A third installation was shown in New York City later in the year, and Birk plans to publish the entire collection as a coffee table art book.

Birk says the response to his current exhibitions has been almost overwhelming.

There has been a lot of interest in the project, and the galleries said they have received more visitors than usual.

The Koplin Del Rio Gallery has exhibited Birk’s artwork since 1990, and his art is usually well covered by the press.

However, this exhibition reached a broader national and international audience than previous shows, gallery director Eleana Del Rio said.

“One noticeable difference was the increase of a new audience in the gallery,” she said. “There were people who had never been in the gallery before, from a variety of ethnic back grounds and age groups, Middle Eastern, Asian, Latino and other European countries. There were many attendees who expressed they were of Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Hindu faiths.” 

The feedback, she said, was remarkably positive, particularly from the Muslim community. Many people “made a point to stop at the front desk to extend their gratitude to us for hosting the exhibition.”

Many visitors said they had been following the recent press coverage in The New York Times and Associated Press articles, and though they were skeptical to view the work, they were compelled to do so nevertheless. 

Upon seeing the paintings in person, they felt the artist should be commended on how thoughtful and dedicated he was to following the traditions of ancient Qur’ans, which was clearly evident to them. 

Many folks said they found nothing offensive viewing the exhibit as a Muslim, and many of them came back multiple times with friends and colleagues. It was evident to many viewers that Birk came to this project as a lay person solely searching on a personal level to learn more about the Qur’an and what it means to him as an American in this day and time.

The overwhelming feedback across the board was gratitude for an artist to take on such a comprehensive subject and to share it with a broad audience in such a positive light.

“Our non-Muslim patrons commented on how fascinating it was to be introduced to the Qur’an by this project and to see amongst the Surahs a similar cast of familiar names as reflected in other holy texts such as the Torah and the Bible,” Del Rio said.

“Birk’s American Qur’an project created a dialogue among people between the ancient holy words and contemporary American culture. This was its success,” she said.

Birk is a graduate of Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design (now Otis College of Art and Design) in Los Angeles.

All of his work emphasizes contemporary American life and social issues.

Birk has received immense recognition for his art.

Previously, Birk received an NEA International Travel Grant to Mexico City in 1995, a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1996 and a Fulbright Fellowship to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1997.

He was also awareded a Getty Fellowship for painting in 1999, followed by a City of Los Angeles (COLA) Fellowship in 2001.

 

On the Web: www.sandowbirk.com