathing, and seafarers braving the ocean, while portolan charts help navigation. Contemporary architects and artists in the Islamic world and Muslim diaspora communities react to challenges raised by climate change in buildings and artworks. This course will delve on historical and contemporary approaches to water, and introduce students to eco-critical art history.