Exhibition explores the influence of Islamic art on Cartier’s design
The ground-breaking exhibition Cartier, Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design, is now open at Louvre Abu Dhabi, running until 24 March 2024.
With over 400 works from Louvre Abu Dhabi, partner museums, the Cartier Collection and private collections, the exhibition, which was inaugurated by His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Louvre Abu Dhabi, offers museum goers a chance to explore over a century of artistic influence,
The exhibition, co-organised by Louvre Abu Dhabi, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée du Louvre and France Muséums, with the support of Maison Cartier, takes you on an insightful journey showcasing the influence of Islamic art on Cartier’s design from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day.
Co-curated by Judith Henon-Raynaud, Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Department of Islamic Art at the Musée du Louvre and Évelyne Possémé, Former Chief Curator of Ancient and Modern Jewellery at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, with the assistance of Fakhera Alkindi, Senior Curatorial Assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi, the exhibition builds upon a project titled Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity (Paris-Dallas 2021-2022), which was initially conceived and co-organised by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, with the exceptional collaboration of the Musée du Louvre and the support of Maison Cartier. The exhibition was curated by Heather Ecker, Judith Henon-Raynaud, Évelyne Possémé and Sarah Schleuning.
The exhibition’s chapters explore the Maison’s sources of inspiration and its creative process through over 400 objects from the collections of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée du Louvre, and Cartier Collection and Archives, as well as exceptional loans from Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris and other lenders, spanning masterpieces of Islamic art, jewellery, drawings, design sketches, miniatures, textiles, photographs and archival material.
Speaking about the exhibition, Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “Through this exhibition, and thanks to the precious loans from our partners – Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée du Louvre and many other lenders, our visitors will not only be able to discover new connections between cultures and gain a better understanding of modernity, but they will also be inspired by the rich technicalities and unique materials of Islamic art, architecture and Cartier jewellery on display.”
Exhibition curators Judith Henon-Raynaud and Évelyne Possémé, added: “This exhibition is the result of almost five years of research in archives, drawings and photographs to discover the links between Cartier creations and Islamic art, and to identify the sources of inspiration.”
Highlights from Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection displayed in the exhibition include a wooden Carved ivory panel with scrolls (1334 – 1339, Cairo, Egypt); a Dish with a blue Saz leaf, dotted tulips and roses (ca. 1580, Iznik, Turkey); a Glass vessel in the shape of a mosque lamp by Joseph Brocard (1871, Paris, France). Masterpieces from Musée des Arts Décoratifs include a Basin by Théodore Deck (1863, Paris, France) and a binding and title page of the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam (1912, Paris, France). Highlights of loans from Musée du Louvre include a Fragment of a mosaic panel with geometric decoration (14 – 15th century), Three tiles from a wall panel (1550 – 1600, Damascus, Syria), a Pen box said to have belonged to Mirza Muhammad Munshi and a Pen box in the name of Shah Abbas (late 16th – early 17th century, Deccan, India) and a Casket (19th century, Iran).
The Cartier Collection is lending special works including a cigarette case (Cartier Paris, 1930), a vanity case with decoration inspired by Iznik ceramics (Cartier Paris, 1927), a Hindu necklace (Cartier Paris, 1936) and a tiara (Cartier London, 1937). Le Petit Palais – Musée des Beaux-arts de la Ville de Paris is lending an exceptional collection of design sketches by Charles Jacqueau, a pivotal designer to Maison Cartier.
A few feet from the main exhibition galleries, the temporary exhibit features an immersive digital space, where large digital animations show artistic interpretations of the physical assembly of Cartier key pieces and their source of inspiration.
Two “infinity rooms” will immerse visitors in animated patterns, offering a captivating 180-degree visual experience within this digital realm.
The exhibition scenography and the digital space are designed by the New York-based design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro. On the museum’s façade, projections of artworks and photographs will take visitors on the journey of Jacques Cartier’s travels – from Marseille to Agra, Bombay to Muscat, and Dubai to Muharraq.
Alongside Cartier, Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design exhibition, Louvre Abu Dhabi will offer a diverse cultural and educational programme, featuring an in-depth talk with the exhibition curators, a documentary film screening followed by a community discussion, guided tours, masterclasses, a family weekend and an activity booklet.
For more information, visit louvreabudhabi.ae or call 600 56 55 66
Date & Time
16 November 2023 – 24 March 2024
Location
Louvre Abu Dhabi
For more events, visit Yalla Abu Dhabi
