HAJJ: JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF ISLAM

Organisation: The British Museum

Time: 26 January 2012 10:00am - 15 April 2012 5:30pm

Place: Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG

The British Museum Presents:

HAJJ: JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF ISLAM 

One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able. This major exhibition charts the history of this deeply personal journey.

Examining the extraordinary travel logistics involved and how the wider operation of the event has changed over time, the exhibition compares how pilgrims over the centuries negotiated this often monumental undertaking and how it continues to be experienced by people from all corners of the globe today.

Beautiful objects, including historical and contemporary art, textiles and manuscripts, bring to life the profound spiritual significance of the sacred rituals that have remained unchanged since the Prophet Muhammad’s time in the 7th century AD.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events including film screenings, artists' talks and curators' introductions.

The Arab British Centre is proud to announce that two founding artists from our resident organisation Edge of Arabia, Ahmed Mater and Abulnasser Gharem, will have new and ground-breaking work on show in the exhibition.  Alongside the main exhibition, Edge of Arabia have also collaborated with the British Museum to present a display of winning artwork from this year's Arts & Creativity category (Create and Inspire) of the Most Competitive Youth Awards - a nationwide search to find the most talented young artists living in Saudi Arabia. The resulting display, Create & Inspire: Youth Hajj, which is in partnership with the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority and Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives, can be seen in the British Museum's Addis Gallery.

The Arab British Centre is delighted to announce its involvement in coordinating a series of related activities in museums across the UK -- more on this to follow soon...

Monday - Friday 10:00 - 17:30 | Fridays until 20:30
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
Tickets: £12 | £10 conc.

For more information or to book tickets please click here.

Image: The Ka'ba. AP/PA. Courtesy of the British Museum.