ABSTRACT

This unique collaboration between scholars, practitioners and Muslim artists profiles emerging forms of contemporary British Muslim art, prompting a debate about its purpose and its inclusion in UK society. It features analysis of Muslim art as a category, as well as reflective accounts of people working in theatre, popular music, the heritage sector and ancient and modern visual arts, often at the margins of the British arts industry.

Dealing with sociological and theological themes as well as art history and practice, the volume provides a timely intervention on a neglected topic. The collection discusses diverse topics including how second- and third-generation British Muslims, as part of a broader generational shift, have reworked Sufi music and traditional calligraphy and fused them with new musical and artistic styles, from Grime to comic book art, alongside consideration of the experiences of Muslim artists who work in the theatre, museums and the performing arts sectors.

It is a must-read for students and researchers of theology and religious studies, Islamic studies, fine art, cultural studies and ethnic and racial studies.

chapter |20 pages

Introduction

part I|27 pages

The Cultural Politics of British Muslim Artistic Production

chapter 1|10 pages

A British Muslim Arts Movement

Public Politics or Religious Devotion?

chapter 2|15 pages

Decentring the Colonial Gaze

The Framing of Islamic Art

part II|31 pages

Art in Contemporary British Muslim Culture

chapter 3|7 pages

The Nature of Islamic Art

Locating a Tradition of Fitrah in the Art and Culture of Islam, with Particular Reference to Calligraphy

chapter 4|10 pages

What is Post-tariqa Sufism?

chapter 5|12 pages

God and Grime

The Religious Literacy of British Hip-Hop 1

part III|48 pages

The Inclusion of British Muslim Art

chapter 6|10 pages

The Playground for Dangerous Ideas

Muslims and British Theatre

chapter |9 pages

Conclusion

The Future of British Muslim Arts