Deviant Ornaments

Queer sexuality in art is nothing new. Through everything from historical manuscripts to contemporary works, the exhibition shows the abundance and complexity of queer expressions from the Islamic world.

In the exhibition you'll see a broad spectrum of works and techniques, which depict or hint at diverse sexualities in different ways: from the explicit to the coded and ornamental. Historical tiles, textiles and illustrations are displayed side by side with contemporary installations, paintings and sculptures.

What histories have we been told, and how do they shape how we interpret what we see? Can the pattern on a ceramic tile or on a carpet be seen as queer? And might there be interpretations hidden in the artworks, waiting to be discovered?

"Deviant Ornaments" spans more than a thousand years and four continents, with works by more than 30 artists, craftspeople and producers. You will find everything from golden plates from 11th-century Egypt and tiles from the 13th century, through to contemporary installations, video works, sculptures and paintings.

Some of the historical works are of unknown origin, and more is known about the context they were made in, than about the people who made them. The exhibition explores historical periods full of transformations, translations and exchanges across cultures and borders.

Four contemporary artists have produced new works for the exhibition. They have all worked with historical sources, playing with and manipulating history in different ways. In "Queer Alterations", Kasra Jalilipour changes the gender of the figures in a Persian 19th-century manuscript that depicts sexual interaction. Based on an explicit Mughal illustration from the 17th century, Rah Eleh has produced a 3D-printed, almost life-size sculpture. Sa'dia Rehman's work is an etching, with repeating architectural elements from the Taj Mahal and religious buildings, while Damien Ajavon presents a textile work based on protective symbols.

Contributing contemporary artists: Damien Ajavon, Kasra Jalilipour, Sa'dia Rehman, Rah Eleh, Kuldeep Singh, Taner Ceylan, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Shahzia Sikander, Chaza Charafeddine, Kiki Salem, Alize Zorlutuna, Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian.