“I was honored to be invited to serve as an Honorary Trustee on the Metropolitan board and now, having spent several hours with this dynamic and committed group, I am-I admit-in awe of what’s been done and what lies ahead,” said Sheikha Hussah. “We met at The Cloisters museum and garden, which focuses on the art and architecture of medieval Europe, and I found the setting inspiring. The board includes a tremendous cross-section of individuals interested in preserving, protecting and sharing the legacy of all those who came before us. In the parameters of its mission, The Cloisters does the same-presenting an equally varied collection of objects.” 

In addition to visiting The Cloisters, a gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from John D Rockefeller Jr. in the 1930s, Sheikha Hussah visited the Museum’s main building. First she visited the Islamic Art Department’s new Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia galleries, which made their debut in November 2011. After, she visited the temporary exhibition “Byzantium and Islam: age of transition, which “follows the artistic traditions of the southern provinces of the Byzantine Empire from the seventh century to the ninth, as they were transformed from being central to the Byzantine tradition to being a critical part of the Islamic world.” 

“Working with The Metropolitan Museum of Art gives me the opportunity to learn from those who have had different experiences in developing and sharing works of art to create not just a great museum but also a better society. Fundamentally we have the same purpose, the Met and Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah and I am confident that our cooperation will benefit both organizations,” concluded Sheikha Hussah. 

*Article & photo Via Al-Watan Daily