The new galleries at the Louvre – simply titled: Islam – will be opening on 22 September. They are sited in an exciting new gallery, intended to evoke silk floating in the courtyard. The BBC film here summarises the architectural intent – and feat (there are no obvious supporting pillars).
The Louvre collection is both huge and important and have been added to by some objects on loan from the Musee des Arts Decoratif. Here (scroll down to second film), Sophie Makariou sums up how the galleries tell a travellers’ tale: from west to east of the diverse world of Islam. There’s a (simplified) chronological focus too. Some of the highlights (lots are Iranian) are shown in films if you click here.
Before the opening (until 22 Sept), Laure Soustiel has a Paris exhibition on Islam and Calligraphy; and after the opening (from 29 Sept until Spring 2013) there is a Contemporary Festival of Islamic Arts.