Focus on Muslim art during JC’s International Week

Jamestown College on Monday begins a week of international activities that will bring attention to many cultures, including French and Muslim-American. Most of the events are free and open to the public. Unless specified, all evening activities will start at 7 p.m. at the college’s Level 2 in the Westminster Hall’s Nafus Student Union.

On Monday the film “Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World,” will be shown at 7 and 9 p.m. in Level 2.

Tuesday is reserved for a JC student scavenger hunt.

Wednesday will be a French focus, with information on study abroad programs, with French ISEP exchange students Romain Brassart and Lou LeGuelvouit, as well as JC French major Logan Caldwell and professor Kate Stevenson.

Thursday at 11:05 a.m., there will be an international multilingual chapel in Voorhees Chapel with guest speakers. Dance classes will be taught at 7 p.m. in Level 2 Thursday.

Friday night is the student international dance, which is opened to JC students and their guests and chaperones. Student I.D. is required.

Saturday there will be an international activity fair. This includes games, crafts and information sessions and door prices.

The Muslim focus is jointly presented in Jamestown by JC and the Arts Center downtown. It was provided for the joint venture by the National Library Association, Raugust Library and its head Librarian, professor Phyllis Bratton, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Muslim Journeys for Programming Libraries, as well as Jamestown College ISO, The Look Beyond Committee and Foreign Language Department, each of the three chaired by Stevenson.

Persian art is not as familiar in the United States as Western Europe. Libraries may have a few books but not in great numbers. A grant from the Carnegie Corporation provided the funding for the resources, and through the ALA, Bookshelf awardees were selected.

Some of the 25 books coming to Jamestown College’s Raugust Library include classics such as “The Arabian Nights,” as well as more current selections for all ages and interests. Three films “Prince Among Slaves,” “Koran by Heart” and “Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World” will also be placed on the bookshelf.

In addition, the library will receive a one-year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online, so interested parties can access that study at the library. There are also seven illustrated essays written, developed and presented by professor D. Fairchild Ruggies and produced by Twin Cities Public Television as part of the “Bridging Cultures” Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys project. The essays are available to library patrons.

JC’s Visual Arts Department will end the month of February with a Western European Medieval experience when it presents a Medieval Feast during one of its history classes. Students will show and describe their old-world heritage by modeling handmade 13th Century clothing. It is part of the college’s global perspective emphasis.

A good way to get to know anyone or any culture that’s different from our own is to meet people from those areas, learn, or at least get familiar with the language, cultural practices and art. Visiting these events at JC will do that and all in one convenient spot at Jamestown College. Parking is available behind the chapel or at Reiland Fine Arts building.

For more information email Stevenson at stevenso@jc.edu or asiva@jc.edu.

If anyone has an item for this column, please send to Sharon Cox, PO Box 1559, Jamestown, ND 58402-1559.

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