Everyone is invited to attend the Fashioning an Empire exhibition organised by the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Qatar in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (Washington, DC, USA). The show is dedicated to the development of the silk industry during the Safavid period (1501–1736 CE) under Shah ‘Abbas I the Great, Iran’s most influential ruler in modern history. The exhibition is currently being hosted by MIA’s Sheikh Saoud Gallery and will end on the 22nd of June, 2024.
The show was conceived by and first held at the National Museum of Asian Art (2021-2022). Curated by Dr Nicoletta Fazio (Curator at MIA), its second edition on display at MIA features new exhibits: art pieces drawn from MIA and Qatar Museums’ permanent collections. Some showcased artefacts are on loan from the Qatar National Library, including, for instance, 20 brocade silk textiles and 12 carpets from the Safavid period.
Fashioning an Empire is divided into four sections. In the first one, Silk for Silver: Shah ‘Abbas’ Strategy to Rebuild Iran, visitors can learn about the geographical and historical setting in which Shah ‘Abbas I placed the entire production and sale of silk under royal control. The second gallery, “Isfahan Is Half of the World”, tells about Isfahan, an imperial capital back then situated at the crossroads of main routes on the silk trade, and the empire’s main marketplace. Isfahan Fashion Guide, the third section, delves into the art and ways of self-representation in the Safavid society through fashion. Here, on view are written sources, historical textiles, and court paintings that depict people wearing these textiles.
The final gallery, Fashion Forward, presents specially commissioned works by five Qatar-based designers: Yasmin Mansour, Arman Mansouri, Jawaher Al Darwish, Noor Al Thani, and Roni Helou. Produced in collaboration with M7 (a Qatari art centre In Doha), these pieces draw from Safavid textiles and paintings featured in the show. The exhibits, which include a scarf, clothes, hand-carved handbags, and rugs, blend fine craftsmanship with contemporary designs.
The exhibition is complemented by MIA’s podcast series of six episodes devoted to the story of the Safavid dynasty’s splendour and its silk production through several highlight items on view.
To get more information about Fashioning an Empire, please visit the official web page of the exhibition.
You might also be interested in visiting Letters of Faith: The Arabic Script in Indonesia at the Qatar National Library.
