GARDENS

Harvard Art Museums

Seven delicate glass birds from Feleksan Onar's Shattered series are now featured in an intentionally curated installation, Gardens, at the prestigious Harvard Art Museums. Curated by Dr. Aysin Yoltar-Yildirim, the installation is showcased in the Art of Islamic Lands gallery (2550), where Onar’s contemporary glass sculptures are displayed alongside a magnificent 18th-century Persian carpet. This pairing creates a compelling dialogue between historical craftsmanship and contemporary artistic expression, inviting viewers to explore the interplay of tradition and innovation.

The exhibit is further enriched by a collection of South Asian paintings in the same gallery space, offering additional cultural perspectives. Together, these elements weave a narrative that highlights the diversity of artistic traditions across the Islamic world and South Asia, encouraging reflection on their shared yet distinct histories.

Onar’s work has previously been exhibited at renowned institutions, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Pergamon Museum, Dresden State Museums, Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. The inclusion of her glass birds in the installation at the Harvard Art Museums marks a new chapter in their journey, embodying themes of resilience, migration, and transformation. Crafted with precision and care, these pieces capture the delicate yet enduring qualities of glass, reflecting the power of adaptation in the face of change.

Birds, often celebrated in Islamic art and literature, hold a deep symbolic significance. Their vibrant songs, radiant colors, and graceful movements evoke the beauty and serenity of gardens. In this installation, Onar’s multicolored glass swallows reimagine this sensory experience, echoing the essence of paradise as described in Islamic tradition.

Onar’s Shattered series, inspired by the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, carries profound symbolic weight. The birds, adorned with gold-filled cracks mimicking the Japanese kintsugi technique of repairing pottery, represent resilience and transformation through adversity. As Onar explains, the gold lines symbolize both the fragility of life and the strength found in healing. These motifs emphasize "the beauty that arises from imperfections and the profound journey of transformation," resonating deeply with the installation’s themes.

In Islamic tradition, gardens hold a sacred and symbolic place, often compared to paradise. The Qur'an describes paradise as a lush garden with flowing rivers of clear water, milk, pure honey, and non-intoxicating wine, surrounded by fragrant plants and fruit-bearing trees. During the Islamic era, this vision merged with ancient Persian garden designs to form the iconic chahar bagh (four-part garden), embodying the harmony of nature and spirituality. Onar’s work, situated within this rich historical context, bridges the sensory beauty of these gardens with the resilience of her glass swallows, offering visitors a poignant reflection on renewal and transformation.

This installation invites viewers to experience Onar’s unique approach to glass art, where heritage and contemporary vision intersect. By engaging with themes of tradition and modernity, Onar’s work complements the museum’s collection, encouraging visitors to reflect on the enduring power of art to connect and transform across time.

Harvard Art Museums

32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138 

www.harvardartmuseums.org