The grand opening of the first Biennial of Islamic Art exhibiting the rich Islamic culture of Uzbekistan took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Four pages of the Kattalangar Koran of the 8th century, a collection of hadiths of the 17th century, ceramics of Samarkand and Afrasiab of the 10th-12th centuries and other museum items were presented by Uzbekistan at the first Biennale of Islamic Art, which opened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The first Biennale of Islamic Art opened on January 23 in Jeddah. It was organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia. Among the participating countries are Mali, Egypt, Tunisia, Greece, Oman, Qatar, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, which is represented by the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Art.
The focus of the event is the connection of the past, present and future. Attempts to trace it formed the basis of studies of spirituality in Islamic art. The main theme of the biennale is "Aual Bait", which means "First House" in Arabic. This term comes from the Koran and is used to refer to the sacred place for Muslims - the Kaaba in Mecca.
The Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan presents a unique exposition at the Biennale, consisting of 17 museum items of ethnography and textiles, which represent the rich Islamic culture and heritage of Uzbekistan to an international audience.
“Uzbekistan has a rich and multifaceted history, most of which is closely connected with the traditions of Islam. The selection of exhibits presented by our country is designed to interest the world community in their study,” said Gayane Umerova, executive director of the foundation.
The exhibition showcases 17 museum items. Among them is the collection of hadiths of Imam al-Bukhari "Al-Jome as-Sahih" of the 17th century, ceramic jugs and bowls from Samarkand and Afrasiab of the 10th-12th centuries, as well as national clothes and shoes from the collection of the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan. A special place in the exposition is occupied by four pages from the Kattalangar Quran, two of which are being publicly exhibited for the first time.
In addition to the exposition, the foundation has prepared an extensive public program that includes discussions, musical performances, workshops and master classes in Uzbek ceramics and Uzbek suzani, as well as film screenings. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to see the silent film "The Minaret of Death" (1924) accompanied by traditional musical instruments and the film "Al-Bukhari" (1998).
Participation of our country in such global cultural events and exhibitions indeed has a positive impact on developing the interest of tourists willing to visit Uzbekistan for its historical and cultural heritage.
The first Biennale of Islamic Art in Jeddah will host visitors until 23 April this year.
