Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition explores the wealthy southern provinces of the Byzantine Empire from Syria to Egypt and across North Africa as part of the empire and then as part of the emerging Islamic world. This blog joins the works in the exhibition galleries and the catalogue in seeking to understand this era of transition across a region that contains many of the lands of the "Arab Spring."
The many outstanding young scholars who have worked on Byzantium and Islam are writing this blog. They are exploring themes relevant to the exhibition that are of special interest to them. Their blog entries will offer information on topics they believe may interest those of you seeking to learn more about the diverse cultures of Byzantium's southern provinces and its transition into being part of the Islamic world. During the next months the authors will also offer book reviews and interviews with Museum staff on their varied roles in making this exhibition, and others at the Metropolitan Museum, possible.
Annie Labatt, Chester Dale Postdoctoral Fellow at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Elizabeth (Betsy) Williams, Jane and Morgan Whitney Fellow, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, are leading the organization of the blog. Other contributors to the blog include, in alphabetical order: Iman Abdulfattah, the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University; Alzahraa Ahmed, exhibition intern from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University; Elene Chkuaseli, exhibition intern from the Republic of Georgia; Stephanie Georgiadis, exhibition intern from Boston University; Yitzchak Schwartz, exhibition intern from Yeshiva University and Bard Graduate Center; Evan Freeman, St. Vladimir's Seminary. Other names will join this list over the next months as new topics emerge. We look forward to your responses, opinions, and questions.
Helen C. Evans
Mary and Michael Jaharis Curator for Byzantine Art
Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters
The Metropolitan Museum of Art