This morning I read an article on NY Times about the recent interest on Islam, especially after the wake up Mr Obama speech in Egypt.

The Intersection of Islam, America and Identity

Some how I’m puzzled with the the articles conclusion.

Is like reading Quran without understanding the meaning of each and every word, that’s how US media interpreted and defines the meaning of Islamic Art.

It’s just become a norm of citing it without knowing the ‘muhasabah’ of every sentence;

I remember one time, I posted how American interpreted keffiyeh as a symbol of terrorism, it’s easy to stereotype the religion by the culture of the people who practice it.

Maybe what these artists trying to do is to remove the stereotype, however they are not eliminating stereotype of Islam but more towards their South Asian culture.

The art showed in the articles, A Statue of Liberty dress in a Pakistan wedding is not the right way to said this is the Islamic value  in the eyes of Islamic painter.

I feel so wrong, is like ok – A bride and groom dress in songket is what’s practices in Islam?

To me, an artist interpret religion in their own way of practicing their religious value – some are very conventional and some are very progressive;

There is many other cultures who practice Islam such us Mongolian, Chinese even people in South East Asia – they would paint their Islamic value in their own way (maybe in shape of  a fisherman coming back from sea during sunset/Maghrib) – and it’s not about the struggle of acknowledging they are Muslim.

I think what’s the painter trying to show generally is more towards their community culture who practices Islam and not as what is Islam as religion all about.

What say you?