Dubai, Feb. 5th, 2008 (WAM) - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today officially inaugurated British Museum's Word into Art, Artists of the Modern Middle East, exhibition at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The Dubai Holding - sponsored exhibition is the first in a series of cultural Initiatives in support of the vision of Dubai's future development that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AI Maktoum set out in the Dubai Strategy 2015, when he called for a conscious effort to raise cultural awareness through consistent, appealing and professional cultural content. Featuring many modern works of art which have never before been displayed in the Middle East, Word into Art, Artists of the Modern Middle East, is one of the largest exhibitions staged in the region to focus on how Arabic writing is used in Modem Middle Eastern art. The exhibition, presented in partnership with Dubai Holding and supported by the Dubai International Financial Centre, has been organised by the British Museum. Admission to the exhibition, which will run from 7th February 2008 until April 30th, 2008, is free. Admission times are from 12 noon to 9 pm daily. Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum said: "This is the first time that the British Museum has sent an exhibition to the Middle East. Dubai is the perfect choice as it is a thriving centre for contemporary art. It is wonderful that Dubai Holding have given us the opportunity to stage this important exhibition in such an important city."Celebrating the creativity of Middle Eastern artists, the exhibition focuses on the way writing has been used in modern art. From traditional Arabic scripts to present day writings, artists across the region have found innovative ways of using script. They write verses from the Qur'an, lines of poetry, use texts to reflect issues of identity, or simply show their delight in the shape of the Arabic letter. It is this rich diversity of approaches that this exhibition seeks to examine. The majority of works in the exhibition are from the collection of the British Museum, which uniquely amongst British Institutions has been acquiring works by artists from the Middle East and North Africa since the mid -1980s. The exhibition is divided into four sections. Sacred Script, explains the relationship between Arabic script and the religion of Islam, showing the enduring vitality of the Islamic calligraphic tradition today. The powerful literary tradition of the Middle East, the enduring appeal of ancient and modern Arabic and Persian poetry, and the work of Sufi writers is evoked in Literature and Art. Deconstructing the Word, examines the use of script In Middle Eastern abstract art from the mid 20th century to the present day. Here the messages are more ambivalent and link with past or present identities in subtle ways. Finally, Identity, History and Politics looks at the ways in which the words embedded in these works can provide us with real snapshots of history as well as revealing reactions to the region's devastating conflicts during the past few decades.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2008.
