Reimaging the Nasrid Palace and Alhambra Vases in Emerging Islamic Studio Ceramics – A Multi-method Approach

Abstract

The core period of production of ‘Islamic Art’ occurred between the seventh and eighteenth centuries, before experiencing a significant decline particularly during the Western colonial periods. Nonetheless, Islamic art continued, and continues, to be produced. Ceramic art plays a key role in Islamic art and culture. Recently, in both the Middle East and in the West, there has been renewed interest in imitating the traditional Islamic patterns, especially geometric patterns. Since Heritage can be reactivated in the present, for the future, this makes it an imperative to revisit and revive (Harrison, 2010; Harvey, 2018). As such, there is a need to revisit the cultural heritage of Islamic Art and to recuperate it through the creative practices of contemporary artists in the present. After I investigated the practices of contemporary ceramics artists influenced by Islamic culture, I found relatively few of them, thus identifying an important lacuna. This highlighted an opportunity to make a significant new contribution. Therefore, this practice-based research explores the ceramic art of emerging Islamic studio ceramic by reviving cultural heritage artefacts. My research, by investigating the predominantly secular ceramics of Alhambra Palace and recuperating them in my own Islamic Studio Ceramics practice, aims to contribute towards a hybrid contemporary Islamic Studio Ceramics and to reinforce the notion that Islamic art can be created for secular purposes. Under the Nasrid dynasty (1237-1492), Islamic Spain produced artefacts that are examples of a lavish multi-cultural artistic style. With a contemporary lens this research explores the geometric ceramic tiles and Arabic poetry inscriptions – by Ibn Al-Jayyab and other poets – at Alhambra Palace, now situated within the UNESCO world heritage site of Alhambra, Generalife, and Albayaín in Granada, Spain. It also explores the concept and aesthetic of the superb Alhambra vases and the traditional reduction lustre technique used on these vases. These elements provide the theoretical and practical basis to stimulate a debate about the definition of Islamic art. This has been achieved through producing hybrid contemporary Islamic ceramic artefacts which utilise both traditional and new technological methods based on the Nasrid ceramics from Alhambra Palace in a cultural heritage. Alhambra vases were produced between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries in Malaga under the Nasrid dynasty (1237-1492). These winged artefacts are believed to be the largest Islamic ceramic objects ever made, and the first artefacts to have such an intimate connection with the architecture. Due to the prestigious status of Alhambra vases, they were illustrated and replicated in the 19th century by European potters and designers. This demonstrates the cultural and artistic importance of these vases. Despite this, researchers in the Arab region have not studied Alhambra vases in much detail, and most studies about Islamic Granada have only focused on Alhambra Palace itself. Furthermore, in terms of practitioners in the Arab region, the current research has not hitherto identified any ceramic practices which reference Alhambra vases. Therefore, this research seeks to also examine Alhambra vases in the context of creative practice. This practice-based research thus uses a multi-method approach undertaken to allow for data collection from various sources, including field trips, a critical contextual review, reflection in action, and curatorial work. Accordingly, the creative practice of this research also takes ‘failures’ and serendipity, or so-called ‘happy accidents’, into consideration in informing these creative practices. This led to innovative findings about the use of lasers on fired ceramics, identifying a new method that can be applied by practitioners or designers and thus could influence the creative industry. Alhambra Palace, specifically, was chosen as the source of inspiration for this project due to the significance of its cultural heritage and its aesthetic excellence. Likewise, artistic ceramics have been chosen as the elected vehicle in adapting traditional concepts, patterns, and methods alongside new digital methods. This study also draws attention to a number of very significant cultural heritage artifacts that have hitherto been overlooked by researchers and practitioners from the Middle East. Consequently, this study will be of great value to practitioners, not only from the field of Islamic art, but also within the wider field of ceramics.