Hong Kong's first major Islamic art exhibition set to open at Palace Museum
An exhibition featuring 90 works, including Islamic carpets, ceramics and manuscripts, from the 10th to the 19th centuries will open in Hong Kong on Wednesday amid government efforts to forge stronger ties with the Middle East.
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The show, 'Wonders of Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha', is hosted by the Hong Palace Museum and marks the Qatari institution's debut in the city.
'This exhibition showcases a millennium of cultural exchange between the Islamic world and China and sheds light on the historical roots of today's Belt and Road Initiative,' Hong Kong Palace Museum director Louis Ng Chi-wa said on Monday, referring to Beijing's scheme to grow global trade.
Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, director of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), said dozens of national treasures would be on display and were chosen from a vast 12,000-piece collection. The show marked a 'significant moment' for the institution, she added.
'This collaboration reflects our belief that art has the power to connect culture and transcend borders,' she said, adding that they were committed to creating spaces that invited dialogue, curiosity and deeper understanding.
The 17th century 'Kevorkian Hyderabad carpet' is among the exhibits. Photo: May Tse
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu led a visit to the Middle East earlier this year, following one in 2023, with the aim of driving more business and people-to-people ties amid escalating China-US tensions and geopolitical uncertainty.
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