Do you know the “Arts of Islam” in France?

“Vacuum”, by Sa'adeh Raeda: (2007), FRAC Lorraine, exhibited as part of the “Arts of Islam” in Nancy.

© R. Sa'adeh

Text by: Siegfried Forster Follow

7 mins

It is at the same time an incredible inventory of the arts of Islam in France, an XXL exhibition and a social issue.

From November 20 to March 27, “Arts of Islam, a past for a present” simultaneously plans 18 exhibitions in 18 cities in France and overseas.

For Yannick Lintz, the general commissioner of this giant project and director of the Islamic arts department at the Louvre, " 

 ".

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Even Yannick Lintz was surprised by the tremendous wealth of French public collections in the field of Islamic arts. 180 masterpieces will be presented to free the word "Islam" from the connotation of fanaticism and obscurantism and to include it in a historic cultural dialogue between Europe, Asia and Africa. The artistic centers of the Islamic world take us around the planet to understand today's France and our artistic connections with the Islamic world: from the 11th century mosque lamp in Jerusalem to a 13th century Moroccan astrolabe. century, to the 17th century double-leaf cabinet from India, or a photographic work by Iraqi artist Hiwa K from 2008.

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Yannick Lintz

Several things are new in this national operation. The first is to hold 18 exhibitions simultaneously in 18 cities. We are not used to having this "strike force". Why such a simultaneous system in 18 cities from the north to the south of France and in the French overseas territories? It is to talk about a subject which is art, but which is art linked to the Islamic world. We will understand: as soon as there is the word “Islam” in a formula, we are also linked to social issues. And the word "Islam" is often used in a negative way. Obviously, it is not a question of taking sides with Islam against something else. It is about making art and culture and showing beautiful objects testifying thirteen centuries of cultural dialogue within this territory which is a crossroads of civilizations between Europe,Asia and Africa. These works of Islamic art, of which these 18 exhibitions represent as many ambassadors of their territories and their cultures, testify to what Islam is when one is interested in history, art, culture and when we come out of fanaticism and obscurantism.

[Video] Another look at the “Arts of Islam” in France

From November 20 to March 27, the event operation "Arts of Islam, a past for a present" simultaneously offers 18 exhibitions in 18 cities in France and overseas.

© Museum of Fine Arts and Natural History of Châteaudun / Anna RODRIGUEZ

When preparing for these multiple exhibitions, what was your biggest discovery?

There are many.

What is wonderful - and I think visitors will realize it in the 18 cities - is making visible something that was not known: the tremendous wealth of French public collections in this area.

There is a huge reservoir which is simply the result of our history.

Of course, the department of Islamic arts - with its national collections which are the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Army Museum, the National Library and all the collections of museums, but also churches, libraries municipal - demonstrates the richness of this heritage which, ultimately, constitutes an Islam of France and which is the heritage of all.

An example

For eight months, we have made incredible discoveries, even if we knew some of these collections. Everyone got together and that's how we come out of the Saint-Antoine d'Ambazac church, 15 kilometers from Limoges, a formidable ecclesiastical tunic made of silk, probably in Muslim Spain of the 11th century and which served the ecclesiastics of the Ambazac church. And that's how we discover at the municipal library of Dole, in the Jura, a magnificent monumental Koran made under the Mamluk dynasty, in Egypt, during the Middle Ages. There are many other treasures… In Reunion Island there is also a formidable collection at the Museum of Decorative Arts of the Indian Ocean which testifies to this richness of the Islamic culture of the Indian Ocean.

Katia Kameli: "Le Roman Algérien (Châpitre 1), 2016, video, screened as part of the" Arts of Islam "in Blois.

© ADAGP, Paris 2021

Could you give us an example of why you made more progress in the preparation of the event in eight months than in the previous thirty years

This mainly concerns the knowledge and identification of these collections. We did not even know that certain collections existed. During our call for contributions, everyone, many colleagues in the regions, museums, libraries, historical monuments, took action to locate a few treasures on the territory and not just the treasures of the Louvre, so that the Louvre could associate these regional treasures in its exhibitions. Its very important. This reveals the existence of these works on the territory, beyond the exhibitions. They can always be seen and in particular by teachers who, I hope, will be able to appropriate these objects to discuss in class with their students.

The Department of Islamic Arts at the Louvre contains

We are not immediately confronted with it. In fact, these are more African demands. On the other hand, I believe that this is one of the major questions for our museums today, in the 21st century. We owe it to ourselves, in any case, it is the will of the president of the Louvre, to really do research on the origins of our collections. Obviously, my Islamic arts department is particularly concerned by the clarification on the modalities of arrival of works at the Louvre. I would say that I am not personally very worried, because this story that must be told in detail is more of a beautiful story than a story of spoliation or looting. If there are, they must be updated. But, what seems important to me is to enlighten the public, enlighten the countries of origin on the provenance of our works and then,if necessary, create a debate. In my opinion, this is the stake for the years to come for us.

Quran, Maghreb or Muslim Spain sheet, 13th or 14th century, exhibited as part of the “Arts of Islam” in Figeac.

© Champollion Museum - The Writings of the World (Figeac) / Meravilles photos

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