Pigment to Pixel - An Investigation into Digital Islamic Art in the UK

This practice-based research is centred on an investigation into the use of digital technologies within the Islamic art scene in the UK. The research explores perceptions and attitudes from the public and also stakeholders (including artists, curators and scholars) closely involved in the development and dissemination of Islamic art in educational and public art spaces.  The locality of the Islamic art scene in the UK presents concerns related to not only classification and curation of Islamic art, representation, and authenticity in relation to Islamic art in the contemporary context, and the use of digital technologies for art-making. The impact of local and national media and associations with the faith of Islam were also presented as strong themes both in the literature review and the findings of this research.   Taken into consideration is my own artistic practice involving digital technologies alongside non-digital methods for developing artworks. I discuss the hybridised term 'digital Islamic art' and explore how conceptual themes are addressed through hybridised artistic practice from further artists both in the UK and abroad. Through studies consisting of a public survey, interviews, and post-exhibition questionnaires, results showed a willingness from the public to find out more about digital Islamic art, and an interest in viewing more of this in the UK. The discussions on these topics may be of interest to artists, practitioners, academics, and also those involved in policy relating to furthering cultural engagement, as these are people in positions of influence, able to provide access and create opportunities for the public to encounter further contemporary Islamic art in the UK