The Islamic Museum of Australia

A Common Word

24 April 2026 - 18 July 2026

The title of this exhibition is from Surah Al Imran in the Holy Quran:

Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a Common Word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God,

and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God. 3:64

This famous Quranic passage creates a common understanding between Islam, Judaism and Christianity - the people of the scripture - and has been the basis for interfaith dialogue between the Abrahamic faiths.

The exhibition by artist Leslie Eastman explores this message of commonality at the heart of Islam in this time of growing polarisation and conflict. A Common Word attempts to reorient ways of looking at this gesture of universality through the use of light, video and drawing.

Leslie Eastman is a visual artist and academic based in Naarm, Melbourne. His work explores themes of perception, site-specific installation, and socio-political commentary through mixed media - drawing, video, sculpture, and light-based installations. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Interior Design at RMIT.

Exhibitions

A Common Word

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