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ARTS, CULTURE AND OTHER LIFE OBSERVATIONS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015 NEW FROM ENNYMAN

The Alhambra: An Introduction for North American Readers

I recently received an email

regarding a new exhibition, titled
Symmetry's Portal, by Lisbon-born
artist Margardia Sardinha. The show
was exhibited at Centro Cultural
Jaime Lobo e Silva in Ericeira and
opening this past week at Lisbon's
Ismaili Centre, which belongs to the
Aga Khan Foundation.
A REMARKABLE TALE FROM THE LAND
The press release begins with this OF PODD
enticing description:
ABOUT ME
Symmetry 's Portal is an exhibition organized by the artist Margarida Sardinha that ENNYMAN
has, over a lengthy period of time, been extensively focused on the concepts of
Put Yourself at E's
symmetry and optical illusion. The exhibition expands geometrically a wide
View my complete profile
photographic survey of the Alhambra in Granada documented by the artist. This
photographic assemblage is used by Margarida Sardinha to deconstruct symmetry and
to generate illusory semblances. Symmetry 's Portal is a body of work of optical
FOLLOW BY EMAIL
illusions where the symmetric and random are diluted in three-dimensional works
originated from two-dimensional planes. Email address... Submit

In order to properly write about M. Sardinha's current work I found myself challenged
SIX STORIES WITH A SUPERNATURAL
by my ignorance regarding the central feature of this work, the Alhambra in Granada TWIST
on the southern plains of Spain. Since learning of the show last week I downloaded
several books about the Alhambra to my Kindle and have been surprised yet again by
another wonder of the world.

First surprise: Washington Irving, author of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van
Winkle, wrote a book about his journey to the Alhambra in the mid-nineteenth century.
Irving, who later completed a five-volume biography of George Washington, had been
appointed ambassador to Spain from 1842-45. During this time he took the opportunity
to travel through Don Quixote territories to this most unusual palace and fortress
complex which had first been established by the Moors when they conquered Spain.
Irving, being an author, wrote in great detail and an entertaining manner about the trip
to the Alhambra and the marvels he encountered there.
Unrembered Histories
The Alhambra began as an outpost
in about the 9th century, was later
submit submit
rebuilt and added onto in the 11th
century by the Moorish emir
TRANSLATE
Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the
Emirate of Granada, who built its Select Language
current palace and walls. It was Powered by Translate
converted into a royal palace in
1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.
4

But its history doesn't end there.

After the Muslims were removed Follow @ennyman3
from Spain, Christian rulers moved in to portions of the Alhambra and added some of SEARCH THIS BLOG
their own embellishments. In fact, it was here that in 1492 Christopher Columbus made Search
his presentation to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel of Spain to obtain funding for that
crazy-wild notion of going to India by a direct route West across the Atlantic.
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The structure over time fell into disrepair until a much later time it was recognized for Posts
the jewel that it was, with restorations initiated in the 19th century. Comments

This history is not, however, the focus of Symmetry's Portal. Rather, it is the
remarkable tiling patterns with which this palatial wonder has been decorated. I learned BLOG ARCHIVE

more about this feature of the Alhambra by reading John Jaworski's volume A ▼ 2015 (27)
Mathematician's Guide to the Alhambra. ▼ January (27)
Local Art Seen: DAI Member Show
For those unaware, Islam forbids representation of the human form, hence the 2015
"kaleidoscope of colorful tilings, carvings and reliefs" in Islamc architecture. According He Not Busy Being Born Is Busy
to Jaworski, the phenomenon that is featured in the Alhambra regarding these designs Dying
is that there are examples of all 17 possible tiling patterns here. The designs of the The Existential Hero/Anti-Hero Cool
Alhambra thus become a catalog of mathematical forms. Hand Luke
Ten Minutes with Scott Marshall,
17 is an interesting number. First, as a prime number, it is indivisible. Second, among Author of the Ins...
other things, it is the only known prime that is equal to the sum of digits of its cube (17 Throwback Thursday: Bob Dylan,
to the third power = 4913 and 4 + 9 + 1 + 3 = 17). Restless Pilgrim
Discussing Symmetry's Portal with
To understand what is going on in the patterns of the Alhambra it is helpful to Artist Margarida...
understand tiling, symmetry and tessellation, the latter being "the tiling of a plane using The Alhambra: An Introduction for
one or more geometric shapes, called tiles, with no overlaps and no gaps." Many of us North American R...
have a measure of familiarity with the concept through the etchings of M.C. A Zappa Quotebook, Page One
Escher, who was himself inspired by the Alhambra.* Not all tiling patterns have
This Week at the Duluth Art Institute:
symmetry, and according to those who have studied this, there can be no more than 17 The Members...
distinct ways to repeat these motifs. This standard of 17 exists only in Egyptian
Five Minutes with Digital Artist Dan
temples and the Alhambra. Hansen
Sgt. Pepper Trivia Quiz and the
How did these artisans in Egypt and of the Alhambra discover this? How did this all Winter Dance Party...
come about? As this is my first introduction to these notions, I can only say that I look
The Business of Logo Design and
forward to learning more, and aim to share more insights from M. Sardinha's Commercial Illustr...
penetrating work, which appears to be an outgrowth of concepts that she has been
The Winter Dance Party, Dylan and
developing for many years. American Pie
Local Art Seen: Ineke Grounds'
"Know oh brother ... the study of sensible geometry evokes skill in all practical arts, Bloom at the Red Mu...
while the study of intelligible geometry evokes skill in the intellectual arts because this
Call for Writers: Valentine's Day
science is one of the portals through which we move towards the knowledge of the Drabbles
essence of the soul, and this is the root of all knowledge..."
Five Minutes with Duluth Illustrator
~Rasa'il Brotherhood of Purity, translated by S.H. Nasr Ashley Marnic...
Local Art Seen: Piszczek and
TO BE CONTINUED Tornabene at Duluth's...
Stuff Goin' On 'Round Town
* Henri Matisse and David Hockney are additional 20th century artists who found
inspiration in the designs of the Alhambra Pet Sounds: A Rant
Throwback Thursday: Liz Mills
Photo Credits Local Art Seen: Piszczek, Canelake
Top Right: "Ceiling in Alhambra" by Liam987 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. and Marunowski
Lower Photo: "Vista de la Alhambra" by bernjan - Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Adee Discusses Paris and His
Bookmark to Life Wort...
Posted by ENNYMAN at 7:28 AM
A Visit with New Dehli Poet/Writer
Recommend this on Google
Adee
Labels: Alhambra, ennyman, geometry, Margarida Sardinha, symmetry, Symmetry's Portal, Painter Moira Villiard's Brilliant World
Washington Irving (Part II)...
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