The art collectors, students and art lovers from the region flocked to Canvas Education’s two-day seminar on 'Introduction to Islamic Art' at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

The seminar, sponsored by Sorouh Real Estate and supported by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, will see world-renowned speakers discussing key topics in Islamic art.

Canvas Education is a new department at Mixed Media Publishing. Canvas Education’s objectives are to build a platform of informed collectors in the Middle East, promote appreciation of art, influence key players within the regional art market and enhance the level of art and culture.

The seminar will continue for the next two days, attracting art lovers and luminaries from around the region, said the organisers.

"It aims to provide an introduction to Islamic art, which lies at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s cultural agenda and has recently seen an increased market interest both in the region and globally," publisher and editor-in-chief of 'Canvas Magazine,' Ali Khadra said.

“After receiving encouraging feedback from the 'Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art' seminar in January, we think this is the perfect time to invest in the appreciation of the tradition and historical significance of Islamic art."

"With the resurgence of calligraphy and geometric art in modern works, this seminar is the perfect starting point for art collectors and enthusiasts to cultivate their passion," he noted.

“We are especially pleased with the lecturers, who are renowned experts from respected institutions, including Dr Ernst J Grube from the Islamic Art Journal, Dr Doris Behrens-Abouseif of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Dr Venetia Porter from the British Museum, amongst other top international specialists.

“We couldn’t have put together an event on this scale without the on-going and significant support from our sponsors. It is a credit to the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and to Sorouh that they recognise the importance of these events to the cultural renaissance occurring throughout the UAE, and particularly that Islamic Art is an important part of our culture with great relevance to the nation,” he added.

Masood Al Awar, chief sales and marketing officer, Sorouh Real Estate, said: “Events such as 'Introduction to Islamic Art' are an essential part of Abu Dhabi’s fast-growing cultural calendar. This seminar shows the emirate’s ability to attract high quality, world-class speakers, and also demonstrates how important Islamic Art is to the nation’s heritage and identity."

“Sorouh is excited to support this event as part of our corporate social responsibility campaign, alongside the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage." 

"We are engaged in building developments in line with Abu Dhabi’s 2030 plan, and by supporting events such as this we have an opportunity to play our part in the emirate’s cultural and social development as well,” Al Awar added.

Topics under discussion include Islamic archaeology in the Gulf, the art of the Kiswa, the tradition of ceramics and metalwork, illustrated literature from the region, the aesthetics and moral traditions of calligraphy and the trends and history of Islamic collecting.

'Introduction to Islamic Art' is broken down into three distinct days of unique lectures - 'Introduction to Islamic Art: Arab Civilisations' (Day 1); The Reach of Islam: Arts and Crafts (Day 2) and Calligraphy: From Traditional to Modern (Day 3).-TradeArabia News Service