Celebrating Islamic arts

On September 18, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities launched a campaign at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris to lobby for an International Day of Islamic Arts. This initiative comes along with many events and projects that fall under the umbrella of celebrating Muharraq as Capital of Islamic Culture. Announcing a day to be recognised and celebrated on an international platform highlights the wealth and legacy of our culture, and art as Islamic nations holds an extremely important message of a civilisation and a unity of nations that have added to the wealth and global arts scene throughout the history.

It is equally important to highlight the beauty, abundance and exquisite level of craftsmanship in objects found in Islamic arts since these objects have mapped our history from Cordoba to Samarkand. It’s an opportunity to highlight to the beauty, and recognise the connections and cultural exchanges that have influenced the arts that come from a long and rich historical reference.

It’s a way to revisit collections that have a place in almost every international and regional museum. I recently visited Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in the heart of Lisbon. While walking through its galleries, I came across an incredible collection of Islamic art objects. Here I was, at the heart of an institution that places treasures from our part of the world to be displayed, and shared with its audiences.

There was a huge sense of pride that comes with this experience. If the next assembly meeting in October announces the acceptance of the International Day of Islamic Arts, it will be an impressive worldwide recognition. Museums with Islamic art collections around the globe will work on interesting programmes to highlight this wealth, and to allow their collections to be revised, and new stories to be told on this subject.

During the reception event at the UNESCO to lobby for this initiative, we highlighted Islamic art objects from the Bahrain National Museum collection. A Bahraini lady calligrapher welcomed guests dressed in traditional Bahraini costume, and drew their names in classical Arabic calligraphy, as a gesture of thanks for attending and supporting this event.

A beautifully written book, by a historic scholar from Egypt, Mohammed Abdulaziz Marzouq on Islamic art, was reprinted and translated to English and French; the book was distributed during the event. The book highlighted a historical overview and definition of Islamic arts. Islamic arts play a role in connecting various influences, through exchange of cultures, skills and creative processes comes the notion of what unites us is more that what divides us. Here is a clear message of both tolerance and diversity.

Art influenced creative minds and skills in craftsmanship to travel through the history brings more expertise to many forms of arts and crafts - from jewellery, textiles, ceramics, calligraphy and manuscripts, to architecture and design. We are living in times of harsh realities, wars and conflict, and overgrowing refugee crisis that have become a usual spot in our media and news bulletins. Linking our past heritage to the present times will help us gain a better perspective on the significance of our legacy before we celebrate it.