3 October 2014 – 31 December 2014
One of the earliest artefact collections housed by the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) is the Qur’an manuscripts in addition to other Islamic literary texts. The compilation has expanded largely over the course of almost 16 years. These collected works were gifted to, loaned from and bought by the museum in fulfilling its mission which is to create a collection that is representative of the Islamic world.
Celebrating the coming out of IAMM newest publication, Al-Qur’an: The Sacred Art of Revelation (Volume II), the museum is proud to organize a congratulatory photo exhibition of the same title to introduce the newly published catalogue to the public. Now in its second edition, the catalogue contains IAMM latest collection of the Qur’anic manuscripts categorized into a range of dynasties and geographical settings.
In principal, the photo exhibition will display 12 sets of Qur’anic leaves with each set consisting of Surah Al-Fatihah and the first page of Surah Al-Baqarah. These sets of scripts will illustrate the different designs of the Qur’an made in different period of time and places around the Islamic world. The exhibition features manuscripts from countries that include Iran, Africa, India, Turkey, China, and the Malay world. The display will allow visitors and enthusiast of the Islamic art to have a glimpse at the distinctions between the many artistic forms of the Qur’an.
Nevertheless, the highlight of the exhibition will be the gripping process of producing the Qur’an. The centre of the exhibition gallery will be occupied by a modular case in which are hanged three pieces of perspex arranged in successive order. Each of these Perspex will hold the outline, the pigmentation (illumination) and the text from the Qur’an. These objects will put in picture the step-by-step procedure of manufacturing the Qur’an.
Furthermore, the exhibition will showcase selected old manuscripts of different calligraphic style such as the Hijazi and the Kufic. It will also include some blown-up images of the miniature paintings and details of the illuminations such as verse markers, surah headings as well as marginal designs. This will help the visitors to better distinguish between these many assortments of the Islamic art.
This wonderful collection of photos was on display from 3rd October 2014 until 31st December 2014 at the Open Space Gallery, IAMM. The programme has high hope in bridging cultures through art as it has been witnessed that regardless of the variation in the Qur’anic illuminations, the content of the works will eternally remain identical. Find more about the publication on the exhibition here.
