On the International Day of Islamic Arts, head on over to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to enjoy this superb exhibition.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) organized an exhibition titled ‘Artistic Characteristics – Elegant Calligraphy and Inspiring Features’ as part of its celebration of the International Day of Islamic Arts, proclaimed by the UNESCO takes place every year on 18 November to preserve and revive the artistic heritage of Islamic civilization.
His Excellency Dr. Yousif Al Obaidli, Director-General of SZGMC, said: “This exhibition reflects SZGMC’s message to revive the sciences and arts of Islamic civilization, as part of the Center’s belief in arts as a common language and an effective tool for civilized cross-cultural dialogue. This comes in line with the mosque’s position as a modern model of Islamic architecture that is unique in its creative arts and architectural designs, which is evident in its corridors and halls, which has made it a leading global cultural destination on the world tourism map. The mosque embodies the vision of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in highlighting the rich Islamic architecture and arts that inspired world artists throughout the ages.”
H.E. Al Obaidli also praised the active contributions made to support the exhibition, and the role of H.E. Mohammed Al Murr, the Higher Colleges of Technology and Zayed University, in enriching the exhibition’s content and message, and highlighting the importance of historical and contemporary Islamic arts.
SZGMC is organizing the exhibition at the Visitors’ Center to provide an opportunity for visitors from different parts of the world to view its cultural content distributed across six sections dealing with different aspects of Islamic arts. These sections include ‘Scripts from History’ which showcases various kinds of Arabic calligraphy that has remained one of the most important tools of Islamic art and decoration, through a unique collection of H.E. Mohammad Al Murr. ‘Through the Pages of History’ section takes visitors on a journey to a curated collection of Al Jami’ library that comprises some of the rarest books in the world in which a number of artists from around the world discussed their experiences and knowledge about Islamic arts. ‘Inspired by Photos’ section sheds light on the features of Islamic arts manifested in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as one of the most prominent models of Islamic architecture and its arts in the modern era, through the lenses of students from the Higher Colleges of Technology, who reflected the harmonious and symmetrical Islamic architecture of the mosque, through their artistic photos.
‘The Language of the Brush’ section is about the generations’ pride in the spirit and the originality of Islamic art, through artworks drawn by the female students of Zayed University, with the hard classic lines and freehand ones expressing the feelings behind letters and words in color and meaning. ‘Spaces of Light Photos’ section highlights the harmony and symmetry in the designs and arts of the mosque’s architecture by displaying a number of distinguished images that participated in the ‘Spaces of Light’ award, which is organized periodically by the Center, as part of its belief in the influential role of imagery in conveying the message of the mosque. The sixth section ‘An Interactive Journey into the Islamic Culture’ includes interactive screens that take visitors on a cultural journey in ‘Coins of Islam: History Revealed’ exhibition, one of the most important exhibitions which was hosted and co-organized by the Center to revive the history of Islamic arts and human values that express SZGMC’s message to achieve harmony among people and find a common language for civilizational dialogue.
The SZGMC, an affiliate to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, enjoys the support and the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. It was established to represent a cultural and intellectual platform formed on the combined basis of cultural and national values. It serves as an Iconic masterpiece reflecting the concepts and values of the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, deeply rooted in the sentiment of the nation, and constitutes an extension of the doctrines of the tolerant Islamic religion, and the core values that form UAE’s national identity.
