Our journey: 119 years of civilisation and creativity

The Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo celebrates the opening of an exhibition of heritage projects by Jameel House students at the Museum of Islamic Art on 28 December 2022. The exhibition forms part of the Museum of Islamic Art's temporary exhibition, 'Our Journey: 119 years of civilisation and creativity,' to celebrate the 119th anniversary of the museum's establishment and showcases seven replicas of traditional Islamic artworks from the Museum collection made by students from the Jameel House of Traditional Arts, who have undertaken a two year diploma to learn Islamic crafts and practices using gypsum, wood, porcelain, among other materials.

The projects include a wooden cabinet made with the traditional joinery technique, a gypsum panel, and a stained glass gypsum window and a ceramic tile panel of the Kaaba and the Holy Mosque of Mecca.

Launched in 2009 as a collaborative project between Community Jameel, the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, and Egypt’s Cultural Development Fund, the Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo has established itself as an educational institution aiming to preserve enduring crafts and practices. It offers two-year diplomas and hosts classes on traditional Islamic geometry, drawing, colour harmony and arabesque studies, as well as specialised training in ceramics, glass and gypsum, metalwork and woodwork.

The opening was attended by Mamdouh Othman, director general of the Museum of Islamic Art, representatives from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, including Dr Mustafa Waziri, secretary general, Moamen Othman, museums director, and Osama Talat, head of Islamic, Coptic and Jewish antiquities and Mamdouh Sakr, programme director at Jameel House of Traditional Arts.

Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of the Museum of Islamic Art's standard entrance ticket.