Art conference to highlight emerging trends in contemporary Islamic arts and crafts

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), in partnership with the Abdul Latif Alfozan Award for Mosque Architecture, will host the second edition of its Islamic Art Conference on Nov. 25-30 as a cultural celebration and a global showcase of the heritage, living traditions, and emerging trends of Islamic arts and crafts from across the Arab world.

The weeklong conference, titled “In Praise of the Artisan: A Reassessment of Contemporary Islamic Arts and Crafts Practice,’” will explore the current health and status of Islamic arts and crafts with a rich program that includes lectures, panel discussions, workshops, special exhibitions, and film screenings, as well as demonstrations by Islamic craftspeople.

In conjunction with the opening of the conference, Ithra will inaugurate “In Praise of the Artisan,” an exhibition which examines the rich history and diverse influences of Islamic arts and crafts around the globe. 

The exhibition, being conducted in partnership with the al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar Al Islamiyyah in Kuwait, will present historical and contemporary works to highlight the ethos and evolving history embedded in Islamic artistic traditions. 

It will include the largest hand-carved stone screen made since the Taj Mahal in the 17th century, along with eight specially commissioned works, including a number of large installations, rare collectibles, and contemporary works by master craftspeople from across the Arab world including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India, Spain, Egypt, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Malaysia.

The Islamic Art Conference is a global platform for shining the light on Islamic arts and crafts, in line with Ithra’s mission to celebrate cultural heritage, enable talent development and support creative expression, all powered by partnerships with renowned institutions.
— Abdullah Al-Rashed, director of Ithra

“The synergies of conducting both events in parallel will provide a uniquely interactive and immersive experience designed to educate visitors about Islamic handicrafts and artisans from the Middle East and beyond,” Al-Rashed added.

“This conference and exhibition support our ongoing efforts to unearth new ideas from around the world for designing mosques and encouraging innovative planning, design and technical ideas that can form a new identity for Islamic art,” said Mashary Al Naim, Secretary-General of the Abdul Latif Alfozan Award for Mosque Architecture. “Islamic art no longer discusses works of art and architecture as tangible creations, but rather looks at them in the context of work, crafts, and daily practices.”

The event will explore new initiatives and institutions that have been established to preserve traditional craft skills through training and employment, including efforts to help artisans find new markets or adapt their work to global challenges. It will also delve into the role of relationships and care in craft production, traditional materials and methods, as well as the use of crafts to stimulate social change in developing Islamic countries. 

“In Praise of the Artisan” will remain on display at Ithra following the completion of the conference.