Anarchist, Artist, Sufi: The Politics, Painting, and Esotericism of Ivan Aguli

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This book follows the life of Ivan Aguli, the artist, anarchist, and esotericist, notable as one of the earliest Western intellectuals to convert to Islam and to explore Sufism. This book explores different aspects of his life and activities, revealing each facet of Agulis complex personality in its own right. It then shows how esotericism, art, and anarchism finally found their fulfillment in Sufi Islam. The authors analyze how Agulis life and conversion show that Islam occupied a more central place in modern European intellectual history than is generally realized. His life reflects several major modern intellectual, political, and cultural trends. This book is an important contribution to understanding how he came to Islam, the values and influences that informed his life, andultimatelythe role he played in the modern Western reception of Islam.

Reviews

A magnificent book. * Bitter Winter *
Anarchist, animal rights activist, artist, and Sufi mystic, Ivan Aguli travelled the world in his quest for knowledge. Anarchist, Artist, Sufi brings the life of this remarkable visionary to light in a multifaceted study that is stimulating, insightful, and path-breaking. * Allan Antliff, Professor of Art History and Visual Studies, University of Victoria, Canada, and author of Anarchist Modernism: Art, Politics, and the First American Avant-Garde (2001). *
A biographical study of how the teachings of medieval Muslim mystics found new meaning in the artistic underground of Belle poque Paris, this fascinating volume explores the cross-cultural encounter between one societys traditions and anothers avant-garde. * Nile Green, Professor of History, University of California, Los Angeles, and author of Sufism: A Global History (2012). *

Author Bio

Mark Sedgwick is Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at Aarhus University, Denmark.