The Politics of Displaying Islamic Art

As Western museums and other cultural institutions have begun to expand their collections and presentations of Islamic art in recent years, myriad issues have arisen relating to post-colonial politics, divergent perspectives regarding display, and global power structures. A panel of curators and cultural leaders will explore the diverse artistic traditions of the Islamic world within the context of the region’s historic and contemporary politics, as well as the complexities of presenting the work in an American setting.

Panelists include: Dr. Olga Bush, Assistant Professor of Islamic Art at Vassar College, Amy Landau, Associate Curator of Islamic Art and Manuscripts at the Walters Art Museum, Nasser Rabbat, Aga Khan Professor and the Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT and Dr. Layla S. Diba Independant Curator and Art Advisor.