Artist, Sandow Birk Takes a Personal View of Islam's Holy Text

LANCASTER ONLINE
By Tom Knapp

Sandow Birk, Sura 100, 2008

PENNSYLVANIA---Sandow Birk doesn't pretend to understand the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. And his illustrations, layered beneath excerpts from the sacred text, don't claim to interpret it. "He's not actually illustrating the text — he's illustrating his reactions to it," explains Millersville University gallery coordinator Gloria Mast. "He's illustrating his own preconceived notions, in a way," she says. "It's very much a postmodern example of finding your way through something." The process began nearly a decade ago, Mast says, when Birk began his personal journey to understand the Qur'an through his art. The pieces hanging through Nov. 9 at MU's Winter Center are gouache, acrylic and ink on paper. Each is highly distinctive, although somewhat uniform in presentation. [link]

Winter Visual and Performing Arts Center: Sandow Birk's journeys with the Koran (Ends Nov. 9); Campus of Millersville University, 60 W. Cottage Ave., Millersville, PA; 872-3304; artsmu.com