V&A’s Jameel Prize Proves that Ancient Islamic Art Techniques Are Still Relevant

THE MAJALLA: ARAB MAGAZINE
By Vedica Kant

Istanbul Contrast, Dice Kayek, 2010. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

UNITED KINGDOM---The wide influence of Islamic traditions on contemporary art can be gleaned from the fact that the third edition of the Jameel Prize, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) received nearly 270 nominations from thirty-four countries as far afield as Norway, Kosovo, Brazil and Azerbaijan. The nine finalists currently on show in the exhibition capture the gamut of artistic techniques that are either traditionally associated with Islam or have been interpreted in contemporary ways, including homages to miniature painting, calligraphy, rug-making and weaving, to name just a few. The third edition of the biannual prize, which will be on display at the V&A until April, seeks not only to determine a connection between ancient Islamic art and contemporary art, but also to evoke questions about the role of Islamic culture in the modern world. The latest winner of the prize is Dice Kayek, a Turkish fashion label established in 1992 by sisters Ece and Ayşe Ege. [link]