Meeting In Milan UNESCO, Kuwait Organisations and Embassies

In This Issue
Dear Friends,
2008 is sure to be a great year for the
Friends of the Dar. The 13th Cultural
Season started strong and carried on
that way throughout the last quarter of
2007.
l Cultural Season 13 gets
underway
l Arab-style Richard III is a hit in
London and here at home
l New Exhibitions in the Works
have the seats packed. I don’t think I
can remember such an exciting cultural
season. See you Mondays.
Best regards,
Bader al-Baijan
Chairman
DAI Steering Committee
LNS 305C
Looking ahead, the programme is
full of music and lectures that should
Bareed ad-Dar, Newsletter of the Friends of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Year 10, Issue 1. 2008
Sheikha Hussah and panel addressing culture diversity conference.
On 28 November 2007, Sheikha Hussah
Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah joined an
international group for a seminar highlighting
the importance of culture diversity.
Organised by the Kuwait National Committee
for Education, UNESCO and the UNESCO
Kuwaiti Schools Affiliate, the one-day seminar
included participants from more than half a
dozen Kuwaiti groups and nine embassies.
This publication
is sponsored by:
As you’d expect, the stated dialogue
objectives included active and informational
purposes. From establishing the importance
of dialogue and the role that can play in
conflict prevention and the establishment of
a viable peace to the recognition of the value
of cultural diversity in society to a discussion
of how constructive dialogue between
cultures can be adapted, the international
portion of the conference moved from theory
to practical ideas and opportunities.
Bareed ad-Dar is the bi-monthly newsletter of The
Friends of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI).
Gulf Museum Consultancy Company WLL (GMCC) is
the commercial entity authorized to exploit & prommote the commercial and other rights relating to
The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah.
[email protected]
© 2008 GMCC, Kuwait
Badriya Al-Khalidi, Sheikha Hussah and Abdullatif Al-Beajan.
In addition to Sheikha Hussah,
the speakers included cultural
representatives from the embassies
of China, Egypt, France, Greece,
India, Iran, Spain, the United
Kingdom and the United States. Dr.
Bassam Al-Shatti from the College
of Sharia and Islamic Studies
represented Arab civilisation and
Islam; Mr. Khalid al-Khaldi, projects
manager, British Council, Kuwait
highlighted the importance of
education vis-à-vis the subject.
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Sheikha Hussah concentrated on
the importance of an open mind and self
awareness in the effort to create genuine
Equally important, noted Sheikha
Hussah, is “self understanding. We think
we know the ‘other’ as well as we know
ourselves, but this is not always true. What
we know of ourselves, in general, are our
positive attributes. However, being human,
we are reluctant to criticize ourselves
– something we must do to achieve true self
understanding. It’s not until we know who we
really are that we can really share our culture
with the ‘other’ or fully appreciate the culture
the ‘other’ has to share with us.
Friends of Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah
Making the most of an opportunity,
the seminar also included a more “local”
dimension. The role of Kuwait in the
promotion of international understanding
was presented by Mr. Mohammad Ja’afar
al-Kandari, public education assistant
undersecretary, Ministry of Education. An
overview of Arab and Islamic culture and a
review of the historic appreciation for multiculturalism in the Arab world was the theme
of the introduction to the conference by Mr.
Abdulatif al-Baijan
understanding between cultures. She
stressed the importance of open mindedness
in the context of being prepared to appreciate
the “other”, saying understanding requires
“an enlightened and tolerant mind, without
preconceived ideas and fanaticism; a mind
willing to acquire real knowledge” about
foreign cultures.
National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters
UNESCO, Kuwait Organisations and Embassies
Work Together to Promote Cultural Diversity
Sheikha Hussah with Abdullah Al-Askar and Football
Legend Patrick Vieira.
P.O. Box 23996, Safat, 13100, KUWAIT
In addition to her meetings with Mayor
Moratti, Sheikha Hussah was the guest of
honour at a dinner organised by the Consul
T: +965 563 6528
One of the primary topics of discussion
was the creation of an exhibition of Islamic
The nomination of Milan as the host of
Expo 2015 was also discussed. The mayor,
who’d recently visited Kuwait to round up
support for her city’s bid, noted that Milan’s
plan put considerable emphasis on the
cultural and societal opportunities that can be
exploited during such an event.
General of Kuwait, Mr. Abdullah Khaled alAskar, his colleagues, Hammad Al-Mikrad,
Waleed Al-Majed and their wives. At the
consul’s home she met many of the people,
Kuwaiti, Italian and others, who had been
staunch supporters of Kuwait during the
invasion and post-invasion periods. She
also met celebrated footballer Patrick Vieira,
possibly the meeting that most impressed her
grandchildren.
F: +965 565 3006
In early December, Sheikha Hussah, at
the invitation of the mayor of Milan Letizia
Brichetto Arnaboldi Moratti, arrived in the
city to discuss the experience of women
in leadership roles and how they might
work together in future. They say: if you
want something done right, ask a woman.
Organised by Ambassador Giorgio De
Pietrogiacomo, the Italian Ambassador to
Kuwait, the two day trip included a wide
range of subjects chosen to help expand
the cultural relationship between Kuwait
and Milan, Italy’s second largest city
and the de facto capital of northern Italy.
Several members of the mayor’s cabinet
joined in the discussions, including Drs.
Andrea Vento, director of the International
Relations department, Gaetano Castellini,
senior officer, same portfolio, and Laura
Veronese, office in the International Relations
department, specialising in the Middle East.
art designed specifically to reinforce cultural
relations between Kuwait and Italy. Portions
of the al-Sabah Collection have a special
relevance to Italy and were successfully
exhibited in Florence, Italy in the 1994. An
exhibition in Milan would give an even
greater number of Italians the opportunity to
see a host of Islamic treasures.
E: [email protected]
After this trip, it might be fair to modify that
Meeting In Milan statement to “better still, ask two.”
2 Bareed ad-Dar
Arab-style Richard III is a hit in London and here at home
That Kuwaiti director
Suleyman al-Bassem is
gifted at staging great
plays goes without
saying. He’s proven this
again and again – here
in Kuwait and in international theatres. What
does merit notice is his unique ability to go
beyond the beauty of Shakespeare’s word
and the drama of the story the bard is telling
to the kernel of truth that makes the stories
truly universal.
Several years ago al-Bassam, who works
closely with Wafa al-Faraheen, al-Maidan
Cultural Centre theatre manager and other
DAI personnel, presented plays derived from
Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hamlet in Kuwait
and The Arab League Hamlet led to The
Al-Hamlet Summit, an award-winning play
performed in the region, Europe and Japan.
Based, in part, on the success of The
Al-Hamlet Summit, the Royal Shakespeare
Company commissioned an Arabic version of
Richard III for The Complete Works Festival
in 2007. The al-Bassam version of the play is
set in the modern Arab world, where political
intrigue and societal upheaval provide the
necessary parallels to the original play.
The play was performed in Arabic, with
English surtitles, and was an immediate hit
with audiences and critics in the UK. The
Financial Times noted that “it is seldom
that one sees a Shakespearean reworking
that’s so consistently enlightening while
also retaining considerable dramatic power.”
The Guardian called it “a punchy, irreverent
makeover that retools Shakespeare for the
world of Saddam, the CIA ...”
Richard III – An Arab Tragedy premiered
here at the DAI’s al Maidan Cultural Centre
in January and the audiences here were
equally impressed. “Breathtaking” and
“amazing” dominated the reviews. The
consensus was that the production captured
the drama of Shakespeare, the power of
politics in the region, and the professionalism
of London’s West End.
The play was presented to a packed
house every night. Performed in Arabic with
English surtitles projected on a large screen,
Richard III surpassed the expectations of
even Kuwait’s toughest critics. Of course,
even with just a quick look at the pictures
here it’s easy to see why.
Those who missed the performances
in England and Kuwait have another
opportunity to see the production. Al-Bassam
has been invited to present Richard III – An
Arab Tragedy in Damascus in mid-May, as
part of the city’s Cultural Capital programme.
Photo Credit: Farah Khajah
3 Bareed ad-Dar
Cultural Season 13
audience awash in a peaceful calm. It was
a performance that inspired silence and a
desire to hold on to emotion sparked by the
music for as long as possible.
Lisa Urkevich & the Bin
Hussein Band
19 November 2007
(a lecture in English)
The 13th Cultural Season got off to
an amazing start in October; a start that
epitomized what was to follow. Dr. Géza
Fehérvári’s lecture set a very high standard
for subsequent speakers and Cristiana
Pegoraro’s piano recital set a tone (pun
intended) that was equally high. Three
months into the season, we are confident
that everyone would agree those standards
have been met week after week after week.
Dr. Géza Fehérvári
22 October 2007
(a lecture in English)
Speaking on
Masterpieces of an
Unknown Iranian
Metalworker, Dr. Fehérvári mixed an art
lesson, a metal working lesson and even a
geography lesson to present the story of a
brass incense burner, with well-preserved
silver inlay. He painted a picture of an artisan
using all the tools available to him to create
a piece with such beauty that it would be
appreciated centuries later.
Cristiana Pegoraro
29 October 2007
With a mastery of the
piano held by few, Cristiana
Pegoraro whisked a full
house away from Kuwait.
Her performance, Ithaka: the Journey of
Ulysses, a piano as a vessel in discovering
the Mediterranean, spanned the globe – from
Cuba to northern Europe, the ages, from the
Romance era to the present, and the full
range of musical genres, from classical to
contemporary jazz.
Dr. Jum’a Sheikha
5 November 2007
(a lecture in Arabic)
Ibn Khaldoun, a
14th century Arab social
scientist, well known in
the Arab world. In fact, he has become
something of an icon and, as a result,
portrayed as perfect. In his lecture Ibn
Khaldoun: Pros and Cons Dr. Sheikha
presents a picture of this famous man as he
probably was. Dividing Ibn Khaldoun’s life
into four stages, Dr. Sheikha introduced the
audience to the real man behind the legend,
making him more impressive for his flaws.
Sodi Braide and Fanny
Clamagirand
12 November 2007
Music has the ability
to create a palpable
sense of things rarely
tangible. Independently, Sodi Braide’s piano
performances and Fanny Clamagirand’s
violin were outstanding. Together, the two
created a sense of beauty that had the entire
The scheduling of
this performance couldn’t
have been better. In contrast to the previous
week’s classical performance, Lisa Urkevich,
with support from the Bin Hussein Band,
presented Music to Wash off the Sea: the
Communal Sea Song Tradition of Kuwait and
had the audience stomping and clapping
along with the music. Her lecture quickly
shifted from academic dissertation to “uns”,
a word she explained means “fun” and was
used to describe an evening of traditional
Kuwaiti sea songs.
Dr. Ali Radwan
26 November 2007
(a lecture in English)
Concerning the
appearance of some
Pharonic Motifs in the
Arts and Crafts of the Ancient Near East
took the audience on a journey from Egypt
around the Near East and traveling with
them were various motifs unique to Egypt.
Combining history, arts, trade routes, and
social development, Dr. Radwan traced
the movement of crafts and ideas across
a large geographic area. In addition, he
used these motifs to demonstrate the role
of internationalism and diplomatic relations
among the nations of the Ancient World.
Mehrbano Musical
Ensemble
3 December 2007
Five incredible ladies
from Iran presented An
Evening of Persian and
Kurdish Music with such skill and passion
that the audience was left wanting to learn
more about the two genres. Led by Ms.
Roushanek Nori, the dulcimer player, the
contrasting styles were obvious, but so
were the musical similarities. In their first
GCC performance, the Mehrbano Musical
Ensemble won a fan base that eagerly awaits
their next performance in the region.
Trio Impossible
11 December 2007
A piano, cello
and double-bass
combination is
unusual. In fact,
it is so unusual that music isn’t written for
this instrumentation. After hearing Trio
Impossible, named for the difficulty inherent
in such a trio, it should be. Presenting an
array of classical pieces written by the likes
of Bach, Strauss, and Liszt, arranged by
members of Trio Impossible, the sound was
compelling and surprisingly light (where
appropriate). The group managed to avoid
the plodding potential of the cello and
double-bass pairing and presented a concert
that seemed brilliantly normal, demonstrating
just how talented Trio Impossible really is.
Dr. Tamer el-Leithy
17 December 2007
(a lecture in English)
Dr. Jean Lambert
14 January 2008
(a lecture in English)
Dr. el-Leithy
approached his subject
from a perspective which
differed greatly from most cultural season
lectures. Rather than coming from an arts
approach, An Ottoman Mosaic: Cultural
Pluralism in Early-Modern Ottoman Artistic
Production used costuming as windows into
the socio-economics of the period, focusing
largely on the interaction between ethnic
and religious groups. In large he painted
a picture of an era, using various bits of
clothing as props to illustrate life and social
behaviour in that period.
Dr. Lambert
treated the
audience to a
wonderful evening of information and music.
Passionate about his subject, Sanaan
Singing, he explained the history and
character of this unique art form and then
gave a performance that demonstrated the
various aspects of the genre. One of the
foremost scholars on the subject and a gifted
musician, Dr. Lambert’s enthusiasm was
infectious and by evening’s end the audience
was as enamored with Sanaan Singing as
the lecturer himself.
Opera Gala Night
26 December 2007
Dr. Valeria Piacentini
Fiorani
21 January 2008
(a lecture in English)
DAI members
had a rare
opportunity to
enjoy an opera performance of the highest
standards during this very special cultural
season offering. Tenor Ismail Tulaganovich
Djalilov and soprano Lyubov Frankova from
Uzbekistan joined soprano Amani al-Hajji
and baritone Mahmoud Faraj from Kuwait for
an evening of arias and songs. Performing
compositions by famous composers
like Mozart, Verdi and Donizetti and less
familiar one like Soviet composer Reinhold
Gliere and his former student, Uzbekistani
composer Talib Sadykov, the foursome had
music ringing through the rafters. With
selections that ranged from the serious to the
light, everyone agreed it was a gala evening.
Dr. Emad Abu Ghazi
7 January 2008
(a lecture in Arabic)
Mamluk Royal
Residences, a lecture by
Dr. Emad Abu Ghazi, got
2008 off to a wonderful start. The lecture
combined an introduction to Mamluk history
and then an exposition on what we can learn
from the architecture of surviving Mamluk
structures. Dr. Abu Ghazi touched on the
three major requirements of the age: the
military roles of princes, consistency with
the cultural values of the society, and an
awareness of environmental and climatic
conditions. Then deconstructing the
buildings, he took us back to history.
International SeaTrade Routes: Makran
and the Arabian Sea at the Dawn of the
Portuguese Arrival, the topic of Dr. Fiorani’s
lecture, traced the evolution of both the naval
supremacy of Hormuz and the importance
of the interaction between Hormuz and the
inland green belt Makran. She highlighted
the varying roles of Makran, as a centre
of trade, a frontier region, and fortress.
Rather than accepting that the strength
of Hormuz negated the importance of
Makran, Dr. Fiorani depicted the pairing as
complementary.
Dr. Agnes Stillfried
28 January 2008
(a lecture in English)
Back by popular
demand, Dr. Stillfried’s
lecture on select treasures
of the Habsburgs held the audience captive
for the hour. Throughout Collecting for
Pleasure and Prestige: the Kunstkammer
Collections of the Habsburg she presented
images and explanations of some of her
favourite pieces from the princely collection.
Dividing the presentation into traditional
Kunstkammer categories (naturalia, artefacta,
and scientifica), Dr. Stillfried couldn’t contain
her amazement regarding the craftsmanship
or the media or the history of each work of
art and, in doing so, she passed it on to the
audience.
4 Bareed ad-Dar
DAI in the News
Whether we’re talking about slick and glossy magazines or simple newsprint and black
ink, you can hardly open a publication recently without reading something about Dar al-Athar
al-Islamiyyah.
The newspaper coverage of the DAI annual dinner was extensive, as was the coverage of
the joint Egyptian/Japanese/Kuwaiti dig in Sinai, Egypt. The selection of the Dar’s website to
represent Kuwait in the international World Summit Awards, sponsored by WSIS, as the best
cultural website in the country garnered large spreads in almost all the papers. And, of course,
Cultural Season 13 has generated significantly more coverage than any previous season.
We haven’t been ignored by the magazines. There were culture/collection based stories
in Kuwait and international publications, including GEO, Today’s Outlook, and al-Hawiya (in
English, The Identity), and the articles were full of gorgeous pictures. Bespoke, a regional
magazine published in Lebanon, gave Sheikha Hussah “The Connoisseur Award” in their
“Ultimate” issue.
Bareed ad-Dar 5
Treasury of the World to Visit the Kremlin
Approximately a year from now, Treasury
of the World will be on show at one of the
prestigious State Museums of the Moscow
Kremlin. Specifically, the exhibition will be
housed in the Assumption Belfry in The Ivan
the Great Bell-Tower.
Abdulkarem al-Ghadban, DAI Director
of Exhibitions, and Abdulrahman al-Ajmi,
DAI Director of Adminstration, returned from
Moscow in December with a confirmation
that Treasury of the World would open at the
Kremlin in March 2009. The collection has
been allocated more than 200 square metres
on the first floor of the Assumption Belfry.
pieces were merged into an exhibition for
display at the British Museum in London in
2001. Subsequently, Treasury of the World
travelled to the United States, where it
opened at Metropolitan Museum in New York
City. After New York, the exhibition travelled
to the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum
of Fine Arts in Houston, and the St. Louis Art
Museum. Returning to Europe, the exhibition
was presented at the Palacio Real in Madrid,
and the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin. In
the summer of 2006, the Louvre Museum in
Paris hosted the collection, which was one of
the three most popular temporary exhibitions
of the year.
Treasury of the World is the collection
of Mughal jewellery from the al-Sabah
Collection of art from the Islamic world. The
Like previous stops, the exhibition in
Moscow makes the collection available to
a large audience that might not have had
the opportunity to see it elsewhere. In
addition, Mughal jewellery is among the
finest reminders of the strength and beauty
inherent in the Mughal Court. It is fitting,
then, that it will be displayed in a facility that
so embodies the beauty and strength of
Russia’s history.
From left to right: Abdulrahman al-Ajmi, DAI, Elena Tarasova, main exhibition designer – Moscow Kremlin
Museums, Victoria V. Pavlenko, head of exhibition department – Moscow Kremlin Museums, Dr. Alexey K. Levykin,
science director – Moscow Kremlin Museums, Zelfira I. Tregulova, deputy director for exhibitions – Moscow Kremlin
Museums, Dr. Elena Gagarina, general director – Moscow Kremlin Museums, H.E. Mr. Nasser H. Al-Muzayyan, Ambbassador of the State of Kuwait in the Russian Federation, Abdulkarem al-Ghadban, DAI, and Dr. Maher Salama,
press officer, Embassy of the State of Kuwait in the Russian Federation.
DAI Exhibition at Dartmouth
University’s Hood Museum of Art
“I hope you’ll enjoy the journey we’re
about to take . . .”
Dr. Brian Kennedy, director,
Hood Museum of Art.
an exhibition of pieces from the al-Sabah
Collection of art from the Islamic world.
The exhibition, the brainchild of Dr. Robert
Hillenbrand, will look at the role of religion in
the development of art in this region from the
8th to the 18th centuries. Scheduled to open
in April 2010, the exhibition will be comprised
of works directly related to the Five Pillars of
Islam.
DAI Exhibitions Director Abdulkarem alGhadban braved the New Hampshire, USA
cold in November and spent 10 days at the
museum. During a host of meetings with
Kennedy, assistant directors Katherine Hart
and Juliette M. Bianco, exhibition designer
Patrick Dunfey, collection manager/registrar
Kellen G. Haak, education curator Lesley
Wellman, business manager Nancy A.
McLain and Professor Dale F. Eickelman,
Dr. Kennedy spoke those words to the
staff at the Hood Museum of Art when he
began his stint as director of the museum,
but they are equally apropos today, as
the DAI and the Hood begin preparing for
Patrick Dunfey, Exhibitions Designer
The Kremlin itself is a museum. While
the word has taken on a political bent,
the study of Russian politics is known as
“Kremlinology”, “Kremlin” is actually the
Russian word for “citadel” and the Moscow
Kremlin is the most famous in the country.
In combination with Red Square, it is the
primary architectural feature of Moscow.
The Assumption Belfry is one of nine
museums housed inside the walls of the
Moscow Kremlin.
The Great
Assumption Bell,
the largest of all
the Kremlin bells,
is housed in the
belfry and is part
of an ensemble
of 24 big bells.
Previously it
played host
to elite collections from around the world,
including the Habsburg Kunstkammer so
wonderfully described by Dr. Agnes Stillfried
in her lecture this year.
While the land on which the Kremlin
sits has been a seat of power since the 11th
century, today’s fortress was started in the
late 15th century (the fortification structures
were built between 1485 and 1495). It
reached its present form after an intensive
period of development in the 17th century,
with the addition of several palaces, towers,
and the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles.
The Great Kremlin Palace, the Arsenal, the
Armoury, and the Senate were added in the
18th – 19th centuries. The final large edifice
built on the grounds of the Kremlin was The
Palace of Congresses, added between 1959
and 1961.
For many years the gates of the
Kremlin were closed to all but a few high
ranking government officials and their
associates. That began to change during
the Khrushchev Thaw in the late 1950s
and in 1961 the Kremlin Museums were
established. Today, the Kremlin is on the
World Heritage List and General Director
Elena Gagarina, daughter of cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin, is working to restore all
the buildings to their original splendour.
Certainly the presence of Treasury of
the World will provide more than a bit of
splendour during the restoration process.
al-Ghadban began resolving many of the
planning and logistics issues related to
creating and hosting a new exhibition.
The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth
College was created in 1985 “to inspire,
educate, and collaborate with our
academic and broader communities about
creativity and imagination through a direct
engagement with works of art of historic
and cultural significance by making effective
use of our collections and staff.” Situated on
campus at one of America’s leading liberal
arts universities, the Hood Museum is well
positioned to meet the expectations raised by
such an ambitious statement of purpose.
The commitment to ensuring that
the museum is a tool for education and
community
outreach is
strong part of
what makes
hosting this
exhibition at
this institution
so appealing.
To quote
Hillenbrand’s
vision, the
exhibition will
allow American
audiences to
become “better
informed about
the nature of
Islam itself
through the
prism of the
visual arts.”
Kellen G. Haak, Collection Manager Registrar
6 Bareed ad-Dar
news nuggets
‫أ‬
‫الفراد املمولون‬
‫ألن�شطة أ��صدقاء الدار‬
Individual Sponsors
The DAI was pleased to welcome a number of guests to our office in the Historic American
Hospital. Some came for business, like UNDP Resident Representative Valerie Cliff and others,
like Sibella Laing, wife of British Ambassador and DAI lecturer Stuart Laing, came to see the
renovated buildings. No matter the reason, it was always a pleasure.
of the Friends of the DAI
‫كبار الرعاة‬
Benefactors
‫�شفيقة علي املطوع‬
Shafiqa Ali Al-Mutawa
‫مرمي نا�صر ال�صباح‬
Mariam Nasser al-Sabah
‫انت�صار �سامل العلي ال�صباح‬
Intisar S.A. al-Sabah
UNDP Resident Representative Valerie Cliff
‫الرعاة املتربعون‬
Donors
‫ عبدالعزيز ال�سلطان‬.‫د‬
‫�أحمد عبداهلل ال�صراف‬
Dr. Abdulaziz al-Sultan
Ahmed Abdallah Al-Sarraf
‫ر�شاد حبيب طبيعات‬
Rachad Habib Tabiat
Sibella Laing, wife of the British Ambassador
The internship programme started
by DAI and the Department of Art and
Design at the College for Women – Kuwait
University last year continued over the
summer and autumn. Four senior design
students, Eman Al-Shawaf, Hend Al-Awadhi,
Sara Al-Mudhaf, and Sarah Abubaker
worked on product development and
external communication designs. From
coffee cups to t-shirts; from websites to
newsletters, the students demonstrate
tremendous creativity and we are confident
that these are names we’ll hear again in the
future.
‫الرعاة امل�ساهمون‬
Patrons
‫هند حمد �أحمد البحر‬
‫پوال ال�صباح‬
Hind Hamad Ahmad Al-Bahar
Paula Al-Sabah
‫نادية حممد البحر‬
‫علي في�صل حمود اخلالد‬
Nadia M. Al-Bahar
Ali Faisal Hamoud Al-Khaled
‫عادل م�ساعد اجلاراهلل اخلرايف‬
‫�ضرار يو�سف الغامن‬
Adel Musaed Al-Jarallah Al-Khorafi
Dirar Y. Alghanim
‫ وافا‬.‫جميل �أ‬
Jamil A. Wafa
Sponsors
‫خلود عبدالر�ضا الفلي‬
Kholoud Abdulrida Al-Feeli
‫ علي عا�شور اجلعفر‬.‫د‬
Dr. Ali Ashour Al-Jaffar
‫فيليب باردوير‬
The results are in for the “Crusaders
– Pilgrims. Warriors. Adventurers.” exhibition
at Shloss Schallaburg. Pieces from the alSabah Collection of art from the Islamic world
were included in the exhibition which attracted
almost 200,000 visitors, making it the 2nd
most successful exhibition ever held in the
castle.
Philip F. Bardawil
‫منرية اخلبيزي‬
Munira Al-Khubaizi
‫منى اخلنيني‬
Mona Al-Khonaini
‫طارق بدر امليلم‬
Tareq Bader Al-Mailem
‫�إينا�س املرزوق‬
‫هالل ال�ساير‬
Hilal Al-Sayer
‫مارجريت ال�ساير‬
Margaret Al-Sayer
‫حممد حممود را�شد‬
Mohamed Mahmoud Rasheed
‫�إيرك كون‬
Eric Kuhne
‫أ�فراح مبارك ال�صباح‬
Afrah Mubarak Al-Sabah
‫با�سمة ال�صباح‬
Basemah M. Al-Sabah
‫بريجيت املطوع‬
Enass Al-Marzouk
Brigit Al-Mutawa
‫نا�صر دعيج ال�صباح‬
‫هند عبداهلل اجلابر ال�صباح‬
Nasser Duaij Al-Sabah
DAI’s staff and DMC co-ordinator
Harvey Pincis was recognised for his
contribution to promoting “British Excellence
in Arts Administration in Kuwait.” Given
by the British Business Forum (BBF), the
award was presented to Harvey by British
Ambassador Stuart Laing and BBF vicechairman Jeff De Lange at the annual
British Excellence Awards dinner.
‫الرعاة‬
‫�سعاد العرفج‬
Suad Al-Arfaj
‫�صباح حممد �أمني الري�س‬
Sabah Mohammed Amin Al-Rayees
‫ الغامن‬.‫خليفة د‬
Khalifa D. Al-Ghanim
Hind Abdulla Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
‫منرية خالد املطوع‬
Munira Khaled Al-Mutawa
‫يا�سر عا�شور اجلعفر‬
Yasser Ashour Al-Jaffar
‫ الغامن‬.‫مرزوق د‬
Marzouk D. Al-Ghanim
Bareed ad-Dar 7
‫ال�شركات الرئي�سية‬
Corporate Supporters
‫كبار الرعاة‬
Benefactors
Upcoming Events
Cultural Season 13
3 March
Dr. Antony Johae
10 March
Dr. Rashed Juma (concert)
17 March
Mr. Sergey Turkin
24 March
Dr. Lambros Liavas
w w w. t a m d e e n r e a l e s t a t e . c o m
25 March
‫الرعاة املتربعون‬
Donors
Dromos Bouzouki Band (concert)
31 March
Dr. Nabil Safwat
7 April
Dr. Kavita Singh
14 April
Jamal al-Ghitany (Arabic)
21 April
Stuart Laing and
Valentina Maria Baginska
‫�شل الكويتية املحدودة‬
Kuwiat Shell Ltd.
(lecture and concert)
28 April
Dr. Risa Tokunaga
5 May
‫بار�سون برنكرهوف‬
Parsons Brinkerhoff Int. Inc.
Mr. Sulaiman al-Dikan (concert)
12 May
Dr. Carl Ernst
13 May
‫املركز العربي للتجارة والعقار‬
‫�أنور القطامي‬
Anwar Y. Al-Qatami
Arab Center for Commerce & Real Estate
Ms. Judith Ernst
19 May
Dr. Gocha Japaridze (Arabic)
26 May
Dr. Sitare Turan Bakir
8 Bareed ad-Dar
Special Thanks to ExxonMobil
DMC: Hitting the Right Notes
ExxonMobil is the
world’s largest publicly
traded international
oil and gas company. The company holds
an industry-leading inventory of global oil
and gas resources and is the world’s largest
refiner and marketer of petroleum products.
The company’s organizational structure is
built on a concept of global businesses and
is designed to allow ExxonMobil to compete
most effectively in the ever-changing and
challenging worldwide energy industry. .
In addition, ExxonMobil considers itself a
technology company, applying science and
innovation to find better, safer and cleaner
ways to deliver the energy the world needs.
The Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah Music Circle (DMC) continues to grow, attracting more and
more participants – both those who appreciate listening to fine music and those who enjoy
making fine music. Halfway through the second season, the group has delivered a series
of performances that exceeded the expectations of everyone. The remaining events on the
schedule reflect the diversity of musical interests and talents available in Kuwait. Mark your
calendar now.
Here in Kuwait ExxonMobil plays a
substantial role in the community. In addition
to supporting cultural
programmes, including
the Dar al-Athar alIslamiyyah, the company is actively involved
in training young Kuwaitis to be competitive
in the high tech, ever changing oil and gas
sector. In-house programmes account for
much of the training activities, but ExxonMobil
has also partnered with Kuwait University
on technical seminars, participating with
the advisory committee to the petroleum
engineering faculty, and supporting the
teaching curriculum for the Geoscience
Department; supported science education
programs in cooperation with Kuwait scientific
institutions; and sponsored the Kuwait
Oil and Gas Exhibitions that support the
advancement of the Kuwait energy sector.
Royal Water Bearer?
Be a Friend!
“Cute” is probably
the best lay word
to describe this
charming piece
of fritware from
Iran. Painted black
under a turquoise
glaze, with blue
decoration, the
piece dates back
to the second half
of the 13th century.
The Friends of the Dar al-Athar alIslamiyyah (DAI) plays an important role in
the growth of the DAI. Cultural organisations
like ours need to be part of a community;
they need to live and breathe and serve.
That is the difference between dull, static
organisations and vibrant ones.
According to
Ceramics From
Islamic Lands,
a book on ceramic pieces in the al-Sabah
Collection by Oliver Watson, it is possible
“that this figure represents a water carrier,
whose water-skin provides the double spout
for the bottle, though this would not explain
the figure’s elaborate crown.”
While the combination of the water-skin
and the crown may never be explained, what
is evident is that this piece demonstrates that
the maker fully embraced the evolution in
ceramics. Ceramic technology went through
dramatic changes in the 12th century:
artisans adopted the frit body and the use of
underglaze painting became more common.
This was especially true in Iran and “the socalled silhouette wares mark the transition
between the older traditions of clay-bodied
ceramics and the flowering of fully-developed
underglaze painting.”
The Friends of the DAI gives us the
community connection. As a “Friend”, you
will be part of a success story that you help
maintain – a success story that is recognised
internationally and appreciated locally.
In order to show our appreciation for your
support, every member of Friends of the Dar
receives:
• an advanced copy of the cultural season
programme,
• the DAI calendar, featuring pieces from the
collection,
• weekly reminders for each event,
• an invitation to the annual dinner,
• invitations to any special events organised
for Friends of the DAI,
• six issues of Bareed ad-Dar,
• four issues of Hadeeth ad-Dar,
• the opportunity to participate in
international cultural trips,
• a 10% discount on all books and gift items
in the al-Maidan Cultural Centre Museum
Shop, and, best of all,
• the chance to make new friends who share
your interest in learning more about the
culture, history and art in the region.
Fritware, for those (like me) who don’t
know, is a white body made from potash,
quartz and white
clay. It was
developed in
tandem with the
“glazing revolution”
of the 8th and
9th centuries and
offered many
advantages over
the clay body used
previously. It could
be more thinly,
didn’t require the
use of an expensive
opaque white
glaze, and was
more accepting of decorative techniques. “It
became the standard fabric for fine quality
luster-painted and incised wares.”
If you’re already a member, thank you
and we hope you enjoyed all our activities
last season. We also hope you’ll continue to
renew your membership in the future.
LNS 305 C
Fritware pouring vessel in the form of a waterskin bearer
Iranian world, 7th century AH/ 13th century AD
Dr. Lisa Urkevich presented Music to Wash off the Sea:
the Communal Sea Song Tradition of Kuwait earlier
this season.
You can join Friends of the DAI or
renew your membership at the al-Maidan
Cultural Centre in Maidan Hawalli. For more
information on membership, call 563 6528 or
email: [email protected].
19 March
Ahmadi Music Group
featuring the flute and harp
Australian College
7 pm
3 April
An Evening of Indian Music
Australian College
7 pm
30 April
Mixed Media
Combined performances of
the musicians and members of
the Writers’ Circle
al-Maidan Cultural Centre
7 pm
21 May
Organ and Soprano Recital
al-Maidan Cultural Centre
7 pm
4 June
Kuwait Youth Orchestra
Young Talents Concert
al-Maidan Cultural Centre
7 pm
For more information contact
Harvey Pincis, DMC secretary:
[email protected]
From Fine Fritware to Pleasing Porcelain
LNS 787 C is a late 12th or early 13th
century fritware dish from the eastern Iranian
world, with carved decorations under
a pale glaze. According to
Oliver Watson, author of
the book based on the
al-Sabah Collection,
Ceramics from
Islamic Lands, this
is a remarkable
piece. “The carved
decoration shows
a freedom normally
seen only on painted
decoration and
recalls the ‘waterweed’
pattern found in Kashan
underglaze painted wares. The
shallow–sliced carving has allowed the tinted
glaze to emphasize the design in a way
that resembles a brushstroke. The design
is framed by a single black line at the rim,
whose lobbing betrays a source for the form
in metalwork…”.
According to Dr. Watson, “the fritware
technique came to Iran either directly from
Egypt or via Syria. The white quality of
the fabric was what was first admired and
exploited, and the early impetus for its use
was to copy imported Chinese porcelain.
Kashan was the main centre, producing
ware of the highest quality. Fritware is a
term used to describe an ‘artificial’ ceramic
body, made from ground quartz with small
additions of clay and ground glaze-mixture.
The quartz provides the bulk of the body, the
clay giving the mixture plasticity before firing
and combining during the firing with the glaze
to form a glassy matrix that holds the quartz
particles together. The final result is
a white body with more-or-less
fine ‘sugary’ texture, which
gives rise to the name. The
name ‘stonepaste’ is also
used for these wares.”
Our Limoges
porcelain trays are an
obvious interpretation of
this remarkable ceramic
piece. We chose porcelain
because it is a type of ceramic
highly valued for its beauty and
strength. Often called china, or chinaware,
having been first made in China, porcelain
is characterized by whiteness, a delicate
appearance, and translucence. Limoges is
the city in France that became famous for its
very white and fine grain porcelain after the
discovery of kaolin at St-Yrieix-la-Perche, very
near Limoges, in 1768. To protect the longestablished reputation of Limoges porcelain
and to maintain its high standards, the French
government limits use of the name Limoges.
Therefore, only porcelain made within the
official Limoges area is Limoges.
Manufactured by Raynaud of France,
these fine trays are inscribed with Dar
al-Athar al-Islamiyyah in Kufic Arabic and
English and Kuwait on the under-side. The
Raynaud company logo appears in gold on
one side; and the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah
roundel in gold on other side. Each is
individually boxed; the small tray measures 9
x 11 cm; and the large tray 16 x 19.5 cm.