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PROVO — A landmark exhibit is coming to Utah in the new year. BYU's Museum of Art will host Islamic works of art from nearly a dozen countries, titled "Beauty and Belief."
The exhibit's subtitle is "Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture," meaning bridges of understanding and appreciation. This exhibit will travel the country to four museums, making its first stop BYU.
Roughly 250 objects of art, from the 7th Century to the present day, will go on loan from 40 private collectors or museums in 10 countries.
"For the Mormons to embrace something like this is huge. It is so powerful. I am humbled, actually," said Sabiha al Khemir, an author, illustrator and expert in Islamic Art.
al Khemir directs the project, believing the acceptance of the art by people of another faith speaks to her original aim of building understanding and hope.
"The Prophet Muhammed said, ‘God is beautiful and He loves beauty,' which places God at the center of this aesthetic experience," she said.
For the Mormons to embrace something like this is huge. It is so powerful. I am humbled, actually.
–Sabiha al Khemir
The art, Dr. al Khemir says, does not point to religious differences, rather enriches our lives.
"I don't just have hope that there is going to be a greater understanding. I have total belief, because that has been an incredible, driving force to make this exhibition happen," al Khemir said.
Directors of the four museums talked about the effect this exhibit could have on more than100,000 visitors.
"In every venue, in every location, people of all cultures and all faiths will recognize harbingers of future good, future opportunities — interfaith, intercultural," said Mark Magelby, director of the BYU Museum of Art.
The exhibit opens February 23, 2012 and continues through September 29, 2012.
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