Sacred Words: Timeless Calligraphy - A Celebration of Islamic Art Across the Ages

The Taskhent Qur’an – also known as the Samarkand Kufic Qur’an is one of the oldest surviving Qur’an manuscripts in existence. The large lettering, where only a few words populate an entire page, is written in an early version of the kufic script and dates back to the eighth century. About one third of the original manuscript is housed in the Hast-Imam Library in Tashkent, Uzbekistan but one page, in immaculate condition is currently on show at the Museum of Islamic Civilisation in Sharjah. It is a key part of Sacred Words, Timeless Calligraphy: Highlights of Exceptional Calligraphy from the Hamid Jafar Qur’an Collection displaying some of the world’s finest examples of Qur’an manuscripts and Islamic calligraphy owned by Hamid Jafar. Jafar is the founder and chairman of Sharjah-based Crescent Group of companies and he began collecting the rare manuscripts more than 40 years ago.

Manal Ataya: Information is Power

How Manal Ataya, the director of Sharjah Museums Authority, steered her mammoth team of museum staff and institutions through 2020 to emerge stronger and set an example for the digital future

Xposure: Agents of Change

The fifth edition of Sharjah’s Xposure International Photography Festival showed the power of photography to make real and lasting change and the impact of a story well told.

Reviews, Editor's PicksAnna SeamanMarch 21, 2021Xposure, Sharjah

Solving the mystery of Chants Mystique

Chants Mystique was a painting the artist never thought she would see again. An avid collector from Sharjah tracked it down and now it is part of Barjeel Art Foundation’s permanent collection.

Enter The Age of Anxiety

Art In The Age of Anxiety: a timely, tightly curated exhibition of contemporary art, so relevant for our current era and enlightening in its presentation

Reviews, Editor's PicksAnna SeamanSeptember 24, 2020Jenna Sutela, Omar Kholeif, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah, Hoor Al Qasimi

Game Changer

Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi is a true game changer. Thanks to her work at the Sharjah Art Foundation, she has led the way to great regional impact that has created ripples around the world. She is passionate, hard working and visionary - a real asset to the art and cultural landscape in the UAE and beyond.

Photography's power to protect

Taking a look back at some highlights of last year. This is a round up of the best and most powerful images at Xpsoure photography festival in Sharjah. In dark times, photography has great power.

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi: The Interview

Collector, patron, supporter, commentator, inspiration. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi has worked at raising the profile of Arab art across the world, for more than a decade.

Leaving the Echo Chamber

The event came to a close in June 2019, here is a look back over the Sharjah Biennial’s 14th edition, which had three curators for the first time and achieved a wonderful symbiosis of place and content.

Gerry Judah on The Scroll

Renowned British sculptor recently unveiled a new sculpture in Sharjah as commissioned for the grounds of the new library, House of Wisdom. Here, I caught up with him to find out more.

Features, Most PopularAnna SeamanJune 27, 2019Gerry Judah, Sharjah, House of Wisdo, The Scroll

Sheikha Hoor to curate Lahore Biennale

Hoor Al Qasimi has been appointed curator of the second Lahore Biennale opening in early 2020 and on view across the city of Lahore, Pakistan.

Youssou N'Dour to play in Sharjah

The newly rebuilt Africa Hall in Sharjah will play host to a number of conferences, symposia and other cultural events including opening night performances by Senegalese singer songwriter Youssou N’Dour

Paul Guiragossian: Curtain Call

Even 25 years after his death, Paul Guiragossian remains one of the region’s most prominent and most loved modernists. The most recent exhibition of his work in the UAE gathered several of his most poignant works. Here, I write about that and his enduring influence.

In the studio with Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim

Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim is one of the UAE's great artistic geniuses. I had the pleasure of visiting his studio recently and I wrote up this personal piece about it.

A visit to Fikra Campus

Salem Al Qassimi, the founder of Fikra has launched a new campus aimed at encouraging collaborative work and boosting the design community in the UAE and the region.

Features, Most PopularAnna SeamanDecember 22, 2017Fikra Campus, Sharjah, Fikra Designs, Salem Al Qassimi

Timo Nasseri: All The Letters in All The Stars

All the Letters in All the Stars is Timo Nasseri’s first solo show in the Middle East. In it he fuses philosophy, quantum mechanics, calligraphic precision and a romantic conclusion to an ancient story.

Most Popular, ReviewsAnna SeamanDecember 14, 2017Timo Nasseri, Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah, Ibn Muqla, Jorge Luis Borges, Stars, Arabic

Paul Guiragossian solo show to open next year in Sharjah

Several pieces of Paul Guiragossian's work owned by collectors within the UAE will go on display in a solo exhibition at Barjeel Art Foundation next year.

News, Editor's PicksAnna SeamanNovember 29, 2017Paul Guiragossian, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah

Ayman Zedani to open new Sharjah project space

Maraya Art Centre will open a new project space in Sharjah with an exhibition of work by Ayman Zedani.

NewsAnna SeamanAugust 25, 2017Maraya Art Centre, Ayman Zedani, Sharjah, Art Jameel, Project Space Art Jameel