Side by Side 2/2: Moderate Enlightenment

"Side by Side brings together two books, The True Path and Moderate Enlightenment, both rendered in the traditional Mughal style of miniature painting. The concertina format of The True Path allows the viewer to unfold the pages of a painted landscape to a full eight-metre length with the simple instructions "please join the dots from number 1 to 566". Moderate Enlightenment, the smaller of the two, is a collection of twenty paintings depicting figures dressed in traditional Islamic garb shown in habitual postures and ordinary contexts. In contrast to the stereotypical notions of Islam from a Western perspective, a natural piety, and a passive sense of devotion gives spirit to the religious subjects of Moderate Enlightenment. Side by Side is intended to be seen and experienced as a single book project" -- from Raking Leaves website.… (more)