By Tara Kyle
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — While Florida Pastor Terry Jones debates the merits of a weekend Koran-burning, Chelsea's PPOW Gallery is unveiling a new exhibit aimed at encouraging American understanding of the Islamic holy book.
In "American Qur'an," artist Sandow Birk places seventeen suras (chapters) of the Koran alongside images of American scenes ranging from the mundane (farming, golfing, church-going and fishing) to the tragic (the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina, the plight of homeless war veterans). The graphics are accompanied by an 18th century English translation of the text.
The scenes Birk depicts sometimes bear a direct connection to the text, such as a homeless person painted next to chapters on charity and abundance, or fishermen next to the story of Jonah and the whale. Others, such as pictures of snow shoveling and the general council of the United Nations, have a more obscure connection to the Koran.
For exhibition-goers, Olsoff hopes that seeing flashes of life they can relate to side by side with Islamic scriptures will help provide "an opening or a way in."
"It's not mysterious or violent," she said. "It's a bible or stories to live by."
The Los Angeles-based artist said he was driven by a desire to conduct a "personal meditation on the text," as well as to help other Americans develop a greater familiarity with the Koran.
Drawing on the high regard placed on calligraphy in the Islamic world, Birk used what he saw as the American counterpart — graffiti arts — to inspire his choice in typography.
The suras presented in this exhibit are part of a years-long project in which Birk plans to illustrate the entire Koran, 114 chapters in total. He will also lecture on his work at the U.S. Naval College and plans to publish the project in book form, according to PPOW Gallery owner Wendy Olsoff.
"In a way, you can think of the Koran as being the most important book in the world right now," said Birk.
"American Qur'an" opens Friday night and runs through Oct. 9 at the PPOW Gallery at 511 W. 25th Street, Room 301.
