Spanning eight centuries and as many countries, The Art of Islam presents rare objects of exceptional beauty from the Kuwait National Museum. Includes rich textiles, gem encrusted jewellery, fine carpets and ceramics. Opens to the public on 17 April. Special double exhibition deal with Magnum - Our Turning World available.
programme includes talks, documentry, screening, children'activites, live performance & much more
A priceless collection of objects made for princes, shahs and
sultans, will go on display in Auckland this month when Auckland Museum opens
The Art of Islam: Treasures from Kuwait.
Considered one of the finest collections of its kind in the world, The Art of
Islam presents rare objects of exceptional beauty, and spans a thousand years
and a geographical sweep from Spain to Iraq to India.
Begun in 1975 by members of the Kuwait royal family, the collection presents the
art rather than the religion of Islam. Objects on display include 10th century
glass and porcelain, fine carpets and ceramics, gem encrusted jewellery and
exquisite gold-leaf texts from the Koran. Perhaps the most notable object is a
brass astrolabe made in Bagdad and dated 927AD. Used for measuring planetary
movements and for determining the direction of Mecca, which all Muslims face
during prayer, the astrolabe is the earliest known example in existence.
Drawn from the Kuwait National Museum just days before Iraq invaded Kuwait
during the first Gulf War, this exhibition barely escaped capture by the Iraqi
army who removed the remainder of the collection to Bagdad on the orders of
Saddam Hussein. It has been touring the world ever since and is on loan from the
Al Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait National Museum.
The Art of Islam is on display from 17 April until 15 June 2003 and is
indemnified by the New Zealand Government.
ADMISSION:
Special double exhibition deal available:
See The Art of Islam and Magnum - Our Turning World, for the joint price of $12
adults, $9 concessions; or see The Art of Islam for $10/$7.50 and Magnum for $6.
http://www.akmuseum.org.nz
