Building bridges through art

The palace at Alhambra, described by Moorish poets as “as a pearl set in emeralds,” was inspired by the description of paradise in the Qur’an. Completed over 650 years ago, the complex in Spain is one of the most-visited historic sites in the world, attracting people from all over the world and inspiring them to learn more about other civilizations, cultures and religions.

This iconic architectural masterpiece, with its perfect symmetry, beautiful calligraphy and mesmerizing gardens and fountains, has done so much to promote unity; as have museums and other art and cultural institutions over the years. They continue to encourage us to know and accept one another, offering a space for conversations to take place about our differences with no fear of judgment.

In 2014, a study was conducted in the United States to find out what effect museum tours can have (if any) on visitors and their attitudes toward other cultures. The study showed that a one-hour tour in an art museum can increase empathy, tolerance and critical thinking skills. The authors tested students who had been on the one-hour tour and others who had not, with the results showing that the former displayed more empathy about how people lived in the past and expressed greater levels of tolerance toward people with different views. 

Being a lover of the arts, and having worked in the art and culture sector for a few years, it didn’t take me long to notice how peaceful and kind the people who work in this creative world are; possibly because of their exposure to artists and cultural institutions such as museums, libraries and exhibitions that help them learn about other cultures through different forms of art. From business owners to government entities to consultants and individual artists, there was a sense of harmony and familiarity that I felt in every meeting. There was a common message that we all shared: To create and spread beauty in our communities. We all believed in the power artists, museums and cultural institutions hold to combat racism and discrimination in all its forms and spread more harmony and peace in our world. 

In a joint project with the Islamic Museum of Australia, I learned that museums can act as a platform to communicate and to clear stereotypes, to connect and to start a peaceful dialogue. I remember how inspired I was hearing Moustafa Fahour, the director of the IMA, describe how his mission to establish the museum was to help the Australian people get to know one another. In his speech, Fahour stressed the importance of having museums and cultural institutions in order to reach people who might be afraid to reach out to religious institutions and to ultimately start a dialogue with a person from a different background. The Australian people (especially the youngsters), as he suspected, were eager to connect and learn about the culture and history of their Muslim counterparts. People were excited to learn about the true message of the Muslim faith through exhibitions of art pieces, coins from Islamic empires, scientific inventions and other sectors in the IMA.

Since its establishment in 2014, the museum has received more than 30,000 visitors, most of whom are school students and 90 percent of whom are non-Muslim, proving that curiosity and an interest in others are part of our nature. 

Muslim artists and art supporters are, of course, not the only ones seeking to build bridges with their counterparts through cultural institutions and artistic creations. In October 2017, through the global peace movement MasterPeace, communities from 40 countries around the world celebrated human unity by painting a total of 100 walls in an effort to promote a sense of togetherness. Artist Siddiqa Juma was among those invited to create murals for and with the public to celebrate the rich diversity in the heart of London. Juma stated that her project “Dots for Humanity” was one of the most fulfilling and rewarding projects she had worked on. Juma appreciates and highlights the concept of diversity in every piece she creates. She says that the dots of different shapes and colors are symbolic of the diversity and beauty of humanity.

Juma has also started a project called “Make Your Mark,” inviting people from around the world to make a mark on a canvas that she takes all over the globe. It was recently hosted by Dubai and had more than 6,500 marks made by people from all walks of life. She believes that art can be a great tool in starting conversations and aspires to create new methods of global dialogue through her art. 

It is true that people instinctively fear the unknown. This is a reality that is not only applicable to physical places, different ideas and concepts, but also to people who carry stories and beliefs that we don’t know, and who we’re maybe quick to judge due to our lack of awareness. It certainly could take just a brush stroke to spark a word, a question or a conversation between people of different backgrounds. Perhaps the time has come for our societies to invest more in people and institutions that are not only preaching messages of peace, but are creating and showcasing the countless forms of beauty that could come out of our differences. After all, weren’t we created to know and therefore accept one another?

 • Arwa Hanif has been working in the culture sector in Dubai since 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) with a major in International Relations and a minor in Psychology, as well as a master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) in London, UK. She also completed the Innovative Leaders Program as part of the UAE Government Leaders Program in 2016.