Representative of the Prime Minister's Deputy Minister of Media and Culture opens Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiah exhibition "Ihsan: The Art of Beauty in Mosques"
Kuwait City, Oct 7 (KUNA) -- Omar Al-Omar, representative of His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, and Acting Minister of Media and Culture, inaugurated today, Wednesday, the latest exhibition by the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamyyah (Islamic Arts Museum), titled "Ihsan: The Art of Beauty in Mosques."
The exhibition, held under the patronage of the Prime Minister at the Al-Amiri Cultural Center, opens to the public starting tomorrow, Thursday.
In a speech during the opening ceremony, Minister Al-Omar stated that the bright history of Islam never separated the spirituality of worship from the beauty of craftsmanship; rather, it made "Ihsan" (excellence) a guiding principle that permeates the details of architecture and construction. Thus, mosques throughout the ages have served as oases of tranquility and mirrors reflecting the purity of faith and human sensitivity.
He clarified that Kuwait, under the wise guidance of its leadership, consistently emphasizes that the material and spiritual construction of mosques are two sides of the same coin. Building construction adds splendor, while the construction of hearts fills them with faith, love, and brotherhood. He added that through this event, "we renew our pledge to continue supporting every effort that consolidates these authentic values and highlights the bright civilizational face of our beloved country."
Al-Omar noted that what distinguishes this exhibition is that it began with children's questions and curiosity as they admired the beauty of mosques and asked how these works were made and why such effort was expended to perfect them. From these questions arose the idea of the exhibition and its educational journey, making children key partners in the experience.
The minister recalled the "highly esteemed merits" of the late Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah Al-Sabah (may God have mercy on him) and his passion for art and Islamic heritage, noting his determination to ensure that the Al-Sabah Collection served the state of Kuwait and enriched its cultural life. He praised the efforts of Sheikhah Hessa Sabah Al-Salem, General Supervisor of Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamyyah, and her continuous patronage of everything that enriches the cultural and civilizational landscape in our "beloved homeland." He also thanked the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters and all workers and organizers of the exhibition for their dedication and excellent preparation for this "distinguished event."
For her part, Exhibition Coordinator Engineer Maha Al-Eissa said in her speech that the goal from the beginning was not merely to provide children with information about Islamic art, but to give them space for inquiry, research, and exploration. "We started with a simple question: Is there art in the mosque?" Al-Eissa added that every answer the children found led to a new question, until they eventually reached a deeper one: Why does a person spend so much time and effort to make a functional object beautiful? From there, they arrived at the meaning of Ihsan.
She explained that the true value of the project is to make the museum a space for learning and skill development, and to use Islamic art as a means to teach our children how to look, ask, think, collaborate, and express their ideas. She noted that children in this exhibition were not merely recipients of knowledge or museum visitors, but partners in the journey of research and meaning-making.
For his part, Anwar Al-Mutairi, CEO of Kuwait Shell, said in a similar speech that the concept of Ihsan represents a profound human value that transcends the boundaries of art and architecture; it reflects the pursuit of excellence and doing one's best to serve society. This value is among the principles we believe in at Kuwait Shell. Al-Mutairi expressed "pride" in partnering with Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamyyah, the "prestigious institution," which succeeds in reviving heritage and presenting it to new generations through innovative methods that make history a source of inspiration for learning, creativity, and discovery.
For his part, Khaled Al-Shamlan, CEO of Kuwait Finance House (KFH), emphasized the importance of integrated partnership and continuous cooperation with the Department of Islamic Antiquities over the past years. "This partnership gains special importance stemming from the belief that Islamic civilization represents an integrated system of values and principles, which Kuwait Finance House strives to embody in its operations, partnerships, and sustainable initiatives," he added.
Al-Shamlan stated that supporting the exhibition comes from a belief in the message it carries in consolidating the value of Ihsan among new generations, noting that excellence, innovation, and creativity are "fundamental pillars in the journey of Kuwait Finance House Group, whether in its banking operations or through its social responsibility and support for cultural and developmental initiatives."
The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikhah Hessa Sabah Al-Salem, General Supervisor of Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamyyah and Partner-Owner of the Al-Sabah Collection, along with a number of guests and interested parties.
This is the fourth exhibition presented by the children of the "Children's Art Workshop" at Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamyyah from the Al-Sabah Collection, in collaboration with volunteer exhibition coordinator Maha Al-Eissa, in an educational experience that places children aged 6 to 12 at the heart of the research, thinking, and creation process of this exhibition.
The project took nearly two years to complete and included workshops. During this journey, children explored and discussed pieces from the Al-Sabah Collection, selected artworks for the exhibition, researched their manufacturing methods, and contributed to developing the concept and museum narrative.
The children's journey began with a simple question: Is there art in the mosque? To find the answer, they visited the Al-Sayer Al-Qibli Mosque, where they closely observed the presence of art in the mosque's architecture and its various elements. This sparked questions: How were these pieces made? And why was so much time and effort expended to make a functional object so beautiful?
To explore manufacturing methods, the project extended to an educational collaboration for the first time with artisans and artists who are graduates of the Beit Jameel Center for Arts and Heritage in Cairo, affiliated with the King Faisal Center for Traditional Islamic Art. Several pieces selected from the Al-Sabah Collection were analyzed, and their execution stages were studied.
Additionally, children in Kuwait collaborated with artist Meshal Al-Tablasi to learn about the tools and materials of calligraphers and the stages of designing and executing a page from a Quranic manuscript also from the collection.
Through this journey, the children arrived at the concept of Ihsan, which is "striving to perform what one does in the best and most beautiful way possible." Thus, "Ihsan" was not the starting point, but rather one of the most important conclusions reached through the children's questions and discoveries during the project.
"Ihsan: The Art of Beauty in Mosques" continues Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamyyah's commitment to museum education and involving new generations in discovering Islamic art through direct experience, dialogue, and research. It also evokes the legacy of the late Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah Al-Sabah and his passion for art and Islamic heritage, the most prominent fruit of which was the establishment of the Al-Sabah Collection.
The project is supported by Kuwait Shell and Kuwait Finance House as part of their support for cultural and educational programs and providing opportunities for new generations to participate in cultural life. (End) S.H.D / M.S.A
