MIA Opens Two Exhibitions Showcasing Ancient Islamic Glass Artifacts

Doha, July 31 (QNA) - The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Tuesday opened its first in-house double exhibition, one featuring early Islamic glass artifacts and glassmaking techniques and another on Mosque Lamps world. Speaking to the media during the preview of the exhibitions, museum officials said the double exhibition features over 100 pieces of ancient glass from the museum's collection, most of which have not been displayed before, as well as some contributions from a number of collections belonging to Qatar Museum Authority. The exhibits will be on display up to January 7, 2013 on the fourth level of the museum, situated at the Corniche. The two exhibitions, under the patronage of the Chairperson of Qatar Museum Authority HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, are connected in their exploration of Islamic glass, but different in seeing it from new perspectives, both ancient and modern. Commenting on the importance of this double exhibition, MIA Director Aisha Al Khater said, "The Museum of Islamic Art is proud to present its first in-house exhibitions which explore an area that is of essence to the Middle East region, focus on the technique and the beauty of the artifacts. "The Islamic Glass exhibitions commence a series of in-house exhibitions curated by our own specialists and using the splendid collections of the Museum of Islamic Art." Featuring the contributions of ancient and medieval glassmaking techniques, methods and history of the production of Islamic glass, "The Intelligence of Tradition: Antiquity and Early Islamic Glass" exhibition is on view in the east gallery. Ancient and early Islamic glass pieces are displayed together to illustrate the ancient Egyptian, Hellenistic, Roman and Sasanian techniques used by Islamic glassmakers. Short films on glass blowing and decorative techniques with narration were produced for this exhibition, demonstrating methods used in the Islamic world. The film screenings will be held in the theatre attached to the gallery The second exhibition titled 'Illuminations: the Mosque Lamp as Iconographic Image' in the west gallery, showcases mosque lamps highlighting their iconographic symbolism in Islamic art. A short history about the forms and displays of lamps and a number of depictions of the traditional medieval-era lamps are displayed on one side of the gallery. On the other side, a display of European revival lamps of the late 19th century and Orientalist imagery explores the lamp as an icon of Islamic art and exoticism and highlights their perception by collectors and artists up until the present day. Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), MIA Head of Curatorial and Research Michelle Walton who put together the glass exhibits along with the MIA team, said, "We are proud of self-curating our own in-house shows and providing the design, the layout and the conservation. The entire MIA team worked hard to organise these exhibitions." "The exhibition is timely since the mosque lamps are a symbol of Islamic art and culture and people can connect to these during the holy month of Ramadan," she added. The first exhibition showcasing 'Antiquity and Early Islamic Glass' has some interesting exhibits, some dating, like the Hellenistic Mosaic Glass Bowl, back to the late 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. The second exhibition on Mosque Lamp as Iconographic Image showcases a 19th century Mamluk Revival Lamp and a couple others from the 11th and 13th centuries originating from Syria and Iran. Representing the full scope of Islamic art, the MIA collection includes manuscripts, ceramics, metal, glass, ivory, textiles, wood and precious stones. Collected from three continents, including countries across the Middle East, and reaching as far as Spain and China, the Museum s artworks date from the 7th through to the 20th century. The pieces represent the diversity of the Islamic world, and are of the highest quality. Admission to the double exhibition is free. The formal opening will be held this evening. (END)