ahmed kamal
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the bird ghost at the zaouia
the bird ghost at the zaouia - October 31 – November 5, 2011 “For the person whose heart has been conquered by the fire of the love of God Most High, music is important, for it makes that fire burn hotter. However, for anyone whose heart harbors love for the false, music is fatal poison for him and is forbidden to him.” (Al-Ghazzali: On Listening To Music) Between 2002 and 2011, I made many hours of recordings at various zaouia (Su? shrines), mosques and religious spaces in Morocco, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon while attending various prayers and ceremonies (dhikr, zar, lilat, adhan, salat, tilawa). At the request of the respective religious leaders, no ‘musical’ material has been used. I found birds, resonant tails, breathes, winds, noise, overheard conversations, and extraneous sounds floating in, sounds that were left behind. The tensions within Sharia about the permissibility and place of music is long, complex and ongoing. Virtue or poison? As well as engaging debates within Islam, the bird ghost at the zaouia looks outwards, asking questions about sonic orientalisation – tourism that captures the ‘ethnic’ and colonises the ear. The history of Leighton House and its association with the imperial period offers a special context in which to immerse your ears. Location: Leighton House, 12 Holland Park Road, London W14 8LZ |
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