A fascinating evening of discussion on South Asian cultural heritage was held here on Friday, in an event on ‘Islamic Art: Heritage, Identity, and Inspiration’ organised by the Institute for Policy Reforms, a public policy research think tank.
New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art Islamic Art Department Curator Navina Najat Haidar gave a presentation to a full house of enthralled listeners. She based her presentation on the recently held award winning exhibition that she curated at the museum, titled ‘Sultans of Deccan India, 1500-1700: Opulence and Fantasy’.
Opening the discussion, Institute for Policy Reforms Chairman Humayun Akhtar Khan, said that this event was the first step in meeting a gap in the institute’s work on public policy. No discourse on our identity and social evolution is complete without recognition of our entire heritage, he said. Such discussions are particularly important in the present context of Pakistani society. He further added that the tourism and heritage sector can play a vital role to enhance the trade and business. Art and heritage can ensure sustainable social and cultural development, Khan said.
The audience appreciated the informative and enriching commentary about a period rich in Islamic art and culture. They enjoyed learning about the many sources of iconography that Islamic art embraced and has since become a common idiom for South Asian Muslims. Some members of the audience said that culture and socio-economic development cannot be separated. In fact, culture should be the end of development, they said.
