Exhibitions
Index / Activities / Exhibitions / The still or “saadah,” Arab alchemy
The still or “saadah,” Arab alchemy
From April 24, 2019 until December 15, 2019Mondays through Fridays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. Closed on weekends and holidays.
CORDOBA
Closed on Sundays, Saturdays, and from 1 to august 31
Casa Árabe Exhibition Hall (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9).
Mondays through Fridays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. Closed on weekends and holidays.
Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
In Spanish and French.
Casa Árabe’s headquarters in Cordoba is hosting this exhibition from
April 24 through December 15. It has been organized within the framework
of the first International Symposium on Hermetic Philosophy.
Using panels that contain illustrations and explicative texts, the exhibition provides a review of the foundations of traditional alchemy, its roots and its history, with the following sections:Arab alchemy as a treasure of poetry; The different schools of thought in Arab alchemy; Introduction to a few Arab alchemists (Gerber, Al-Razi, Al-Mayriti, etc.); From operative alchemy to pure mystical alchemy; Matter and the arts of fire; Ibn Arabi, and The alchemy of happiness.
With a presence in most great Western and Eastern cultures, alchemy is not just a word with reminiscent of magic used to refer to heteroclitic practices, it is also a discipline which enjoys true theoretical unity. An “esoteric” world view, related more or less closely with the dominant religion, the practice of alchemy assumes the existence of staged founding gestures (theatrum chemicus) using enigmatic symbols which, upon being deciphered, have given rise to various forms of speculation. What role was played by Arab alchemy, however? Were Arab and Muslim thinkers mere transmitters passing on knowledge between the ancient world and medieval Christendom, or did they also add innovations?
Casa Árabe and the publication Liber Mirabilis have organized this exhibition to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the journal’s publication, within the framework of the International Symposium on Hermetic Philosophy, which includes four conferences to be held on the dates of April 24, October 17, November 14 and December 12, 2019.
The exhibition has been given the sponsorship of Casa Árabe, with the cooperation of editor Jean-Marc Savary, Al-Iksir – Museum of Alchemy, and Jean-François Blondel, Myriam Philibert, Sophie Quentel and José María Sabalete.
With a presence in most great Western and Eastern cultures, alchemy is not just a word with reminiscent of magic used to refer to heteroclitic practices, it is also a discipline which enjoys true theoretical unity. An “esoteric” world view, related more or less closely with the dominant religion, the practice of alchemy assumes the existence of staged founding gestures (theatrum chemicus) using enigmatic symbols which, upon being deciphered, have given rise to various forms of speculation. What role was played by Arab alchemy, however? Were Arab and Muslim thinkers mere transmitters passing on knowledge between the ancient world and medieval Christendom, or did they also add innovations?
Casa Árabe and the publication Liber Mirabilis have organized this exhibition to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the journal’s publication, within the framework of the International Symposium on Hermetic Philosophy, which includes four conferences to be held on the dates of April 24, October 17, November 14 and December 12, 2019.
The exhibition has been given the sponsorship of Casa Árabe, with the cooperation of editor Jean-Marc Savary, Al-Iksir – Museum of Alchemy, and Jean-François Blondel, Myriam Philibert, Sophie Quentel and José María Sabalete.
Reading Ibn Arabi @ Azoth Temple of Universal Illuminism, Portland