making friends in south korea -...

In This Issuel Cultural Season 14

l DAI Goes Travelling: Uzbekistan and Syria

l Annual Dinner 2007

Bareed ad-Dar, Newsletter of the Friends of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Year 10, Issue 3. 2008

RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEEDFriends of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah

National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters

P.O. Box 23996, Safat, 13100, KUWAIT

T: +965 563 6528

F: +965 565 3006

E: [email protected]

No doubt Father Amir Sheikh Saad’s death in May 2008 left us sad and a little lost. However what we need to remember isn’t death, but the strength and compassion of his spirit. Sheikh Saad truly shared his life with the people of Kuwait – as a friend in the good times, a rallying point and leader in the bad, and a hero in the liberation of Kuwait. For that, and for knowing him, we are grateful and he is missed.

Bareed ad-Dar is the quarterly newsletter of The Friends of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI).Gulf Museum Consultancy Company WLL (GMCC) is the commercial entity authorized to exploit & promote the commercial and other rights relating to the al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar [email protected]© 2008 GMCC, Kuwait

LNS 10R

Sheikha Hussah and her sister, founder of Beit Lothan Sheikha Amal, joined the Kuwaiti delegation attending the first Korea-Arab Society conference. The Kuwait delegation, led by Ambassador Mohammed Saud al-Bader, director-general of the Asia Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, arrived in Seoul, Korea on 25 May 2008 to participate in the conference and the celebration of the society’s creation under the patronage of Korea’s president Lee Myung-bak.

In total, more than 200 delegates from 22 Arab countries - drawn from government, business, academic, religious and cultural organisations, joined equally impressive representatives from South Korea to establish a non-profit foundation to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Korea and the Arab world.

On behalf of the President, South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo gave the conference’s inaugural address, which

was also attended by the Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and Ma Young-sam, the director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau. In his speech, the Prime Minister noted that the establishment of KAS will help foster both economic and cultural cooperation between South Korea and the Arab states.

After the opening ceremony, the group divided into two working sessions. The first,

to be known as the Korea-Arab Business Forum, discussed “how to facilitate the overall economic cooperation between the two sides, particularly in the field of energy, construction and information technology. The second, known as the Korea-Arab Cultural Forum, focused on promoting mutual understanding and expanding cultural exchanges between Korea and the Arab nations.

In her presentation, Sheikha Hussah placed South Korea and the conference in a pivotal and historic position. “This Korea-Arab Society, I believe, is going to resurrect the old Silk Road, which was a route that facilitated exchanges of a lot of ideas, trade and cultures between the East and West. So, through this conference, Korea is taking the lead role in giving life to the old silk route

. . . [extending] its hand to encourage people to get together to promote business as well as understanding and empathy . . .”

While in Seoul, Sheikha Hussah took the opportunity to visit several museums, including the Leeum Museum and The National Museum of Korea. The beautiful Leeum Museum, which exhibits in three adjacent buildings each designed by a noted architect, specifically Mario Botta, Rem KoolHaas, and Jean Nouvel. The contents

Young Chingu (Korean word for “friends”)

Part of the Kuwaiti delegation in Seoul: Ambassador Mohamad al-Awadhi, head of delegation, Ambassador Mo-hammed Saud al-Bader, Sheikha Hussah, NCCAL Secretary-General Bader al-Rifa’i, First Secretary Dr. Rashed al-Adwani

With Choe kwang-shik, director-general of The National Museum of Korea, and an associate

Making Friends in South Korea

of the museum as well as the presentation format are superb in variety and quality.

At The National Museum of Korea, Sheikha Hussah met with her counterpart, museum director-general Choe Kwang-shik. Their conversation paralleled the conference nicely, as the importance of cultural

institutions and programmes as educational tools for local populations and international audiences were discussed.

“I was impressed with director-general Choe Kwang-shik and his team. The National Museum of Korea presents stunning collections in a beautiful facility, cared for by individuals truly committed to sharing their time, space and energy with others. I am looking forward to working with him on future projects”, said Sheikha Hussah.

At the end of the trip, Sheika Hussah and Sheikha Amal were invited to the Blue House, the residence of the President. They were graciously received by South Korea’s First Lady Kim Yoon-ok and enjoyed discussing similarities and differences in cultural development in Kuwait and South Korea.

Reflecting on her experience in South Korea, Sheikha was happy to agree with the voices of other delegations. “This trip was something special,” she said. “I am confident that the fruits of this meeting will multiply as relationships grow.”

2 Bareed ad-Dar

The Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI) recently celebrated its 13th Cultural Season and 25th anniversary with a dinner held on the grounds at the historic American Mission Hospital (AMH). More than 250 people, including a host of Ambassadors, community leaders, and Friends of the DAI, attended the annual event.

Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah, director general of the DAI, used the occasion to thank all those supporting the activities of the organization: the Friends, benefactors, donors, patrons and sponsors. In a brief speech, she noted that this year’s event was even more significant than usual.

“As special as this occasion always is, it is even more special this year. In addition to celebrating our 13th cultural season, we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah”, noted Sheikha Hussah. “We’ve come so far in 25 years - overcoming obstacles most cultural organization never face. Again, I have to thank you because your support made all the difference.”

Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah Celebrates 13th Cultural Season

Sheikha Hussah Sabah Salem al-Sabah speaking at the DAI Annual Dinner

She also commented on the special nature of the location of this year’s event, saying: “As most of you know, we are on the grounds of the historic American Mission Hospital. While initially established in the early 1900s as a religious and medical facility, it quickly became part of the country’s social fabric. It is not hard to imagine groups of Kuwaitis and Americans sitting in this courtyard – not discussing religion, that effort didn’t get far, but sharing histories, simple stories and grand ideas.”

“I believe we’ve come full circle. Those of us here tonight, like those sitting here fifty, sixty, seventy years ago, share an enthusiasm for learning about cultures beyond our own and nurturing friendships with people we would otherwise never have met.”

Sheikha Hussah concluded by introducing Mona Williams, a teacher at the American International School. Ms. Williams has been an active member of the Friends of the DAI for more than six years and was invited to the podium to share her thoughts on the role of the DAI in Kuwait.

Ms. Williams spoke for approximately 10 minutes, thanking Sheikha Hussah and describing with enthusiasm how the DAI had helped her adapt to Kuwait by offering both the opportunity for meeting individuals who shared her passion for the arts and the chance to learn more about the culture and traditions of her new environment.

“My participation in the DAI lecture series and other activities gave me the tools I need to expand my scientific and artistic knowledge of art and culture in the Islamic world,” said Ms. Williams. “In many ways, the DAI allowed me to build a relationship with the region that is academic, cultural and even spiritual.”

13th Cultural Season ended on 26 May. The 14th Cultural Season will start in mid-October, immediately after Eid al-Fitr. An overview of the season, with Dr. Géza Fehérvári giving the first lecture, can be found on pages 6 and 7.

The DAI team gets ready for the big night

Sheikha Hussah welcomes visitors from South Africa and Turkey: Inge Müseler, Marlene Mann, Annette Morgan (Friend of the DAI), and Petra Gönenç

The historic American Hospital buildings make a lovely background for the annual dinner

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Below: Friends of the DAI enjoy the Annual Dinner

Sibella Laing, Ahmed Bishara, Farida al-Habib, and British Ambassador Stuart Laing

US Ambassador Deborah K. Jones, DAI’s Abdulrahman al-Ajmi and Sheikha Hussah

French Ambassador Jean-René Gehan, wife Sophie with Sheikha Hussah

Saraj al-Bakir

Sheikha Hussah, DAI curator Sue Kaoukji, DAI exhibition officer Fahad al-Najadah, lecturer Agnes Stillfried, Aruna Sultan, and Austrian Ambassador George Stillfried share a laugh

Sheikha Iman and Sheikha HussahThe evening’s speaker Mona Williams

Madeline al-Hajjan knows it’s always good to have quality reading material on hand

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Spain, Korea, GCC, Syria, Holland and, of course, here at home, the broadcast and print media are full of information about the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah. DAI’s media coverage has been truly international over recent months. Here’s just a small taste of that coverage.

DAI in the Media

canvasguide 53

DAR AL-ATHAR AL-ISLAMIYYAH CELEBRATES THE 13TH CULTURAL SEASON

CELEBRATING 13 FABULOUS SEASONS OF CULTURE.

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Ahlayn means “twice welcome” and is the traditional Syrian greeting. A group of Friends of the DAI became familiar with the greeting and the sentiment during a short trip to Damascus. From 14 – 17 May, Khayria A. Hussain, the Friends favourite travel organiser, led a group of 26 to Damascus to participate in that city’s reign as “Arab Capital of Culture”. Our friend Sulayman al-Bassam was invited to present his staging of Richard III: An Arab Tragedy as part of the cultural season and we were there to show our support.

While the trip was instigated by the play, the chance to explore Damascus proved equally compelling, so a day of guided tours was added to the itinerary. With a lot to see in just one day, we started early.

Our first stop was the National Museum of Damascus, an oasis in a bustling city. The museum presents a stunning collection of archaeological and historic finds. We had to consider the visit an introduction, as it would take hours to fully appreciate the contents. A short walk down the road is the Al-Tekiyeh Al-Sulaymaniyeh Mosque Complex, which was designed by Sinan and completed in the mid-16th century. The Selimiye Madrasa is still functioning as a Qu’ranic school, but the rest of the complex is used by local craftsmen. Al Azem Palace, built in 1749, was our next stop and a beautiful reminder of life in Damascus more than 250 years ago.

Overwhelmed by all that we’d seen in a few hours, we were looking forward to lunch and a break from “culture”. However, that was not to be. We had lunch in the AlKahwaly Kahwaly Restaurant, which is located in one of the old houses on the fringe of the souks. After taking in the architectural highlights, we “took in” a delicious traditional

“Ahlayn”

Sherry Murphy, Katherine Baker and Annette Morgan in Damascus for Arab Capital of Culture 2008

lunch. For tea, coffee, and sweets, we stopped at Sheikha Hussah’s house just a few blocks away.

Rested, fed, and watered, we headed to the Umayyad Mosque – the highlight in a day full of spectacular experiences. One of the guide books describes the mosque as “a place of magnificent beauty” and we couldn’t come up with a better description. Rich with history dating back to the days of paganism, the mosque grew and changed with the country, reaching the pinnacle of grandeur with the completion of the final minaret, the Minaret of Qat Bey in the 15th century.

Having scurried in and out of the various market areas en route to our historic destinations, we were ready for some quality time in the souks. Souk al Hamidiyeh is the most important bazaar street of the old city and “has been rebuilt several times, most recently in the 19th century.” Souk al Harir, located between the mosque and Souk al Hamidiyeh was added in the 15th century. Souk Midhat Pasha, parallel to al Hamidiyaf was added in 1878 and Souk al Bzouriyeh, which connects Souk Midhat Pasha to the Azem Palace, includes one of the few remaining 12th century baths in the city.

Too immense to investigate fully after a long day of sightseeing, most of us opted to dedicate our free day to fully exploring the souks. Others were more ambitious, with some venturing to Palmyra, an “oasis is the Syrian desert” and some stayed a bit closer to home, heading into Ma’aloula and other areas a short distrance from central Damascus.

The entry to the National Museum features fragments of the twin-towered gateway of Qasr al Heir

Part of the group at the Damascus Opera House after a performance of Richard III: An Arab Tragedy

Al-Tekiyeh Al-Sulaymaniyeh Mosque, designed by Sinan, is now a handicraft centre

The Haramlek courtyard at Al-A’zm Palace

While waiting for the plane the next morning, we shared our impressions of Damascus and stories of our free day adventures. Regardless of whether the destination was the temples of Palmyra, the Ma’aloula monastery, or the Bakdash ice cream palace in al-Hamidiyeh, we all agreed that we’d been “twice welcomed” in Syria.

. . . to the Bakdash ice cream parlor – a very popular destination for locals and visitors

Sophie Gehan, Khayria Hussain, and Birgit al-Mutawa enjoy a relaxing moment in the courtyard of Sheikha Hussah’s Damascus house

Also known as the Old Bazaar, in Souk El-Hamidiyeh you could find everything from musical instruments . . .

A view of an Umayyad Mosque minaret from one end of the Souk Al Harir.

Inside the walls of the Umayyad Mosque

A small group used their “off day” to go visit Palmyra.

Regourd’s lecture will focus on the importance of copying manuscripts in the transmission of knowledge, particularly in the ribats of Zabid (Yemen).

Coins, says Professor Jere Bacharach, are a valuable tool for reconstructing Islamic history – a premise he’ll explain during his lecture. Dr. Werner Daum will also touch on coins, but in the context of trade, with a lecture on the Crusades from the perspective of the Arabian Peninsula and the impact the actions had on trade in the region. Armour in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum is the subject of Dr. Agnes Stillfried’s lecture, which will feature armour worn not for battle but for show. Dr. Julia Bailey will share with us the development and movement of unique Kufesque borders on carpets from 14th century Iran to their appearance on later carpets from Anatolia and the Caucasus.

In a carpet; in a garden, the occasional touch of unexpected colour is always welcome. The same is true for a cultural season and this season have we got colour. The embassies of Japan and Korea have created programmes presenting the traditional costumes of their countries. Beautiful and elegant and brilliantly colourful, the kimono and hanbok shows promise to be spectacular.

The sound of music will ring throughout the season. The prize winning Ardeo Quartet will launch the musical programme with melodic string quartets by Haydn, Janácek and Beethoven. The Bulgarian Music Group combine piano, clarinet and vocals to present music that crosses boundaries between musical genres and generations. Traffic Quintet promises a musical journey that will take us beyond labels and between periods and genres. Concilium Musicum Wien, on the other hand, will take us back in time – performing classic works with the instruments and in the style of their original performances. AD Trio Prague will conclude their “ghostly” performance with a piece by Antonin Dvorák, who also contributed his initials to the trio’s name.

In previous presentations, Dr. Lisa Urkevich had the audience actively appreciating a specific aspect of the music of Kuwait. Her subject this year, local

Bareed ad-Dar 76 Bareed ad-Dar

It is impossible to imagine an image more suitable to a DAI cultural season than this carpet with the design of a chahar bagh formal garden. The complexities of “the garden carpet”, like a real garden, give us a full year’s detail to study and absorb. Yet, at its most basic, a garden is simply an exquisite place of nurturing and growth.

Think about it: a year’s detail to study and absorb in a place of nurturing and growth, words that beautifully describe the mission of the DAI. Happily, Cultural Season 14 fulfils this mission. From 6 October 2008 to 25 May 2009, we’ll wander through a garden rich with diversity, carefully planned to present subjects familiar and unique.

Dr. Géza will open the series, further illuminating the great metal work done in the Khurasan region. The specific subject is an incense burner recently acquired by the Tareq Rajab Museum, but those who’ve attended any of the good doctor’s previous lectures know that he will take us beyond just one piece. From the solid beauty of an incense burner, Dr. Amin Jaffar shows us the extravagant beauty of jewellery commissioned from European jewellers by the Maharajas. Ms. Marzia Cataldi Gallo reverses the process in her lecture, looking at how pearls from Arabia influenced art in Europe

The illustrated manuscripts of the 13th century hold diverse literary genres and created immense challenges for artists. Professor David Roxburgh will discuss the interactions that existed between words and illustrations. Dr. Marina Tolmachëva will explore how Africa, a land with “gold growing in the sand,” and Africans were presented in medieval Arabic literature and folklore. We stay with books for the next lecture, when Professor Dr. Paul Kunitzsch discusses Abu ‘l-Husayn Al-Sufi’s Book on the Forty-eight Constellations.

Jan Just Witkam and Yasmine F. M. Al-Saleh will discuss one of the best known Islamic prayerbooks in existence, the Dala’il al-Khayirat, with particular emphasis on the copy held in the al-Sabah Collection. Dr. Ann

Welcome to Our Garden

Valentina Baginska

Stuart Laing

Gathered and waiting to start . . .

Agnes Stillfried

Lisa Urkevich

Marina Tolmachëva

Werner Daum

Géza Fehérvári

“Battle” song-dance forms, implies another lively lecture/concert. Maestro Valentina Baginska’s organ recital will take us back to the world of classical music, performing a selection she calls “pearls”. The emotive combination of piano and oboe are featured in the concert of Master Stuart Laing and Mr. Peter Andrews. Appropriately, we close the music evenings with Dr. Rashid Juma, a gifted Kuwaiti violinist who will perform a selection of traditional and classical music.

Several lectures will take us out of the garden and out of Kuwait. Ambassador Ross Burns will present the “mythical” city of Damascus as it was seen by Europeans in the 12th century. Architect Thierry Grandin also invites us to Syria, but the destination is the Citadel of Aleppo. We move west to Aegai, the first city of Macedon for Dr. Angeliki Kottaridi’s lecture which will reveal the royal treasures discovered in archaeological digs in the city. Continuing west, Dr. Juan Souto transports us to Umayyad al-Andalus and the architectural magnificence of the Great Mosque of Cordova.

Professor Dr. Michael von Brück brings philosophical thinking to the garden. His lecture on the Bhagavad Gita’s approach to resolving the human need to have an image of God with the inability to effectively create one. Dr. Manfred Osten will explain Goethe’s perceptions of Islam and why Islamic beliefs caused Goethe to consider himself a Muslim.

Literature and architecture are the key topics of the lectures in Arabic. Dr. Sobhi Sa’atji will take us on an architectural journey through Turkey from the Seljuq period to the Ottoman Empire. Dr. Mohammed Radwan Al-Daya looks at the literature of Andalusia, following the footsteps of the past and discovering how to move forward. Unknowingly setting the stage for our final lecture, Dr. Ahmad Otman presents a survey of significant Arabic-Islamic literary works

available in translation and the importance of these works.

Finally, Dr. Ali Ibrahim Al-Namlah looks at the importance of sharing cultural histories in the context of advancing understanding with his lecture on intercultural dialogue and the impact of translation. Dr. Al-Namlah believes, for example, that by making Arab philosophies and literature available in English and Western ideas available in Arabic

people can better understand each other. Could there be a more appropriate lecture to close the 14th Cultural Season?

Welcome to our garden.

“Islamic Art and

Patronage” is probably the most famous of any existing DAI exhibition. This exhibition contains the pieces that were on their way to the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad when the Iraqi invasion was launched in 1990. While the collection survived, the museum here was destroyed and “Islamic Art and Patronage” was left homeless. This is when the exhibition acquired its second name: “Art in Exile”.

From 31 August 1990, when the exhibition closed at the Hermitage, to 22 June 2003, when the exhibition at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland, New Zealand Closed, “Islamic Arts and Patronage” toured the world. Over the 13 years from 1990 to 2003, in addition to Russia and New Zealand, the collection was exhibited in various states in the United States, Canada, France, Holland, Italy, England, Germany, Portugal, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Australia.

Writing for the original exhibition catalog, editor Esin Atil noted that the “exhibition was conceived to concentrate on objects that reflect the development of the artistic traditions in the world of Islam, represent diverse periods and regions, and highlight unique techniques and styles, united by the theme of patronage.” She continued, explaining that the selected pieces were grouped in four categories: Early Islam: Emerging Patterns (622 – 1050), The Classical Period (1050 – 1250), The Postclassical Period (1250 – 1500) and Late Islam: The Age of Empires (1500 – 1800).

“The chronological division was particularly appropriate for the discussion of patronage, beginning with early Islam, when the first great empires were established. The following period, classical Islam, witnessed a change in patronage, with the rise and fall of numerous states and emirates, each of which attempted to display its newly established . . . power through an active and deliberate sponsorship of art and architecture, promoting an exuberant and dynamic artistic environment extending from Spain to India. . . . In the postclassical period patronage continued to be a major activity in the courts of sultans and princes. . . . During the late Islamic period artistic activities became centralized, with the royal workshops of renowned emperors becoming the source of creativity, the styles and themes developing there radiating to all corners of the empires and influencing the traditions of neighbouring states.”

After a well-deserved break, “Islamic

Arts and Patronage”, with pieces representing every media and chronological division, will open for an eight week exhibition, after Ramadan at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. Located on Sharjah Creek, the museum celebrates Islamic culture in many ways. In addition to displaying its own collection and hosting exhibitions from abroad, the building itself presents the beauty of art and architecture from the Islamic world.

Known locally as the Souq al-Majarrah,

the museum structure incorporates Arab-Islamic design elements. While the arches and materials suggest the best of traditional building features, the central dome solidifies the feeling of having stepped back in time. Grand and gilt, the inside of the dome includes an intricate night sky mosaic reminiscent of Arabian Nights.

“Islamic Art and Patronage” was created to share more than 100 exceptional pieces of art from the Islamic world with communities interested in understanding and appreciating the exquisite talents of the artists and artisans. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation was built to provide residents and guests with a pleasant destination to explore the beauty of the culture that surrounds them. Putting the two together – art and exhibition – ensures that the mission of both the DAI and Sharjah succeeds.


14th

Cultural Season

Brass Astrolabe, made by Nastulus (or Bastulus)Iraq, dated 927/28Height 22.5 cm, diameter 17.5 cmLNS 36 M

Concilium Musicum Wien

AD Trio Prague

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation

Islamic Art and Patronage: Treasures from KuwaitOn display at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation


w w w . t a m d e e n r e a l e s t a t e . c o m

Donors

بار�سون برنكرهوف

Parsons Brinkerhoff Int. Inc.

Arab Center for Commerce & Real Estateاملركز العربي للتجارة والعقار

Kuwiat Shell Ltd.�شل الكويتية املحدودة

الرعاة املتربعون

Corporate Supporters

Benefactors كبار الرعاة

الشركات الرئيسية

Anwar Y. Al-Qatamiاأنور القطامي

Hosted by the government of Spain, the First Alliance of Civilizations Forum convened on 15 January 2008. More than 500 leaders from every region of the world gathered in an effort to find new ways to bridge the growing divide between nations and cultures, and to establish new partnerships to promote global understanding. DAI director general Sheikha Hussah joined a group of political leaders including heads of state and government, ministers, senior officials, civil society activists, Nobel laureates, corporate executives, religious leaders, and leading scholars for two days of dialogue and debate in Madrid. At the conclusion of the forum the group launched practical initiatives and made commitments to action aimed at improving relations across regions and cultures.

Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah, Minister of Information, visited the DAI’s temporary home at the Americani Cultural Centre on 16 April 2008. He was briefed by Sheikha Hussah and members of the DAI team,Abdulkarim al-Ghadban and Abdulrahman al-Ajmi, on the plans for the centre and enjoyed a tour of both buildings on the complex.

Al-Sabah Collection curator Manuel Keene was invited to The Gulf Studies Center, at The American University of Kuwait, to present a lecture entitled ‘The al-Sabah Collection: An Important Custodian of Mankind’s Art Heritage.’ The lecture, held on 23 April at the AUK Auditorium, was attended by several ambassadors, professors from the university and a large number of students.

Keene’s lecture held the participants entranced as he presented some of the most stunning and fascinating (not necessarily the same) pieces in the al-Sabah Collection. Mixing history with technique, Keene set the stage and brought the pieces to life. This sparked an animated question and answer session and a robust round of applause.

News NuggetsAlliance of Civilizations Forum

Sheikha Hussah with their majesties King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain

Kuwait Minister of Information Tours Historic American Hospital Complex

Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid clearly enjoyed his tour of the Americani Cultural Centre

Keene Speaks at AUK’s Gulf Studies Center


Several large metal crates arrived at the DAI offices recently. The size and number of crates was impressive, but the contents inside were magnificent. A collection of rare heritage books, some dating back to the 16th century, had been sent to the Alexandria Library in Egypt for restoration and they were returned in exquisite condition.

In the formal handover, which was held earlier at the library, Dr. Yousif Zaidan, director of the Manuscripts Center and Museum at the Alexandria Library, explained that the six month project resulted in the “complete conservation of this collection”. He mentioned several books of note, including The Epic of the 2nd Punic War by Roman poet Silius Italicus, published in 1512, Robert

Inside Description of Africa by Leon the African, before

Exterior of Description of Africa by Leon the African, before

Inside Description of Africa by Leon the African, after

Exterior of Description of Africa by Leon the African, after

More than 100 rare heritage books after the conserva-tion process was complete.

One of the conservationists outlining the process to Ms. al-Hazzah, Mr. al-Ajmi, and Dr. Zaidan

Sponsors الرعاة

Mariam Nasser al-Sabah

مرمي نا�شر ال�شباح

Ahmed Abdallah Al-Sarraf Dr. Abdulaziz al-Sultan

اأحمد عبداهلل ال�شراف د. عبدالعزيز ال�شلطان

الرعاة املتبرعون

Patrons الرعاة املساهمون

Benefactorsكبار الرعاة

Donors

عادل م�شاعد اجلاراهلل اخلرايف

Adel Musaed Al-Jarallah Al-Khorafi

نادية حممد البحر

Nadia M. Al-Bahar

�شرار يو�شف الغامن

Dirar Y. Alghanim

پوال ال�شباح

Paula Al-Sabah

علي في�شل حمود اخلالد

Ali Faisal Hamoud Al-Khaled

األفراد املمولون

ألنشطة أصدقاء الدار

Individual Sponsors

of the Friends of the DAI

Shafiqa Ali Al-Mutawa

�شفيقة علي املطوع

Kholoud Abdulrida Al-Feeliخلود عبدالر�شا الفيلي

Dr. Ali Ashour Al-Jaffarد. علي عا�شور اجلعفر

Nasser Duaij Al-Sabahنا�شر دعيج ال�شباح

Munira Al-Khubaiziمنرية اخلبيزي

Enass Al-Marzoukاإينا�س املرزوق

Philip F. Bardawilفيليب باردوير

Mona Al-Khonainiمنى اخلنيني

Suad Al-Arfaj�شعاد العرفج

Tareq Bader Al-Mailemطارق بدر امليلم

Mohamed Mahmoud Rasheedحممد حممود را�شد

Margaret Al-Sayerمارجريت ال�شاير

Hilal Al-Sayerهالل ال�شاير

Eric Kuhneاإيرك كون

Afrah Mubarak Al-Sabahاأفراح مبارك ال�شباح

Basemah M. Al-Sabahبا�شمة ال�شباح

Brigit Al-Mutawaبريجيت املطوع

Hind Abdulla Al-Jaber Al-Sabahهند عبداهلل اجلابر ال�شباح

Munira Khaled Al-Mutawaمنرية خالد املطوع

Sabah Mohammed Amin Al-Rayees�شباح حممد اأمني الري�س

Rachad Habib Tabiat

ر�شاد حبيب طبيعات

هند حمد اأحمد البحر

Hind Hamad Ahmad Al-Bahar

Yasser Ashour Al-Jaffarيا�شر عا�شور اجلعفر

Intisar S.A. al-Sabah

انت�شار �شامل العلي ال�شباح

جميل اأ. وافا

Jamil A. Wafa

Khalifa Dhiraar Al-Ghanimخليفة �شرار الغامن

Marzouk Dhiraar Al-Ghanimمرزوق �شرار الغامن

بثينة م�شاعد ال�شالح

Buthainah Musaed Al-Saleh

Altaf Al-Essaاألطاف العي�شى

“Everything Old is New Again”Estienne’s Bible Concordance, a six volume work published in 1528, and Description of Africa by Leon the African, published in 1632.

Leon the African’s personal history is almost as interesting as the book. Born in Grenada, he was originally named Al-Hassan Bin Mohammed Al-Wazzan Al-Zayyatti and was sent to Fez as the Sultan’s Ambassador to Morocco. He was captured and sent to Pope Leon X in Rome, where he taught Arabic and began writing. Description of Africa was Leon the African’s most important work. It was originally written in Italian and then translated into Latin, French and English. The

copy just restored was in Latin and published in the Netherlands.

Mr. Abdulrahman al-Ajmi, DAI’s director of the department of media, public relations and archaeological acquisitions, and DAI librarian Ms. Amel al-Hazzah, attended the

handover in Alexandria. Both were impressed by the work done by the conservation team under the direction of Dr. Zaidan.

“The manuscript centre at the Alexandria Library did a stellar job. They brought these books, which are of great interest to researchers and aficionados of our history, back to life. On behalf of the DAI, I can’t begin to thank them for their hard work and the amazing results,” said Mr. al-Ajmi. “Off to a great start, I am sure that the

cooperation between the DAI and the library will continue.”


For eight days, 24 April – 2 May, a group of Friends of the DAI explored some of the highlights of Uzbekistan. With stops in Tashkent, Samarqand, Bukhara and Khiva, the group was constantly on the move.

Tashkent, the capital city, is rich with history dating back more than 7,000 years.

Exploring the “Pearls of Uzbekistan”

With limited time and a lot to see, the group got an early start at the Museum of Applied Art, which is housed in a traditional house originally built for a Tsarist diplomat. After a quick stop in Mustaqillik Maydoni (Independence Square), we moved on to the beautiful Navoi Theatre. Named for Alisher Navoi, the great Uzbek author, the walls of the building are decorated with murals depicting scenes from his stories. The last stops were three madrassahs: Barak Khan Madrassah, Kukeldash Madrassah and Abdul Kassim Madrassah. These 16th century buildings provided our introduction to the traditional religious architecture in Uzbekistan.

After a tasty lunch, we boarded our bus for the five hour drive to Samarqand. Arriving early evening, we were able to get a good night’s sleep and wake up fresh in the morning.

Samarqand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and a key point on the famous Silk Road. A Persian-speaking district, a day and a half of sightseeing was definitely not enough. We started our Samarqand adventure at Ulugbek’s Observatory, which was built in 1428 – 1429, destroyed after the death of Ulugbek (one of Uzbekistan’s greatest scientists), the building was considered remarkable in its time and the research conducted there continues to amaze scientists.

Our last stop in Samarqand was the Bibi Khanum Mosque and adjacent bazaar. Also known as Timur’s Friday Mosque, this is probably the most iconic image of Samarqand and, after seeing it in person, it is easy to understand why. In between we visited the Shahi Zinda Mausoleum, Registan

Square, and Gur Amir Mausoleum. While all these places were unforgettable, Registan Square, which is dominated by three madrassahs, was breathtaking.

Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Timur, is about 80 km outside Samarqand, so we spent a lovely afternoon there exploring Aq Saray Palace (“White Palace”), which was Timur’s Summer home, Kok Gumbaz Mosque, Dorus Tilovat Complex, Gumbazi Seydon, Doru Saodat Complex and Hazrat Imam Mosque. An inscription above the entry to Aq Saray reads: “If you challenge our power – look at our buildings.”

Kok Gumbaz translates to “Blue Dome” and that certainly described this mosque, built by Ulughbeg in 1437 to honor his father Shah Rukh. The next year he built the Dorut Tilyovat Complex (‘House of Meditation”), a mausoleum that was never used for burials. In direct contradiction to Dorut Tilyovat, Doru Saodat is another mausoleum complex, but this name translates to “Seat of Power and Might”. This mausoleum was used and contains the Tomb of Jehangir, Timur’s favourite son. The mosque next to Doru Saodat, Hazrat-I Imam, is the tomb of a respected 8th century imam from Iraq.

We left for Bukhara the next morning and the four hour journey was well worth the time and effort. Bukhara is located on the Silk Road and was a centre of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. Today, some of the historic buildings are still in use and the city remains stunning.

In 24 hours, we visited 11 important sites, including two madrassahs, two mausoleums, three mosques, a fort, the trading domes, a “residential area”, and the compound of Hazreti Mohammed Baha-ud Din Nakshbandi, a respected Sufi master and founder of the Nakshabandi Tarikat order. Choosing a highlight is impossible. The Nakshabandi Complex was fascinating

and both mausoleums, for example, are impressive. One is the burial place of the founders of the Samanid Dynasty; the other contains “Job’s Well”. The Ark is a 5th century fortress and is still imposing; opposite the fortress is the tranquil Bolo Khauz mosque used by the region’s Emirs. The Kalyan Mosque, with its tremendous minaret, is memorable and so are the buildings around Lyab-I Hauz (a pond) which are considered to be the “centerpiece of a magnificent architectural ensemble.” Basically, Bukhara is a city to be visited over and over again.

However, seeing so much in such a short time made the seven hour drive through the Kyzyl Kum desert a welcome break. The scenery was lovely, as was the chance to

Waiting in the lobby of the Samarquad Intercontinental for the day’s adventure to startBack Row: Di Krispinovic, Mashael Alhajeri, Sherry Murphy, Ebtesam Al Fulaij, Basima Albahar and Fadila BirdFront Row: Lateefa Alhajeri, Hoda Al Kharashu, Iqbal Al Halabi, Omaymah Al Mahameid and Sylvia Al Essa

Mashael Alhajeri and Lateefa Alhajeri in front of a mural depicting a scene from Alisher Navoi’s Farhod and Shiran at the Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tashkent. Navoi (1441 – 1501) is considered to be one of the great poets of the Medieval East

Aziza Sadeq and Najlah Al Abdulellah in front of the incredible domes of the Shahi Zinda Mausoleum in Samarqand

The breathtaking mosaics and majolica décor of the three madrasas on Registan Square in Samarqand attract visitors from all over the world

Najlah Al Abdulellah, Muna Bourisli, Di Krispinovic, Qadreyah Al Awadhi, and Iqbal Al Halabi surround one of the performers from the folkloric evening in Tashkent

Mashael Alhajeri was hoping to test drive a flying carpet in Bukhara

Baby Abdulrahman took quite a shine to Basemah Al Bahar and followed her around for two days. Here he’s showing off the vest Basemah bought him the day before.

Carpet weavers at the Kalta Minor Minaret and Amin Khan Madrasa Bazaar

rest.


Al-Bassam and the primary Kuwaiti contribution to the programme, will be performed in the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theatre on 6 and 7 March 2009. [Tickets go on sale 11 December 2008.] More traditional performances include the Whirling Dervishes of Damascus, Al-Kindi Ensemble, Caracalla Dance Theater, and composer/oud player Marcel Khalife.

Dancing on the Sands of Time, created by award-winning director/choreographer Debbie Allen, will premiere during “Arabesque”. The work blends original Arab and American music and will be performed by young artists from the Arab world, Washington and Los Angeles.

In addition to the more than 500 performers participating in the festival on the main stages, the Kennedy Center is recreating a bazaar in the corridors of the roof level. Literary readings, standup comedy performances and photography exhibitions will also be held on the roof level, creating the buzz generally associated with a thriving souk.

Kaiser, speaking at a Washington D.C. press briefing, said the arts “create peace and provide a window onto understanding people.” Now that “Arabesque” is poised to become a reality, said Kaiser, he hopes it will serve as “a catalyst toward achieving both [peace and understanding] between the Arab and Western worlds.”

When Kennedy Center president Michael Kaiser announced the performing arts centre’s programme for the 2008-2009 season, one item

garnered the bulk of the media coverage. Making news is a three week festival, called “Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World”, featuring a broad cross-section of lively art performances from 22 Arab countries.

Organised in cooperation with the Arab League and the various national diplomatic representatives, Kaiser noted that the festival is one of the most ambitious projects that the Kennedy Center has undertaken. Sheikh Salim Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Kuwait’s ambassador to the US, and his team are working enthusiastically to ensure that the festival is a success and Kuwait’s participant is a contributing factor to that success.

“The best way to learn about other people,” says Kaiser, “is through their culture.” The festival, which runs from 25 February to 15 March, aspires to show the “other sides of Arab people than people here are reading about in the newspaper,” Michael Kaiser told the Washington Post. “Art is a way of examining what their concerns are, what they’re talking about.”

“Arabesque”, both in depth and breadth, is the largest Arab cultural programme ever organized in the United States. The schedule includes music, dance, movies, and indigenous and cross-cultural theatrical productions.

Richard III: An Arab Tragedy, adapted from Shakespeare by Kuwaiti theater director Sulayman

“Arabesque” Brings the Region’s Lively Arts and Culture to

Our trip was coming to an end, so Khiva was a last chance to see the architecture and specifically the tile work of Uzbekistan. The city didn’t let us down. Kalta Minor, a huge, unfinished minaret, the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassah, and the Tash-Khauli Palace were, literally, covered with a majolica façade. The Nurulla Bai Palace featured tiles outside and in, floor to ceiling and wall-to-wall.

Basemah Al Bahar, Mashael Alhajeri, Hoda Al Kharashu, and Lateefa Alhajeri at the Nakshbandi Complex, with fol-lowers of the Nakshbandi Tarikat, a Sufi order founded in Bukhara by Baha-ud Din Nakshbandi in the 14th century

The Juma Mosque in Khiva has 213 pillars – 212 carved from black elm and 1 carried in from India by poet-wrestler Pakhlavan Mahmud

Pillars, not majolica, are the memorable feature of the Juma Mosque (Friday Mosque). 212 of the 213 pillars are carved from black elm. The remaining pillar was carried to the mosque from India on the back of Pakhlavan Mahmud. It was added to the mosque as a gesture of respect for Mahmud, who was later made the protector of the Kungrads dynasty.

Our next stop was home, so the mode of transportation shifted from buses to planes. We flew from Khiva to Tashkent to Dubai to Kuwait. Everyone was happy to be home and everyone was happy to have gone.

Admiring the magnificent plaster-work of the Nurulla Bai Palace

Khalid Alqamlas sitting on the steps at the magnifi-cent majolica façade of the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa

Di Krispinovic and Aziza Sadeq try their hands at “Suzanne”, the beautiful em-broidery style of Uzbekistan

The Tour Continues . . .

Mme. Jacques Lang, Sheikha Paula al-Sabah, former Minister of Culture, M. Jacques Lang and Sheikha Hussah

Ms. Nicole Salinger, Sheikha Hussah, Mme. Nasrine Ferminich, and Sheikha Amal al-Sabah

On 1 June, Richard III: An Arab Tragedy opened to rave reviews at the Théatre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris. After successful performances in Kuwait and Syria earlier this year, Paris was the first stop on a western tour that will run for a year. From the City of Light, the play moved to Amsterdam, where it was equally well received.

The American leg of the tour begins in March 2009

at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.. The Kennedy Center is hosting a celebration of Arab arts and culture (for more information see page 11) and Sulayman’s production inspired by Shakespeare’s classic is expected to be one of the highlights of the programme. From Washington, the play begins traveling in the US – crisscrossing the country before landing in New York in June 2009.

The Kennedy Center

12 Bareed ad-Dar

This calligraphic inscription is taken from the centerpiece of a metal roundel (LNS 137 M) in the al-Sabah Collection from the Iranian world of the 17th to 18th century AD; and serves as the inspiration for sterling silver cufflinks made exclusively for Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah now available at our museum shop. The cufflinks are available in six colors: five vitreous enamel colors of red, grey, green, blue and black and the sixth is gold plated. They are a beautifully thoughtful gift to give anytime of the year, even more so during this holy month of Ramadan!

Our motivation in developing museum products is to enhance appreciation and awareness of the past, and its contribution to the present. The original piece was made of patterned steel (jawhar) that is hammered,

Founded in 1982, Tamdeen Real Estate has grown to be one of the leading real estate companies in Kuwait. It has an extensive portfolio of real estate projects and significant experience and expertise in investment and financing. The public shareholding company, traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, has total assets in excess of KD432 million.

Tamdeen Real Estate has been innovative in its developments, pioneering mixed-use concepts that promote integrated retail and entertainment development in an effort to change the real estate landscape of Kuwait and the region. For example, Madinat Al Fahaheel, a shopping, leisure, business and residential city, helped transform Fahaheel by giving it a prosperous city centre.

The project has also been recognized internationally. It was named “Best Developer” for a retail project in the Middle East and North Africa

at the prestigious Abu Dhabi City Scape Exhibition earlier this year. Two other projects, Manshar Complex and Towers and the Fahaheel Water Front – Kout, have also earned international recognition. The American Concrete Institute Award of Distinction and the Euro-Money Award were presented to Manshar Complex and Towers. The Fahaheel Water Front – Kout project won the Design & Development Award from the World Board of Shopping Centers, the Completion Pioneer Award at the 6th Conference on Private Sector Roles in BOT projects, and the 2007 Islamic Architecture Award at City Scape in Dubai.

w w w . t a m d e e n r e a l e s t a t e . c o m

Special Thanks to Tamdeen Real Estate

The Americani Cultural Centre, which is the temporary home of the DAI, is dedicated to providing a new outlet for cultural activities. Originally, the building was the AMH Men’s Hospital (on the Gulf Road, near the National Assembly) and this incarnation returns it to the service of the people living and working in Kuwait.

Still a work in progress, the Americani Cultural Centre will eventually offer exhibition space for work that promotes cultural awareness, a permanent exhibition of the development of healthcare in Kuwait, training programmes for conservation specialists and museum management trainees, lecture space for visiting professors and other relevant individuals, and, the first project to be implemented – the Children’s Art Workshop which will begin on Saturday 11 October.

Designed for children from 8 – 12, each 90 minute session will introduce a form of art from the Islamic world. The workshops are being organised with the support of initiating partner McDonalds and in cooperation with the DAI. Works from the collection will be used to illustration the various topics presented during the 8 month programme. The following is an overview of topics to be covered in the first series:

Americani Cultural Centre Children’s Art Workshop

Session One: Introduction to Art from the Islamic World

Session Two: Creating Colour Session Three: CarpetsSession Four: Ceramics Session Five: Calligraphy Session Six: A Picture is Worth a

Thousand Words Session Seven: Manuscripts Session Eight: Summary Session: Kalila

wa Dimna

The sessions will be from 0930 – 1100 in English and 1130 – 1300 in Arabic on the specified date. The fee for DAI Family members is KD2 per child; the fee for non-members is KD3 per child. A full schedule and registration details will available after 7 September at the al-Maidan Cultural Centre or by email from [email protected]

The DAI Music Circle Livens Up Wednesday Eveningsat al-Maidan Cultural Centre

The DAI Music Circle (DMC) is back for another season which promises to be bigger and better than ever. The committee has been working all summer and is pleased to announce that season will begin with an organ, clarinet and soprano recital on 15 October.

On 5 November there will be a piano recital featuring works by Chopin; following that, on 26 November the performance will feature the impressive young talent here in Kuwait. Youth will feature again on 14 January, when the DMC presents the Kuwait Youth Orchestra.

The performers for 18 February, 18 March, 15 April and 13 May are still unconfirmed, but it is safe to say that they will ensure the DMC is as entertaining in the last half as in the first.

The performances will be held at the al-Maidan Cultural Centre, unless otherwise noted, and begin at 1900 sharp.

The one sad note (pun intended) for the season is that we have to say farewell to Ambassador Stuart Laing. Stuart was one of the founders of the DMC and a wonderfully active member of the committee.

I know you all join the DMC in wishing Stuart and his wife Sibella happiness and success in his new position as Master of Oxford’s Corpus Christi College.

Reflections of a Heavenly Garden

In the catalog for the “Zarabi Carpets: Reflections of an Ideal World” exhibition which was held in Malaysia in 1999, this carpet was included in a section dedicated to heavenly garden motifs. According to Walter B. Denny, professor of art history at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst and author of the catalog text, “the enormous Persian garden carpet (LNS 10R) most clearly embodies the architectural layout of the chahar bagh or traditional Persian garden”. He cites “its designs suggesting water shimmering in axial pools full of peacocks, octagonal fountain basins, and rectilinear plantings of flowers, flowering shrubs and fruit trees.”

LNS 10RCarpet with Chahar Bagh Formal Garden DesignNorth-west of Central Iran17th century9.25 x 3.8 metres

Ala Allah fi kul al-Umur Tawakuli“I rely on God in all matters”.

acid-etched, hatched and overlaid with gold, this roundel was produced during the Safavid period of late Islam, “…a time of artistic patronage on an unprecedented scale…where artists from all over the world worked together…. The dazzling mastery of technique that characterizes so much of the art created under royal or noble patronage in later Islamic art is frequently used by artists to make what we might view as creative contradictions between medium and effect.

These contradictions can be quite breathtaking. …the skilled worker in metal

may take cold steel, one of the hardest and most intractable of metals, and create an object… not simply beautifully planned rendering of interwoven script bearing a religious inscription, but that this script is superimposed conceptually on a minutely delicate background of vine whorls of gossamer texture, all of it cut from steel’. (Taken from

text by Walter B. Denny contained in ‘Islamic Art and Patronage: Treasures from Kuwait’ edited by Esin Atil.)

The Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah travelling

exhibition, ‘Islamic Art and Patronage: Treasures from Kuwait’ will be on the road again, scheduled to open at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation after Ramadan.

LNS 137 M

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