Islamic Art Conference and exhibition on Islamic arts and crafts movements
Ithra or the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture.
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), in partnership with the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture, will host the second edition of the Islamic Art Conference on November 25-30. It is aimed to be a cultural celebration and a global showcase of the heritage, living traditions and emerging trends in Islamic arts and crafts from across the Arab and Islamic worlds. The conference is titled ‘In Praise of the Artisan: A Reassessment of Contemporary Islamic Arts & Crafts Practice’, and will explore the current health and status of Islamic arts and crafts. It includes a programme of lectures, panel discussions, workshops, special exhibitions, film screenings as well as demonstrations by Islamic craftspersons.
In conjunction with the opening of the conference, Ithra will also inaugurate ‘In Praise of the Artisan’, an exhibition which examines the rich history and diverse influences of Islamic arts and crafts across the globe. The exhibition, being held in partnership with the Al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah in Kuwait, will present historical and contemporary works to highlight the ethos and evolving history embedded in Islamic artistic traditions. It includes the largest hand-carved stone screen made since the Taj Mahal in the 17th century, along with eight specially commissioned works, with a number of large installations, rare collectibles and contemporary works by master craftspeople from across the Muslim world including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India, Spain, Egypt, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Malaysia.
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“The synergies of conducting both events in parallel will provide a uniquely interactive and immersive experience designed to educate visitors about Islamic handicrafts and artisans from the Middle East and beyond … powered by partnerships with renowned institutions,” said Abdullah Al-Rashed, Director of Ithra. “This conference and exhibition support our ongoing efforts to unearth new ideas from around the world for designing mosques and encouraging innovative planning, design and technical ideas that can form a new identity for Islamic art,” said Dr. Mashary Al Naim, Secretary-General of the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture. “Islamic art no longer discusses works of art and architecture as tangible creations, but rather looks at them in the context of work, crafts, and daily practices.”
The occasion will explore new initiatives and institutions that have been established to preserve traditional craft skills through training and employment, including efforts to help artisans find new markets or adapt their work to global challenges. It will also delve into the role of relationships and care in craft production, traditional materials and methods, and look into the use of crafts to stimulate social change in developing Islamic countries. ‘In Praise of the Artisan’ will remain on display at Ithra following the completion of the conference. Ithra is considered the beating heart of Saudi Arabia’s culture and creative industry, contributing to its prosperity by enabling talent, supporting content production and encouraging cross-cultural exchange that promotes social harmony and human development.
It is Saudi Aramco’s most ambitious CSR initiative and the largest cultural contribution to the Kingdom. Through programmes, workshops, performances, events, exhibitions and multiple initiatives, Ithra strives to create experiences that bring together culture, innovation and knowledge, designed to appeal to everyone. Ithra’s components include the Idea Lab, Library, Theatre, Museum, Cinema, Great Hall, Energy Exhibit, Children’s Museum and Ithra Tower. Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture was established in 2011. It focuses on the architectural, urban and technical aspects of mosques all over the world, and it is awarded to the related designer/architect.
The main objective of the award is to encourage the development of contemporary design of mosques, through specialised and classified databases. Attention is given to architecture that combines traditional and contemporary ideas, taking into consideration ancient crafts and their expression through modern, cutting-edge technology. Focusing on the urban, architectural, and technical aspects of mosques, the award also recognises the engineering firm behind the winning project, in each of its three-year cycles. The vision is to create a global platform that contributes to advancing knowledge in contemporary mosque architecture worldwide.
The award has created an electronic platform containing information related to it. Databases have been made available to architects and researchers interested in mosque architecture. They include: Mosquepedia, the architectural database for mosques around the world, containing architectural information, plans, photos, and shapes for mosques; Asfar, the database of books, references, researches, visual and audio materials related to mosque architecture; and Manaber, a database for architects, planners, designers, researchers, and professionals working in mosque architecture globally. It contains their resumes, photos, and pictures of their work.
The winning mosques are awarded based on the assessments of international architectural jurors who are experienced with mosque architecture. The award has recently developed into a professional architectural institution that aims to develop mosque architecture and art globally. It owns initiatives such as the ‘International Conference on Mosque Architecture (ICMA)’, the ‘International Conference on Islamic Arts’ (in partnership with Ithra), and the ‘International Competition on Mosque Accessories’, besides managing online databases specialised in mosque architecture. The award is managed by an executive committee and a general secretary; the executive committee nominates jurors of each triennial cycle, and follows up on the assessment process till the awards are conferred.
