His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen recently opened the ‘Faith & Devotion’ art exhibition at Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, showcasing over 20 orientalist paintings by renowned 19th and early 20th Century artists.
The first of its kind in Brunei, the special exhibition includes the works of Jean-Leon-Gerome, Osman Hamdi Bey and Rudolf Ernst whose paintings explore depictions of the many parts of the Muslim world termed ‘the Orient’ in the 19th century.
The artworks shed important light on Islamic culture and religion at a time when artists from Europe, America and the Ottoman Empire were inspired by the culture and religious practices of the region bordering the Mediterranean and further east, from Morocco, Anatolia, Constantinople, Egypt to the Levant and India.
His Royal Highness was accompanied by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Anisha Rosnah.
In his opening remarks, Head of 19th Century European Paintings at Sotheby’s Senior Director Claude Piening said that the first-ever exhibition in Brunei of figurative art celebrating the Islamic world is hoped to be enlightening and educational to the public.
“In what more synergetic setting than this, the Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, a great museum creation inaugurated by His Majesty the Sultan in December 2022. Indeed, the spirit of cultural exchange lies at the very heart of this exhibition,” he said.
He further said that the paintings by the 19th and early 20th artists from Europe, America and Turkey were intent on broadening their audiences’ understanding of Muslim culture.
“Today their artistic legacy is valued by people from across the Islamic world, not only as a visual record of life in the region a century and more ago but as an introduction to nineteenth-century figurative art,” said the senior director, adding that the art fostered ties between East and West.
While European artists travelled East to experience and record their impressions of life in the Orient, added Piening, and artists like the Turk Osman Hamdy Bey travelled to Europe to study painting. These artists saw the work of leading Orientalist painters and applied the Western style of painting to render scenes of life at home.
“The subject of faith and worship – the theme of the current exhibition – was one that particularly fascinated the Orientalist painters. While for Turkish painters’ faith and devotion were an integral part of daily life, European artist travellers were in awe of the uncomplicated, clergy-free simplicity of Muslim worship, and the seemingly direct communion this allowed between the worshipper and God,” continued Peining.
He continued that whether scenes of prayer or views of places of worship, their paintings are imbued with a sense of deep respect.
“In this current era of strife in the world in the Middle East and elsewhere, Orientalist art, created in the spirit of wanting to understand and enlighten, seems to me particularly topical and relevant, symbolising the bridge of dialogue that can exist between different cultures, and from which nations of all creeds might take example. We hope you enjoy the exhibition,” he concluded.
The launch ceremony was also attended by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Halbi, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Amin Liew, Minister of Religious Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Ahmaddin, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Nazmi and Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Fiscal) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy Pengiran Datin Seri Paduka Hajah Zety Sufina, senior officials and other guests.
Also present were the exhibition partners Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam as the Diamond Partner, Sotheby’s as the Curation Partner and other partners including United Nations Network, Datastream Digital, Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Royal Brunei and PrintPlus.
The Faith & Devotion Art Exhibition will open to the public from 20 July 2024 until 30 January 2025 at Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah’s Special Exhibition Gallery Space.
For more information about the exhibition, members of the public could reach the official social media at @faithdevotion.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
