Lecture: The Ecological Wisdom of the Islamic Gardens of Paradise with Emma Clark

Описание: This illustrated talk introduces the principal elements of the traditional Islamic garden, the chahar-bagh (4–fold garden) form associated with the Gardens of Paradise. It examines how an understanding of these elements together with their spiritual symbolism may shed light upon its inherent ecological wisdom.

The talk looks at the Qur’an’s descriptions of the Gardens of Paradise (jannat al-firdaus) as the chief source of inspiration for the traditional Islamic Garden. It examines the importance of Nature in the Qur’an and how this demonstrates a profound environmental knowledge which we may all learn from today, regardless of background, culture or creed.

This introduction aims to convey a taste of the traditional Islamic garden’s timeless and universal beauty as well as its inherent message of both inner and outer sustainability. In turn this may also encourage an understanding that the Islamic garden offers a great opportunity for ‘building bridges’ between communities today.

Lecturer biography:
Emma Clark is a garden designer specialising in Islamic gardens with an emphasis on sustainable naturalistic planting. She has recently designed the garden for the new Cambridge Mosque, UK, completed 2019. She is Senior Tutor on the Masters Programme at The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in London where she focuses on teaching the principles of sacred and traditional art. Emma has published two books on Islamic gardens: The Art of the Islamic Garden (paperback edition 2010), and a monograph, 'Underneath Which Rivers Flow', The Symbolism of the Islamic Garden, (1996) as well as many articles on Islamic art and architecture, gardens and the garden carpet. She has been a member of the Academic Board of the Temenos Academy for over fifteen years.