Genie Bottle - Arabic Culture
Cultural Significance
Country of Origin
- Many Muslims would likely view the term “mythological” as a pejorative statement because traditionally they take the belief that Jinn are real beings
- In Islam-associated mythology, the Jinn were said to be controllable by magically binding them to objects, as Solomon most famously did; the Spirit of the Lamp in the story of Aladdin was such a Jinni, bound to an oil lamp.
Design Qualities
- Myth of Genies originated in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology
- Term genie comes from the Arabic word 'jinni'
- This is an evil spirit that can be an animal or person
- Said to have magical powers
- The Jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made of smokeless fire by God
- In the Qur’an, the Jinn are frequently mentioned
- Muhammad was said to have been sent as a prophet to “men and Jinn”
Original design included no handle, pointed top, and paint design from Arabic 'rugs'
Color Scheme
- Loosely based off of 'I Dream of Jeannie'
- Also worked more with the acrylics made available
- Researched to find a 'simpler' design--due to lack of time, resources, and texture of paper mache
What I would Change
SHAPE & FORM
- Taken time to add gesso to make it smoother, and allow me the ability to make a more complex design
Maintained original concept -- it was interesting to watch the shape form and evolve as I added armatures and additional pieces to the body of the work
"A Brief History of Jinn or Genies." Circa71. The Twenty Eleven Theme, 25 Aug. 2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <https://circa71.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/a-brief-history-of-jinn-or-genies/>.