City News

Mohammed’s unique fusion of graffiti art with Islamic calligraphy has taken an urban art form from street walls to galleries and spiritual art into new dimensions. His art has been reported as a “bridge of understanding” between faith communities across the world, and has been featured in international media ranging from CNN and the BBC to Al Jazeera. He has showcased his work across the UK, Dubai and Denmark and is looking forward to his first visit to the USA.

The tour is supported by Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts in England. The Philips Academy, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), ICNA Relief USA Programs, Young Muslims, Islamic Center of NYU, and the Muslims Students Association of Columbia University are hosting the Arts & Islam USA Tour featuring the acclaimed “urban Islamic” artist, Mohammed Ali of AerosolArabic, who is making his first visit to the USA. The Arts and Islam team will be visiting universities, arts organisations and community bodies across Chicago, New York and Boston, with a view to engaging arts professionals, academics and the Muslim community.

In addition to the seminars, Mohammed Ali will be producing a series of commissioned spiritual murals, including a special mural in New York City commemorating the tragic death of 9 Bronx children who died in a blaze recently. including a special mural in New York City commemorating the tragic death of 9 Bronx children who died in a blaze recently. Working with young people from all faith backgrounds, Mohammed will create wall murals reflecting the universal themes of spirituality and unity that connect people of all backgrounds and cultures.  Mohammed has already produced a series of stunning murals across the UK which can be seen at the official Arts and Islam website http://www.artsandislam.com/murals.

With misunderstanding of the Islamic faith widespread, the tour provides an opportune time to explore the relationship between Islam and the arts and provide an insight into the work and mind of a leading British Muslim artist. 

“I take the best of both worlds, my passion for graffiti-art from when I was young, and from today, my new found passion of Islam”, said Mohammed Ali.

Hassan Mahamdallie and Abid Hussain from Arts Council England will be leading a series of seminars as part of the USA visit.  “The Art & Islam seminars have been positively received across England, the interest shown in the USA is a testimony to the success of the initiative,” says Abid Hussain, Diversity Officer at the Arts Council.

ICNA, a national grass roots organization of American Muslims along with it’s relief agency, ICNA Relief USA Programs and youth division, Young Muslims, is fully supporting this ambitious effort in New York City, and Chicago. “The goal of this tour is to elucidate Islamic themes and messages through a medium which can universally be understood and appreciated by all. Mohammad Ali’s work transcends artificial barriers such as ethnicity, nationality, class, and perceived religious differences which prevent us from understanding one another,” said Azeem Khan, ICNA’s Assistant Secretary General.

The Arts and Islam programme pioneered by Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts in England has successfully toured across the United Kingdom and is now taking to the International stage. Arts and Islam provide a platform for delegates from the Arts and Muslim communities to engage in the arts debate from both the perspective of traditional Islamic teachings and contemporary Muslim arts practice. 

The dates for the Arts and Islam USA programme are as follows:

Chicago:
11th-14th April

New York
15th April – 19th April

Boston/Massachusetts
20th April – 21st April

For further information visit
http://www.artsandislam.com/  and http://www.aerosolarabic.com