By Meryl Mathew
Exclusive to The Times Kuwait
Every city has a culture that comes from the influence of its human habitation over the centuries. Kuwait also has a fascinating culture and spans the country’s history that began as early as 2000 BCE when the Mesopotamians first settled in Failaka Island. From these early beginnings of human habitation, the country we know today as Kuwait evolved over the millennia to become a prosperous trade port in the 18th and 19th century.
The discovery of oil in the first half of the 20th century and the country’s progress into a modern nation following independence in 1961, marks yet another chapter in Kuwait’s history and in the development of its culture.
The rich history of Kuwait and its culture, depicted through its architecture, art and lifestyle that developed over the ages, as well as from the influence of the wider Arab and Islamic world, are showcased across museums in the country. Here we look at some of these museums that provide a peep into the history and culture of Kuwait.
Tareq Rajab Museum: Since its establishment in 1980 with a sophisticated collection of ceramics, manuscripts and metalwork, along with a collection of jewelry and textiles the Tareq Rajab museum has expanded into a beautiful, varied display from throughout the Islamic world and the Arabian Peninsula.
What makes each piece displayed unique is that they are from the private collection of the Rajab family, and they depict different aspects of civilization and culture from the earliest period until the contemporary twentieth century, and how these cultures have influenced and intertwined their art over the centuries.
“We used to travel extensively around the Middle East and into Europe through Turkey and most of the collection you can see on display is what my parents bought locally or acquired through international auctions and private sales, during some of these trips. Over the years we have managed to bring back a piece of history from even some of the most remote villages of Syria and Iran that is sadly no more today,” says Nur Rajab, daughter of the late Tareq and Jehan Rajab.
The collection of Islamic calligraphy, manuscripts and Qurans from the different periods and countries across the Islamic world illustrates the history and development of calligraphy into a major unsurpassed art form. This collection and the story it tells is indeed the museum’s highlight and major reason for a visit.
Another part of the museum that is notable is the section for ceramics in distinctive colors such as cobalt blue, copper green and turquoise that displays the different stages of the development of Islamic pottery, from different regions including Mesopotamia, Persia, Turkey, Spain and China, Egypt, North Africa and Andalucia. In comparison to this unique collection of ceramics, the museum also has a marvelous selection of jewelry, symbolic metalwork antiques and antique daggers and swords that acts as a witness to the taste of cultures that was worn by all types of people. The museum also has a collection of nineteenth century paintings by prominent Orientalist artists of the time.
“My father, who was a collector since he was a young boy, loved antiques and the history behind them. He strived to save the old city of Kuwait and preserve its history even as modernization bulldozed us. In fact, if we still had room in the museum he would still be collecting during his tours and trips,” Nur explains. The Museum exists with the sole purpose to inspire future generations of artists and artisans and help further the knowledge of its visitors in the domain of Islamic art and calligraphy.
Dar-Al-Athar-Al-Islamiyah: A unique cultural organization founded in 1983 and based on the private collection of Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, and his wife Sheikha Hussa Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, Director General of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI) and the co-owner of The Al-Sabah Collection.
From the 1980’s to the present, DAI has opened plenty of exhibitions locally and globally. There are mainly two cultural centers supporting all the artifacts and exhibitions; the Amricani Cultural Center in Qibla, and the Yarmouk Cultural Center located in the Yarmouk area.
‘Al-Fann: Art from the Islamic Civilization, from The Al-Sabah Collection’ is an exhibition that presents the art of the Islamic civilization, displaying several elements that constitute Islamic art. Segmented into two main parts, the first part presents a chronological progression from the beginning of the seventh century up to the spread of the great sixteenth century that includes empires such as the Ottomans, the Safavids in Iran and the Mughals in the Indian Subcontinent. The second part focuses on the motifs that run throughout all manifestations of Islamic art.
The exhibition begins with an introduction to a beautiful collection of architectural decoration, the art of glass making and metalwork in Islamic art from the 8th-10th centuries, with the glass inspired by western traditions, and the metal works inspired by the east. The next stage shows the Islamic art in the 13th century. Islam was firmly established by then, but the art enjoyed a broad array of new influences from Silk Road travellers.
The 14th-15th centuries section displays art produced during the Mamluk period. Following this are segments for marble tombstones with Kufic inscriptions, jeweled art from the Mughal and other dynasties. Calligraphy, figurative representation, repeating geometric patterns and arabesque objects bring the exhibition to a close. Some of the major highlights displayed in the museum include a unique display of rock crystal chess pieces that were carved in the 9th century CE, and a display of beautifully designed wooden panels and doors from different periods.
Dar-Al-Athar-Al-Islamiyah is known for its ever-evolving exhibitions. Every time you visit the museum, they will surely have something new for you.
[In the next issue, we look at some of the other prominent museums in Kuwait-Ed]
