The art traditions of the Islamic faith are largely underappreciated and overlooked in our society.
THEMUSEUM and the Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener-Waterloo (CMW) have teamed up once again to showcase the vibrant and diverse Islamic art forms to the public.
Co-organized by Ati Zar, a Waterloo-based artist and member of CMW, “Beauty in Islamic Art” marks the 4th annual Islamic Art Exhibition at THEMUSEUM.
“Islamic art is a complex overlap of local cultures of a vast number of countries. at its widest geographical coverage from China to Al-Andalus in Europe,” Zar explained. “The Beauty in Islamic Art Exhibition celebrates the multi-faceted art of Islamic lands through a variety of artworks by Canadian Muslim artists.”
Zar herself graduated from the University of Waterloo, with a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. The chemist turned calligrapher creates works of beautiful and intricate calligraphy art that is inspired by her Islamic background and Persian culture.
The exhibition presents the works of Ontario-born artists Iman Alkarimi, Riyadh Matwq, Haneen Dalla-Ali, Mélika Hashemi, Behnaz Fatemi, Sana Faheemuddin, and Atefeh Zarabadi.
Opened on Sept. 18, the exhibition is running until Dec. 18, 2020. The event was generously funded by the Ontario Arts Council.
“Each show has been wonderful, but I feel this year’s called Beauty in Islamic Art may be the best so far. I hope the community takes the time to visit and take in this important show,” said David Marskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM.
THEMUSEUM is located in Downtown Kitchener and is open Fridays from 10am to 1pm and on weekends from 10am-4pm. General admissions cost $7.99 and can be booked on their website via EventBrite.
Precautions and safety measures have been taken to make the space safe for visitors. Masks are mandatory at all times within the building, visitors must keep a physical distance of 6 feet (or 2 meters) and there are sanitization stations placed throughout for safety. More information on the exhibition and further details about COVID-19 protocols can be found on THEMUSEUMS’ website.
“Beauty in Islamic Art” is a unique opportunity to observe the distinct and intricate art forms and to learn about the vast cultural diversity and values present in Islamic art.
