JEDDAH, 8 April 2005 — More than 100 magnificent artworks from Victoria and Albert Museum’s Islamic Art Gallery, which is named after the late Saudi businessman Abdul Latif Jameel, are now on display at Kimbell Art Museum (KAM), Fort Worth, Texas.

Kay Fortson, president of Kimbell, and Mohammed Jameel, chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel Group, jointly opened the “Palace and Mosque” exhibition.

The ceremony was attended by Timothy Potts, director of KAM, Mark Jones, director of V&A Museum in London, and Tim Stanley, senior curator, Middle Eastern collections at V&A.

Mohammed Jameel, benefactor of Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, expressed his happiness over the “Palace and Mosque” exhibition in Kimbell. “My family and I are keen on strengthening relations with other cultures of the world. We are also committed to intensifying our efforts to introduce Islam to other people by presenting such collections,” a press statement quoted him as saying.

“Palace and Mosque” will serve as testimony to the ability of the V&A’s collections to communicate the richness and depth of the Islamic cultures of the past.

The exhibition, which is to continue at Kimbell until Sept. 4, will later move to Setagaya Art Museum in Tokyo. It will stay in Japan for two months from Oct. 22 to Dec. 11 before traveling to Millennium Galleries in Sheffield, Britain for another show from Jan. 14 to April 6, 2006.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Potts said the redevelopment of the V&A’s Islamic Middle East Gallery had given them an opportunity to bring “these precious and gorgeous Islamic collections” for display in the United States.

Potts commended the collection of marvelous artworks at the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art and said the exhibition would strengthen Europe’s link with other cultures.

“The exhibition will enhance knowledge of visitors on the rich Islamic culture,” Jones said. “Palace and Mosque” was first exhibited at the National Gallery of Art in Washington from July 18, 2004 to Feb. 6, 2005.

Jameel donated more than 5,000 copies of a book on Jameel Islamic Arts Gallery to public and school libraries.