Events › Asian Art Museum Talk - Facing Mecca: Reflections in Islam Art

Islam has inspired a variety of sacred art, but the scope of its influence also extends into the secular realm and to cultures across the globe. Experience the complexity and breadth of Islamic art through objects from the collection of the Asian Art Museum and learn how, after becoming the most highly regarded art form in West Asia, calligraphy spread its beauty around the world.

Join this virtual presentation to learn about Islam art and marvel at items from the Asian Art Museum’s fabulous collections.

About the Speaker

Aggie Brenneman is an educator with an interest in Asia. She holds a Masters Degree in Education from Michigan State University, and taught ancient civilizations in middle school for 25 years before becoming a supervisor for San Francisco Bay Area Teachers Training Institute.

Aggie lived in India, Nepal and Malaysia for more than a decade, where she worked for the Peace Corps, taught in the International School of Kuala Lumpur, and trained in South Indian classical dance, Bharata-natyam. Since 2011 she has been a volunteer docent at the SF Asian Art Museum, and truly enjoys sharing the art of this great institution.

The Asian Art Museum Docent Program is generously supported by the Dhanam Foundation and Society for Asian Art. This program is made possible by the Friends of Saratoga Libraries.

This is the second in a series of Asian Art Museum talks we are hosting for 2025. Future talks include:

• Tuesday, May 27, 2025 The Language of Flowers in Asian Art
• Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Japanese Aesthetics: Exploring Japan's Artistic Sensibilities
• Tuesday, October 28, 2025, Honoring the Dead: Afterlife Beliefs and Burial Rites
• Tuesday, December 9, 2025, Glorious Civilizations: An Exploration of Southeast Asia

All programs will be held online from 7 to 8 PM. Click the links above to register. Please register for each program you are interested in attending virtually. Programs will not be recorded.

Note: This virtual program will be conducted with Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent via email to all registrants before the event. Please check the spelling of your email to ensure that you receive the link. Misspelled email addresses are most often the reason why registrants do not receive a link. If you are not familiar with Zoom, please review the following documents:

Getting Started with Zoom

Zoom technical requirement

A Zoom link will be sent a day or two before the event. If you do not see it in your email's Inbox, please check your Spam and Junk folders. If you still do not see it, please email lliu@sccl.org. Thank you. 

For accessibility accommodations (ex. ASL), please fill out the online form at sccld.org/accessibility 7+days prior to the event. If you need assistance with the form, speak with a staff member at your local library, call (408) 540-3945, or email us at ask@sccl.org.