About the book
Tracing the connections—both visual and philosophical—between new media art and classical Islamic art.
In both classical Islamic art and contemporary new media art, one point can unfold to reveal an entire universe. A fourteenth-century dome decorated with geometric complexity and a new media work that shapes a dome from programmed beams of light: both can inspire feelings of immersion and transcendence. In Enfoldment and Infinity, Laura Marks traces the strong similarities, visual and philosophical, between these two kinds of art. Her argument is more than metaphorical; she shows that the “Islamic” quality of modern and new media art is a latent, deeply enfolded, historical inheritance from Islamic art and thought. Marks proposes an aesthetics of unfolding and enfolding in which image, information, and the infinite interact: image is an interface to information, and information (such as computer code or the words of the Qur'an) is an interface to the infinite. After demonstrating historically how Islamic aesthetics traveled into Western art, Marks draws explicit parallels between works of classical Islamic art and new media art, describing texts that burst into image, lines that multiply to form fractal spaces, “nonorganic life” in carpets and algorithms, and other shared concepts and images. Islamic philosophy, she suggests, can offer fruitful ways of understanding contemporary art.
Editions of Enfoldment and Infinity
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780262014212
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780262537360
Read an Excerpt
Tracing the connections—both visual and philosophical—between new media art and classical Islamic art.
In both classical Islamic art and contemporary new media art, one point can unfold to reveal an entire universe. A fourteenth-century dome decorated with geometric complexity and a new media work that shapes a dome from programmed beams of light: both can inspire feelings of immersion and transcendence. In Enfoldment and Infinity, Laura Marks traces the strong similarities, visual and philosophical, between these two kinds of art. Her argument is more than metaphorical; she shows that the “Islamic” quality of modern and new media art is a latent, deeply enfolded, historical inheritance from Islamic art and thought. Marks proposes an aesthetics of unfolding and enfolding in which image, information, and the infinite interact: image is an interface to information, and information (such as computer code or the words of the Qur'an) is an interface to the infinite. After demonstrating historically how Islamic aesthetics traveled into Western art, Marks draws explicit parallels between works of classical Islamic art and new media art, describing texts that burst into image, lines that multiply to form fractal spaces, “nonorganic life” in carpets and algorithms, and other shared concepts and images. Islamic philosophy, she suggests, can offer fruitful ways of understanding contemporary art.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Enfoldment and Infinity about?
Tracing the connections—both visual and philosophical—between new media art and classical Islamic art.
In both classical Islamic art and contemporary new media art, one point can unfold to reveal an entire universe. A fourteenth-century dome decorated with geometric complexity and a new media work that shapes a dome from programmed beams of light: both can inspire feelings of immersion and transcendence. In Enfoldment and Infinity, Laura Marks traces the strong similarities, visual and philosophical, between these two kinds of art. Her argument is more than metaphorical; she shows that the “Islamic” quality of modern and new media art is a latent, deeply enfolded, historical inheritance from Islamic art and thought. Marks proposes an aesthetics of unfolding and enfolding in which image, information, and the infinite interact: image is an interface to information, and information (such as computer code or the words of the Qur'an) is an interface to the infinite. After demonstrating historically how Islamic aesthetics traveled into Western art, Marks draws explicit parallels between works of classical Islamic art and new media art, describing texts that burst into image, lines that multiply to form fractal spaces, “nonorganic life” in carpets and algorithms, and other shared concepts and images. Islamic philosophy, she suggests, can offer fruitful ways of understanding contemporary art.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Enfoldment and Infinity?
The Arts > The Arts: art forms > Non-graphic and electronic art forms > Digital, video and new media arts
Where can I read a sample of Enfoldment and Infinity?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780262014212
Is Enfoldment and Infinity part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Leonardo
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Enfoldment and Infinity?
Laura U. Marks
Who is the Publisher of the book Enfoldment and Infinity?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Enfoldment and Infinity is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780262014212) and paperback(ISBN 9780262537360)
Where can I buy Enfoldment and Infinity online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Enfoldment and Infinity from below
Where can I buy Enfoldment and Infinity?