The exhibition “Wonders of Creation” focused on the intersections of art and science within the intellectual and visual culture of the Islamic world from the 8th century to the present day. The exhibition was framed through the concept of ʿajab (wonder), a well-known idea in 13th-century Islamic cosmology, which describes the marvels of the universe.
The scholar Zakariya ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (1283) authored the book “Wonders of Creation and Oddities of Existence” in both Arabic and Persian, classifying the wonders of the cosmos and richly illustrated throughout.
The exhibition featured works loaned from over 30 institutions, including pieces from the al-Sabah Collection of Dar al Athar al Islamiyyah in Kuwait and the Museum of Islamic Arts in Malaysia.
