Best of 2013 Islamic Collections in 2013

The Ethnology Collection

The exhibition 'Gizdava nit' (The Posh Thread) opened at the Bosniak Institute in Sarajevo on December 19, 2013. The exhibition displays the Ethnology Collection of the Bosniak Institute - Adil Zulfikarpasic Foundation and will run through January 2014.

Detail from one of the dresses showing a belt with pafta (the decorative belt clip). The Ethnology Collection / © Photo: Islamic Arts Magazine

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Skill of the Hand Delight of the Eye

Curated by Hülya Bilgi and İdil Zanbak, the ’Skill of the Hand Delight of the Eye' exhibition, accompanied by a lavishly illustrated exhibition catalogue, includes 167 textiles of different types worked in a wide range of needlework techniques that illustrate the richness and diversity of the embroideries that were such an essential part of Ottoman life.

Coffee serving cloth, Ottoman, 19th century, Diam. 93 cm / Courtesy of Sadberk Hanım Museum

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Ferozkoh: Tradition and Continuity in Afghan Art

The striking exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha, Qatar and students and teachers from the Turquoise Mountain Institute for Afghan Arts and Architecture, in Kabul. The exhibition will be on display at Leighton House Museum until 23 February 2014 as part of both Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture and the Nour Festival of Arts.

Ferozkoh: Tradition and Continuity in Afghan Art at Leighton House Museum, installation view / © Courtesy Museum of Islamic Art

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Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World

Featuring 150 objects from public and private collections in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the United States, 'Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World' explores the use and meaning of light in Islamic art and science, and demonstrates how light is a unifying motif in Islamic civilizations worldwide. The exhibition, organized and developed by Islamic art and culture expert Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir, includes a significant number of objects that have never before been presented to the public, from artworks to rare manuscripts and scientific objects.

Two pages from a Qur'an manuscript, gold in Kufi script on blue parchament, Raqqada Museum of Islamic Arts, Tunisia / Courtesy of The Focus-Abengoa Foundation

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Flora Islamica – Plant Motifs In The Art Of Islam

Flora Islamica – Plant Motifs in the Art of Islam presented 66 pieces from the museum’s Islamic Collection and one Persian work of art each from Rosenborg Castle and Designmuseum Danmark. The exhibition was organized as follows: The Heavenly and the Earthly Garden, Inspiration from Antiquity, Inspiration from China, Abstraction, The Arabesque, Fantasy, Naturalism, Plants as a Symbol, Flowers of the Gunpowder Empires.

Dish of bidri metal with inlaid brass flowers India, Deccan, 2nd half of 17th century / Courtesy of The David Collection, Copenhagen

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A Taste of the Orient

The exhibition 'A Taste of the Orient' presented rarely seen works from the 17th century onwards and allowed us to understand the contribution of scholars and collectors of Provence.

Inscribed tile from Natanz, Iran, 14th century / Aix-en-Provence, musée Granet, inv. 942.1.65 / Courtesy of Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence

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Longing for Mecca - The Pilgrim’s Journey

A unique exhibition featuring Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, opened at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden (Netherlands). Magnificent objects, personal stories and in-depth reports present a comprehensive picture of this impressive pilgrimage, in which millions of people from all over the world take part each year. The exhibition is a result of collaboration with the British Museum in London. The exhibition will run until March 9, 2014.

Magnetism by Ahmed-Mater / Courtesy of Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde

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