Museum Of Islamic Art Research Articles

Revitalizing Cultural Heritage Through Building Information Modeling (BIM)

The paper will discuss using Building Information Modelling BIM as an efficient tool of conservation and museums management, specifically in revitalizing the museum of Islamic arts in Cairo after it had been attacked by terrorists as this museum was conserved before and opened to the public 2010, case study method of research chosen to highlight the most important way to deal with heritage at crisis time when every minute differ in saving an object or the saving the building itself, the project was done as a fast track project, as it depended on BIM to achieve the three aspects of good project management which are time, cost and quality. From the research findings that using BIM can save time of implementation and technical documents producing up to 20% of the time needed for the same scope, so it compare between 2010 and 2014 versions of management to observe what is the impact of using BIM on the revitalization of the museum.

KOMUNIKASI PEMASARAN DINAS PARIWISATA LAMONGAN DALAM MENGEMBANGKAN INDONESIA ISLAMIC ART MUSEUM SEBAGAI WISATA RELIGI

This research is about Marketing Communication of religious tourism in Lamongan Regency, which is interesting to study, because Lamongan Regency is rich in various kinds of new tourism potential to be developed, one of which is the Indonesian Islamic Art Museum tour. However, the Department of Tourism and Culture has not been able to maximize the important role in the development of tourist attraction. So this research aims to know and describe marketing communication strategy and the obstacles faced by Tourism and Culture Department in developing Tourism in Lamongan regency, and also know how visitor response to tour Indonesian Islamic Art Museum. This research is done the location of Tourism and Culture of the Lamongan Regency. The problem of this research is how the marketing communication strategy and the obstacle of Tourism and Culture Department develop tourism Indonesian Islamic Art Museum in the Lamongan regency and how the visitor response to tour Indonesian Islamic Art Museum. This research uses a qualitative descriptive qualitative paradigm method through various stages of preliminary observation, interview, and documentation related to the marketing communication strategy of the Tourism and Culture Department. The results showed that the implementation of the marketing communication strategy of Tourism and Kebudayan Department in developing tourism Indonesian Islamic Art Museum by doing stages knowing the potential of tourism Indonesian Islamic Art Museum, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Then the obstacles found in the implementation of marketing communication strategy is the lack of funds, communicators, messages, and media. Then the response of visitors is satisfied with the facilities and infrastructure of tourist Indonesian Islamic Art Museum. Keywords: Marketing Communication, Tourism and Culture Department.

Alya Karame. Review of "The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts" by Massumeh Farhad and Simon Rettig.

Alya Karame. Review of "The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts" by Massumeh Farhad and Simon Rettig.

Massumeh Farhad, Simon Rettig. The Art of the Qur’an, Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts

Ce catalogue, a l’iconographie particulierement riche et pertinente, a ete redige a l’occasion d’une exceptionnelle exposition presentee en 2016 a Washington. Y etaient essentiellement exposes de precieux manuscrits pretes par le TIEM (Turk ve Islam Eserleri Muzesi, Istanbul), et mis en parallele avec quelques pieces de la Smithsonian Institution. Par l’histoire meme de la constitution des fonds du TIEM, nombre de pieces presentees sont issues de la sphere persane. Ce catalogue se compose d’u...

The museum and the object: cultural commodities in flux at the museum of Islamic art in Cairo

ABSTRACTThis article uses elements of Arjun Appadurai’s and Igor Kopytoff’s notions of object value to examine the historical ‘value’ placed on Cairo’s Museum of Islamic Art and its collection. Contradicting Appadurai’s position that object value is suspended within the museum, the article argues that ‘value’ is re-activated during momentous events – be they political, social or physical – opening an important channel for the negotiation and construction of object value through the mechanisms surrounding such antiquities: museum curation, staff, ownership, funding bodies and the building itself. In effect, the museum takes on the role of commodity mediator, while operating as an object in its own right. Focusing on three critical junctures in the museum’s history – founding, renovation, and the 24 January 2014 bombing – this thesis argues that value is never static, but rather reconsidered and reframed in response to dynamics external to the institution.

Heritage Crusades: Saving the Past from the Commons

The early 2014 bombing in Cairo that severely damaged the newly renovated Islamic Art Museum was reported as part of a list of incidents that indicated the precarious state of cultural heritage in the Middle East. In light of such events, this article queries the following: does the cultural heritage of the Middle East need saving? If so, by, from and for whom? In exploring the moral discourses and political motivations that anchor such calls for intervention, I examine how notions of care manifest themselves in heritage practice. In response to the moral outrage that often accompanies acts of cultural destruction, this research suggests the possible expansion of the ethical framework by which the material past becomes part of social life. Through an investigation into local engagement with artefacts and historical sites, specifically the sabbakhin in Egypt and contemporary agriculturalists in northern Syria, I describe forms of vernacular heritage linked to unstated assertions to the commons. At stake is a reframing of the hegemonic discourses of heritage management, one that often reads such activities as mere materialism unable to cultivate the correct cosmopolitan disposition for how the past should be valued. Ultimately, this article highlights the risk in overstating ideological forms of destruction as the cultural norm associated with Muslim societies.

Shiite Connotations on Islamic Artifacts from the Fatimid period (358-567 A.H/ 969-1171 A.D) Preserved in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo

The Fatimid, who were Ismaili Shi a a, ruled to Egypt between (358-567 A.H/ 969-1171 A.D) for about 208 years. They left a lot of artifacts, which are recently preserved in the Museum of Islamic Arts in Cairo, including: wooden memorable Mihrabs (Niches), gravestones, coins, textiles and ceramics. These artifacts have been decorated with written, geometrical, botanical, animal and other patterns, which are mainly influenced by the Shiite doctrine as a part of their plan to promote for Shiism among Egyptians secretly and publicly. However most of these patterns are common to be used as decorative themes is Islamic Art, they also have Shiite connotations related to the Shiite idea of “Zahir (Obvious) and Batin (Hidden)”, referring that every obvious meaning has a hidden meaning. So that, this study aims to illustrate the hidden meanings (connotations) of these patterns, depending on reviewing the literature of Shiite thoughts and believes.

N. ÖLÇER - O. GRABAR, In Pursuit of Excellence: Works of Art from The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts İstanbul. İstanbul 1993. Ertuğ Kocabıyık Pub., 260 pages (large-format colour images, 26 by 36.5 cms.) Photographs by A. ERTUĞ. Limited Edition. Hardbound in slipcase.

N. ÖLÇER - O. GRABAR, In Pursuit of Excellence: Works of Art from The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts İstanbul. İstanbul 1993. Ertuğ Kocabıyık Pub., 260 pages (large-format colour images, 26 by 36.5 cms.) Photographs by A. ERTUĞ. Limited Edition. Hardbound in slipcase.

Qur’ans of the Umayyads

Qur’an manuscripts have attracted a good deal of attention from scholars, especiallyin the wake of the spectacular finds in the Great Mosque in Sanaa in1972. Some might suggest that this attention is superfluous or even reflectiveof a willful ignoring of the significance of the scripture’s oral transmissionand a privileging of the written word over the oral. However, careful studiesof these manuscripts tell us many things, such as early Muslim attitudes towardthe text, that cannot be documented otherwise. In fact, early manuscriptsare the only tangible source about the oral tradition itself. We can also see thatchanges in appearance in early manuscripts provide evidence of the perceptionand role of such copies and that this went through a significant transformation,especially during the Umayyad period (661-750).Studies done by knowledgeable scholars do not aim to establish an “original”text or to find fault with the modern version; rather, they aim to focuson such matters as the history of the Arabic script’s development and howmanuscripts were used. Of course, such early manuscripts also provide evidenceof textual variation, the precise dimensions of which have not alwaysbeen preserved by Muslim tradition. It is worth reiterating, however, that thesevariations are never of such extent that one can doubt the integrity of the textor its doctrinal or legal contents. Overall, the study of early Qur’an manuscriptsis a challenging task, subject to much scholarly speculation and thusdifference of opinion, especially due to the absence of colophons on the availabletexts thought to stem from the Umayyad period. This is generally the resultof the lost first and last pages in such manuscripts, for they are the first tobecome worn and detached and then disappear. Most of those manuscriptsavailable to us today are in a highly fragmented condition.François Déroche is the world’s leading scholar on matters related toQur’an manuscripts. The vast majority of his writing until now has been inFrench; his masterful examination of a single early exemplar, La transmissionécrite du Coran dans les débuts de l’islam, appeared in 2009. Thus many readersto whom his scholarship has not otherwise been accessible will welcomethis book written in English and marketed in a relatively inexpensive paperbackformat. The work originated as a series of four lectures given at the LeidenUniversity Centre for the Study of Islam and Society in 2010. Thoselectures were primarily the result of an extensive use of the resources held inIstanbul’s Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum ...

Viewing Islamic Art Museum Exhibits on the SmartPhone: Re-examining Visitors’ Experiences

Mobile Guide technologies in public spaces, particularly museum are not new and have changed the way visitors’ access information during their visit. Smartphone applications (apps) are increasingly popular because it can be accessed before, during and after the museum visits. This has impacted the way exhibitions are designed and the resulting visitor experience. Therefore, it is important to measure what effect the use of smartphone technology has on visitor experience. An “in the wild” study was conducted to investigate visitor experience in Islamic Art museum, both with and without Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) Mobile Guide (smartphone apps). A total of 55 participants took part in the study. The Museum Experience Scale (MES) was used to measure visitor experience, whilst the Multimedia Guide Scale (MMGS) was used to measure visitors’ experiences with the IAMM Mobile Guide. Results showed that scores on all components of MES suggested a positive experience at the IAMM with the component of meaningful experience being the highest score, followed by the component of knowledge and learning. Scores on the MMGS also showed a positive experience in using the mobile guide with learnability and control scored the highest, followed by general usability.Keywords: user experience (UX); visitor experience; museum; smartphone; applications; mobile guide

Visit by Professor Tariq Ramadan to Malaysia ( 29 January 2015 - 1 February 2015 )

renowned Muslim public intellectual, Tariq Ramadan, currently Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford, held a lecture tour in Kuala Lumpur from 29 January 2015 to 1 February 2015. Among others he spoke on reclaiming the true meaning of jihad at a conference organised by the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) and on the Qur’an, The Word and its Signs at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM).

Islamic Art and the Museum

This volume contains an impressive number of essays by authors from diversebackgrounds. What the title does not indicate is the reason for this publication– the conference “Layers of Islamic Art and the Museum Context” (held inBerlin during January 13-16, 2010) in cooperation with the Aga Khan Trustfor Culture, the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin, and the “Europe in the MiddleEast – The Middle East in Europe” (EUME). The EUME is a Berlin-basedresearch program initiated by the Brandenburg Academy of Science, the FritzThyssen Foundation, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, and the Forum TransregionaleStudien. This publication drew upon the expertise of the Aga KhanNetwork and experts in Germany because it was originally to be a workshopfocused on the reorganization of Berlin’s Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) aswell as a study for Toronto’s Museum of Islamic Art, which will open thisyear and house the Aga Khan’s personal collection.The forum offers a certain diversity of voices regarding issues in general(the display of Islamic art around the world) and specific to the MIA at thePergamon Museum. Its twenty-nine essays are divided into five sections: “In-132 The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 31:2troduction,” ...

KONYA SELÇUKLU HALI MOTİFLERİNİN EKSLİBRİSLERDE YORUMLANMASI

Traditional Turkish carpets’ technical characteristics with strong motifs and knotting technique, have been its greatest support in regular and continuing development which carry on to survive today. The discovery of Gordes - Turkish knotting technique was born from the need of a nomadic tribe to find a thicker and warmer floor material. Located in Konya, the center of the Anatolian Seljuks, Seljuk carpets with their rich color tones and motifs were the ones where this technique was applied for the first time. Most important characteristics of the 8 Konya Seljuk carpets which are good examples of development of Turkish carpet art between 13. and 19. Centuries, currently being exhibited in the Museum of Turkish Islamic Art, are their geometric motifs and large kufic writings on their borders. In this study, the Seljuk carpet motifs have been interpreted in small-sized original works called exlibrises that are pasted inside books and contained owners’ names and various topics of drawings.

The properties of Seljuq and Ottoman era public fountain faucets and some rare faucet samples

Until the late 19th and early 20th century, public fountains (in Turkish, ‘çeşme’) in Anatolia and Ottoman lands had an important place in everyday life. The water that was collected from various water sources and brought to the city centres through waterlines was supplied to people from the architectural stone structures which we call ‘fountains’. These fountains were constructed in squares and streets as needed; to supply water to an area or to pay for the building of a fountain was considered the greatest deed. An inseparable part of the public fountains, many of which are architectural monuments, is the faucets which are generally made of metal and through which the water would run. The faucets were also named as ‘lüles’ (meaning ‘pipes’) which indicated the flow rate of water. Faucets were paid great attention in the construction of public fountains. This work examines the Seljuq and Ottoman era faucets registered in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum as historic artefacts and are a part of the Adell Armature Collection. Within this scope, the alloys and metals of which faucets are made; their size and measurements, their design features, on and off mechanisms, wall-mount features, the patterns and decorations on the faucets were also compared. While Seljuq era faucets have stylised dragon heads and other powerful animals depicted in their metal work, Ottoman era faucets usually have floral patterns and not animal figures. This subject draws much attention.

Historical Evidence or Just Acts of Vandalism

Every object is physical proof of history. The object serves as a manifestation of raw material, human thoughts, and events. Once the heritage expert accepts this, he takes responsibility for interacting with its history by preserving it, adding to it, or removing it. This article defines three aspects of intended interaction with an object's history: restoration, de-restoration and re-restoration. When preparing an object for exhibition or study, ethical considerations, formed through the years amongst museums and organisations, should be considered in order to achieve the best decision regarding an object's treatment. There is no single solution to issues that derive from past restorations as noted in the case studies presented here from the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia.

THE ROLE OF MUSEUM’S ARCHITECTURE IN ISLAMIC COMMUNITY: MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART, DOHA

<p class="Keywords">As we are heading through the second decade of the 21<sup>st</sup> century, architecture of the Islamic communities is still an unresolved dilemma. In this context, the impact of iconic buildings which claim to represent Islam or provide a contemporary approach to Islamic architecture is crucial on different levels. Therefore, a year after Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) opening in Doha, Qatar, an evaluative perspective of the institution’s development story needs to be sketched. In this essay I will use MIA, Doha as a springboard for a discussion related to the museums of the 21<sup>th</sup> century. Then, I will try to exploit the findings of this discussion in the assessment and critical review of the museum itself. The assessment will include the ability of contemporary architecture to credibly represent Islamic cultural identity. This essay will analyze how and why community participation in museums is a significant factor in bridging the gap and improving relationship between the two institutions. The social inclusion leads to trust, understanding, a sense of identity, and creating a museum that is more relevant to the community. This essay also give some suggestions on how to build bridges between museums and communities, to provide an opportunity for the people living in such communities, like Gulf ones, to find out about their own heritage and to help them realize that it is through their active participation in museum activities that heritage is kept alive. Considering Qatar’s thrive into a post-oil paradigm where knowledge economy might be the generative force for development, an examination of how MIA is contributing to Qatar’s new vision becomes so relevant.</p>

A new approach for conservation treatment of a silk textile in Islamic Art Museum, Cairo

Abstract The paper presents strategies for the conservation of historical textiles in Egypt that have been in uncontrolled storage and display. The silk textile is highly decorated, multicoloured and dates to the Ottoman period, and was exhibited in case # 12014. The textile has various types of deterioration. An examination and analysis of the textile was undertaken in order to develop a plan of conservation treatment. FTIR was used to identify the kinds of dyes and organic stains, and XR-D was used to identify mordants and dust. Light microscope and SEM were used to identify the kind of fibers, their condition and surface morphology. The effects of cleaning materials on the natural dyes were tested. The researcher designed a new metallic frame support system which has advantages over the wooden frames commonly used in Egypt. This presentation will review the conservation treatment step by step. Poultices were used to remove all the sticking cardboard and adhesive. Old conservation repairs were removed. Separated parts were supported. Cleaning included mechanical and wet cleaning. New silk fabrics dyed with natural dyes were used to complete the missing parts. The textile was supported on new linen fabric which was stretched on a metal frame. The method of exhibition will be discussed. Photographs are included to document the conservation process.

THE OTTOMAN ROOM AT THE ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUM MALAYSIA: A TECHNICAL STUDY OF ITS METHODS AND MATERIALS

The Ottoman Room at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) is among a few remaining original reconstructed rooms of this type anywhere in the world. The Room dates from the early nineteenth century and utilizes a wide range of materials and techniques in its execution. Conservators are in the process of examining the interior to carefully access its condition, its materials, their sources, and the manner in which they have been both prepared and applied. This examination incorporates various levels of analyses, including tools available to most conservators such as ultraviolet light analysis, polarizing light microscopy (PLM) and microchemical analysis as well as equipment not normally at the disposal of all conservation laboratories, such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM–EDX).

CONSERVATION OF A PRECIOUS NINETEENTH-CENTURY FAN

In 1983, a rare collection of watches and clocks had been stolen from Mayer Islamic Art Museum in Jerusalem, Israel. Two years ago the stolen objects were recovered; one was a hand-painted fan with music box and watch, made in Switzerland in 1820. This valuable European fan is made of gold, pearls, enamel decorations and a painted battle scene on vellum. The fan was found to be in poor condition, the golden rods were detached from the main fan element, as the painted vellum was badly damaged. The handles containing the mechanisms of the watch and the music box had been dismantled. The complex restoration process is described as a joint project involving two different disciplines – that is, conservation by a silversmith and paper conservator. Delicate titanium supports were added to the fan's internal structure, golden pins to reinforce the handles, and vellum inserts for the missing and weak areas. Lastly, the painting was retouched in order to complete the restoration.

The 19th-century Malay Qurān A Comparative Study of Materials and Techniques

The article treats two Qurān manuscripts that are kept in the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. The two case studies which they present treat two Qur’an manuscripts, both of which can be attributed to the East coast of peninsular Malaysia. The authors’ examination uses various levels of analyses, including the polarizing light microscopy (PLM) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX).