RIYADH, 5 August 2004 — An Islamic art exhibition designed to promote better understanding between the East and the West has opened at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, as part of the first leg of its international tour that will also take it to Japan and England over a 22-month period.
According to information released by the Abdul Lateef Jameel Group, another objective of the exhibition that features more than 100 works of art from all over the world is also to honor the memory of Abdul Lateef Jameel, founder of the ALJ Group, and his wife Nafisa.
The exhibition made its debut at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it will run for seven months till Feb. 6, 2005. The exhibition at the National Gallery of Art was made possible by the initiative of the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the US Prince Bandar ibn Sultan.
In his message, Prince Bandar said: “Now, more than ever, we need to work to build bridges of understanding between our societies and cultures. This important collection of Islamic art provides a historical perspective and cultural context for one of the world’s greatest religions. I am pleased to sponsor this exhibition at the National Gallery of Art.”
According to Mohammed Jameel, president of the Abdul Latif Jameel Group, the exhibition of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s great Islamic treasures will be on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington before returning to the new Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art at the V&A. “Our family has a keen interest in world cultures and in promoting understanding among them, and a commitment to increasing the understanding of the Islamic world. It gives us great pleasure to be able to help these two great museums mount this exhibition.”
Organized by V&A, London, in association with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, the exhibition will also travel to the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas (April 3-Sept. 4, 2005); the Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (Oct. 22-Dec. 11, 2005); and the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield, England (Jan. 14-April 16, 2006). The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art, stated: “This exhibition of outstanding examples of Islamic art is part of the Gallery’s long history of presenting art from other nations and non-Western cultures. We are grateful to Ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar ibn Sultan and Mohammed Jameel, president of the Abdul Latif Jameel Group, for their generous support, and to the V&A for their collaboration in bringing these outstanding works of art from a broad and complex culture to new audiences.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by Mark Jones, director of the V&A, who said the exhibition provides “ a wonderful opportunity to share our superb Islamic collection and increase awareness of Islam’s rich cultural heritage.”
Islamic Art from the Victoria and Albert Museum includes examples of the full range of the decorative arts-ceramics, textiles, carpets, metalwork, glass, woodwork, and more. The exhibition treats the Islamic art of the Middle East as the product of a culture in which not everyone was Muslim but in which Islam played a dominant role.
The show highlights a wide range of items — from Islamic calligraphy (10th to the 18th century) and decorative objects, including ceramic works of art created for the Ottoman rulers to ivory caskets and Persian bowls.
Among the other items on display are works created for religious establishments, including the dramatic heart of the exhibition, the 20-foot-high pulpit (minbar) of Sultan Qa’itbay made for a mosque in Cairo in the 15th century. The section also includes works produced by Islamic artists for Christian churches, reflecting the religious tolerance that has characterized Islamic culture from its beginnings in the 7th century.
