Art lovers in Wagga Wagga will have the opportunity to learn of Islamic art from Australian perspectives in a special free lecture series in November and December presented by a CSU expert.Dr Sam Bowker, lecturer in art history and visual culture in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Wagga Wagga, will deliver the five lectures over consecutive Monday evenings at the Museum of the Riverina's Historic Council Chambers.Dr Bowker said Islamic art spans over 1 300 years from Spain to Indonesia, and includes objects, architecture, textiles and calligraphy in many languages."It's the most global genre in art history, and it's complicated. I'm giving these lectures for armchair travellers who would like to appreciate some of the most beautiful things in the world."Most of the time I teach Australian, European, and Renaissance art for Charles Sturt University. But over the last few years I've been researching the art history of the Egyptian tentmakers. This led me to realise that many Australians have limited access to Islamic art, but we are curious about it. Only one Australian public gallery displays it regularly, and Charles Sturt University is now the only Australian university that offers an online subject in Islamic art and design for undergraduates."My lectures for the Museum of the Riverina are the same lectures that my students receive for the subject ART240: Introduction to Islamic Art and Design. Because this subject has considerable public interest, I'm extending an invitation to anyone who would like to attend." Dr Bowker was raised with an awareness of the complex history of the Middle East as his family worked for the Australian government in Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Jerusalem."Islamic art is an important part of that history, and we don't often see it here," Dr Bowker said. "This lecture series is a good way to understand aspects of the world that we don't often see on TV or in the newspapers - both in the past and present. I'm interested in challenging myths and expectations about this field - like the simplification that images of people are 'banned', or that you need to be a Muslim or speak Arabic if you want to study Islamic art, or that all the best artworks were made centuries ago, or that it's all religious stuff. Those claims are nonsense, and that's why I designed this subject."The series begins at 5.30pm Monday 21 November and concludes on Monday 19 December. Details can be found here: http://www.museumriverina.com.au/events/encounters-with-islamic-art