Description
Book SynopsisOffers an understanding of how the European avant-garde was formed in dialogue with cultural difference. This book looks closely at the cities of Tunis, Sousse, Hammamet, and Kairouan to flesh out a profound confrontation between European high modernism and the wealth of Islamic lifeways and architecture.
Trade Review"The sensitive exploration of the subject, the wide range of sources consulted, the fieldwork carried out, and Benjamin's captivating and accessible writing make this book essential reading for anyone who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of the art inspired by these two journeys and of the experiences and cultural encounters provided for the artists concerned." -- MAURICE RUMMENS Burlington Magazine
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Introduction: Revisiting Kairouan Part 1: Kandinsky and Munter in Tunisia 1. "Ella" and "Wassi": The Lovers as Tourists 2. Kandinsky and the Ethno-Decorative: Working Negroes 3. Hotel Saint Georges and the Terrain Vague 4. Tunisian Decorative Art and the Belvedere Park 5. Modern Carthage 6. Carnivals and Fantasias 7. Open Space: Mosques and Marabouts 8. Compressed Space: Alleys and Arches 9. Arab City: Views of Sousse and Kairouan 10. Memories of the Maghreb and Arab Cemetery, 1909 Part 2: Klee, Macke, and Moilliet in Tunisia 11. Munich--Tunis: A Bildungsreise 12. Pictures of Tunis, April 1914 13. The "European Colony" of St. Germain 14. A Crystalline Hammamet 15. The Holy City of Kairouan 16. S idi Sahabi and L'art populaire 17. The Walls of Kairouan 18. Mosque of the Sabers 19. North African Resonances, 1914--1924 20. Conclusion: Navigating Colonial Cultures Notes Select Bibliography List of Illustrations Index
