The Friends of the Aga Khan Museum in the Gulf and South Asia was opened at Concrete, the acclaimed new cultural center on Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, UAE on October 17.
The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada has had a close relationship with UAE since 2014, when the first international preview of the Museum was held in Dubai, and has partnered regularly since then with the Ismaili Center, Dubai.
The Aga Khan Museum says Friends of the Aga Khan Museum in the Gulf and South Asia will strengthen that foundation by bringing together those in the region who share the Museum’s belief that the arts can build a better tomorrow through cultural exchange and dialogue. It will also highlight in the region the work of the Museum and its programs.
The Aga Khan Museum offers a window into worlds that are often unknown or unfamiliar to museum goers: the many Muslim civilizations that have made artistic, intellectual, and scientific innovations across centuries and spanning regions from the Iberian Peninsula to China.
“This launch is a landmark event for the Museum,” said Aga Khan Museum Director and CEO Henry S. Kim. “By establishing a presence beyond our physical location in Toronto, we will reach more visitors, have fresh opportunities to present the work of exciting artists, and spark intriguing new conversations. Ultimately, we will expand our global reach, which has always been critical to our mission.
“The interaction between the museum and the patrons will benefit not only the museum and its patrons but also the global society of the UAE,” said Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development. “I sense that you patrons who are willing to share your resources and your personal collections with the Aga Khan Museum fully understand the essential value of pluralism.”
“The artefacts in the museum convey a clear sense of Muslim diversity, a diversity that deserves global prominence,” he said, according to Gulf News.
Friends of the Aga Khan Museum in the Gulf and South Asia, established by the efforts of early supporters living in the Gulf, will provide a small group of intellectually curious and artistically inclined members with elevated access to the Museum. This will include the ability for Gulf and South Asia Region Patrons to participate in the Museum’s world-class programming, which was previously only accessible in Toronto. The Chapter will also present events and travel opportunities that generate a global dialogue in support of the Aga Khan Museum’s mission to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the contributions that Islamic civilizations have made to world heritage.
The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The Museum’s mission is to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the contribution that Muslim civilizations have made to world heritage while often reflecting, through both its permanent and temporary exhibitions, how cultures connect with one another. Designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, the Museum shares a 6.8-hectare site with Toronto’s Ismaili Center, which was designed by architect Charles Correa. The surrounding landscaped park was designed by landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic.
The Ismaili Center, Dubai is one of six Ismaili Centers, located in Vancouver, London, Lisbon, Dushanbe, and Toronto. The Ismaili Centre, Dubai facilitates the promotion of cultural, educational, and social programs from the broadest, non-denominational perspectives. Since its opening in 2008, the Center has hosted numerous arts, cultural, social, and educational activities in collaboration with various diplomatic missions, government and civil society organizations. A central purpose of the Ismaili Center is to encourage mutual exchanges and understanding between diverse peoples, communities, and institutions.
Concrete is a multi-disciplinary space conceptualized by Alserkal Avenue and the first building in the UAE to be completed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), founded by Rem Koolhaas. Concrete is an adaptable venue whose ability to metamorphose to bring creative visions to life makes it suitable for international, museum-grade exhibitions as well as events across art, design, fashion, and the performing arts.
