QM exhibition to showcase beauty of Islamic calligraphy

A new exhibition, Contemporary Calligraphy – Mehmet Cebi Collection, will open at the Qatar Museums (QM) Gallery Al Riwaq next week, and bring together a notable selection of intricate and beautiful calligraphic artworks dating from the 1960s to the present day.
The exhibition, which will run from May 15 to June 17, will focus on two traditions, renowned for their glorification of the beauty of Islam through art.
The first is an assortment of Hilye-i Serif (The Noble Hilya), a form of classic calligraphic art. The second is a collection of tesbih (prayer beads), used for ruminative prayer.
Collected by renowned Turkish expert Mehmet Cebi, more than 200 pieces will feature in the exhibition, which brings together what is widely acknowledged to be one of the finest collections of its kind, anywhere in the world.
Mehmet Cebi is the founder of the world’s first Noble Hilya and Prayer Beads Museum in Suleymaniye-Istanbul, and has been developing his collection related to classical calligraphy and Noble Hilya with a contemporary approach to this traditional art form since the 1990’s. His collections have been exhibited in more than 30 venues in Turkey and abroad.
Contemporary Calligraphy – Mehmet Cebi Collection will reflect the importance of calligraphy as a major form of artistic expression in Islamic cultures and highlight QM’s commitment to building bridges of understanding between cultures through organising broad and varied exhibitions and programmes that celebrate art, heritage and creativity.
Mehmet Cebi’s vision in developing the collection is to deepen understanding and appreciation for the art form around the world.
Commenting on the exhibition, Khalid al-Ibrahim, chief strategic planning officer at QM said: “One of our key objectives at QM is to invite people to learn about the full scope of Islamic art, building a true appreciation for the significance and importance of Islamic culture and its contribution to the world we live in.”
“The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) houses one of the greatest collections of Islamic Art in the world, spanning more than 1,400 years and covering an enormous variety of art forms plays an invaluable role in this regard. Now, this exhibition at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq will represent an important step in this direction and we invite audiences from Qatar and around the region to experience for themselves the wonder of such calligraphic art,” he said.
The collection at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq will build on the strength of the collection of Islamic Art at MIA, which includes metalwork, ceramics, jewellery, woodwork, textiles and glass.
Over the years, MIA has built widespread appreciation and interest in Islamic calligraphy through a variety of workshops, education programmes, family events and activities.
The exhibition will also build on the hugely successful Qatar-Turkey Year of Culture 2015 which helped further establish the profile, reputation and importance of Turkish art and artists.