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The Aga Khan Museum's collaboration with the YMCA of Greater Toronto kicks off with a mindfulness meditation practice focused on "Searching for Inner Truth." The YMCA's Slobodan Stojanovic leads the session, which was hosted in the Aga Khan Park on July 28, 2021 and recorded on Zoom. Before the soothing meditation started, Aga Khan Museum Director and CEO Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis and YMCA ...

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A timely presentation by Curator Dr. Marika Sardar shows a 17th-century painting depicting a "doctors' office" from a Mughal-era manuscript made in northern India. Inspired by verses from the poet Sa'di's most famous poem, "The Bustan" or "The Orchard," which appear at the top, the artist has produced a meticulously detailed scene: one doctor checks the pulse of a patient; others compound ...

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In her third Peer Perspective video for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, MET curator emerita Dr. Sheila Canby presents the mythical story behind a painting from the lavishly illustrated epic, Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp. The minutely detailed opaque watercolour of ink and gold shows the return of the envoy of Salm and Tur, delivering a message so disturbing the princes' faces turn as blue as ...

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In this choral soundscape, individuals from across Canada have come together to lend their voices to a community-driven, cross-cultural lament of solidarity, that bears witness and seeks hope for a better and inclusive world. To find about more about how this project came to be click below: Note: Participant Noshina Mirza was regretfully omitted from the credits. ...

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Courtney Stewart, senior research assistant in the Department of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, presents a precious and notable object from the Aga Khan Museum Collection. Providing a glimpse into the opulence of India's elite classes of the past, this perfume or snuff bottle was made in the 17th or 18th century, during the Mughal Empire, a period of ...

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Cris Derksen and Moe Clark are featured in a performance from the Museum's temporary gallery Sanctuary exhibition. Inspired by the exhibition, they perform 'Refuge in Truth' a piece that looks at notions of displacement and alienation and how memory can help reclaim the space of belonging and connection. Moe Clark is a âpihtawikosisâniskwêw artist who fuses together vocal improvisation with multilingual lyricism to create ...

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Toronto-based artist Eiman Muiny talks about why the lavishly decorated Blue Qur'an is her favourite object at the Aga Khan Museum. As a Muslim woman, the Qur'an itself, its verses, and meanings, make it "the closest book to my heart," she says. As a visual artist, she is in awe of the longevity and exemplary craftsmanship in the pages of the Blue ...

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In her latest Peer Perspective video for the #MuseumWithoutWalls​, MET curator emerita Dr. Sheila Canby zooms in on intricate flourishes -- some hyper-realistic, others fantastical -- in an awe-inspiring manuscript painting from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp. In the distinctive painting, the legendary King Faridun, disguised in the form of a dragon, confronts his three sons in a bid to discover each ...

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Is the blues universal? Can the blues be found in India? In episode 1 of "Searching for the Blues," Ankur and Ashutosh, long-time friends and founders of Amarrass Records, set out on a desert odyssey to film and record a lost and dying culture of traditional Indian music. Driving through the remote villages of Rajasthan, in northwest India, they find master class musicians, ...

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In March and April of 2021, the Museum brought together a cast of Canada-based performers to compose and record a new musical work symbolizing renewal, hope, and the transformative beauty of diverse cultures honouring each other. With musical direction by renowned Iranian-Canadian composer and instrumentalist Kiya Tabassian, Music for a New Day is a world premiere event. Tune in for a fascinating short ...

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Members of the Raag-Mala Society look back on 40 years of presenting spectacular performances and building community relationships. Board President Nishant Parekh, past-President Mohamed Khaki and Treasurer Aliya Ghose share stories of how the society has flourished, from holding concerts in basements of family homes in the early days to concerts for the world via digital and social media platforms today. "Thanks ...

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One of the most revered manuscripts in the Aga Khan Museum Collection is the late 13th-century Manuscript of the Spiritual Words from Greek Philosophy with Sayings of the Philosophers Accompanied with their Portraits. Dr. Lale Uluç, art history professor at Boğaziçi University in İstanbul, describes the manuscript's origins in Baghdad and significance of its main calligrapher, Yaqut al-Musta'simi. A celebrated scribe of the ...

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Presented with the support of the Government of Ontario. Bringing online Museum experiences to you is part of our mission to connect cultures and promote understanding between peoples. To learn more about how you can support the Museum by making a donation or becoming a Friend or Patron, please visit: ...

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In his solo set for the Museum's From Africa festival in February, singer-songwriter Tichaona Maredza painted a hopeful and nuanced musical picture of his homeland of Zimbabwe. Watch his performance to immerse yourself in his rich stories and the soothing sounds of the mbira, a traditional instrument from southern Africa. To watch the full From Africa concert: BIO Tichaona Daniel Maredza is a ...

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Guitar ace Madagascar Slim blends American blues-inspired licks and Malagasy storytelling in his February 2021 set for the Museum's From Africa online musical celebration. Stop by to hear the master musician make his instrument wail, and as an added bonus, learn about his journey from his birthplace in Africa to his evolution into a multiple JUNO Award winner in his adoptive homeland ...

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For family physician Dr. Nurjehan Akbarali, The Canon of Medicine (Qanun [Fi'l-Tibb] of Ibn Sina), is a touchstone that takes her back to her days as a medical student. Part of our Permanent Collection, the five-volume encyclopedia, which dates back to 1052, set the standard for Muslims and Europeans in the medical field for more than 500 years. As Dr. Akbarali notes ...

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For family physician Dr. Nurjehan Akbarali, The Canon of Medicine (Qanun [Fi'l-Tibb] of Ibn Sina), is a touchstone that takes her back to her days as a medical student. Part of our permanent Collection, the five-volume encyclopedia, which dates back to 1052, set the standard for Muslims and Europeans in the medical field for more than 500 years. As Dr. Akbarali notes ...

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Poet-authors Tawhida Tanya Evanson and Afua Cooper knit together poetry, spoken word, Black history, and Black identities in a special online talk held on April 24, 2021. This thoughtful and passionate conversation focuses on two questions: -- How is the Black history approached in poetry? -- How do spoken word and writing bring together stories to create history? Do not miss this fascinating ...

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In March and April of 2021, the Museum brought together a cast of Canada-based performers to compose and record a new musical work symbolizing renewal, hope, and the transformative beauty of diverse cultures honouring each other. With musical direction by renowned Iranian-Canadian composer and instrumentalist Kiya Tabassian, Music for a New Day is a world premiere event. Tune in for a fascinating short ...

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Mi'kmaq singer and percussionist Darlene Gijumanig is one of seven all-star performers featured in Music for a New Day, a new composition commissioned by the Aga Khan Museum. With musical direction by renowned Iranian-Canadian composer and instrumentalist Kiya Tabassian, this soaring sonic celebration of the promise of spring will debut on Friday, April 30 at 7 pm ET as part of a ...

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Cellist and composer Raphael Weinroth-Browne is one of seven all-star performers featured in Music for a New Day, a new composition commissioned by the Aga Khan Museum. With musical direction by renowned Iranian-Canadian composer and instrumentalist Kiya Tabassian, this soaring sonic celebration of the promise of spring will debut on Friday, April 30 at 7 pm ET as part of a special ...

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With musical direction by renowned Iranian-Canadian composer and instrumentalist Kiya Tabassian, Music for a New Day will debut on Friday, April 30 at 7 pm ET as part of a special virtual presentation. Tune in for a fascinating short film that opens new windows on how artists collaborate creatively in spite of the realities of the global pandemic. Directed by Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Imran ...

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In our latest REIMAGINE: Global Conversation for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, two world-renowned contemporary artists contemplate the role of creative expression in sparking hope and healing. Joining the Museum's Dr. Filiz Çakır Phillip for this very special talk are New York-based Iranian-American artist Pouran Jinchi and Syria-born, Germany-based painter and printmaker Tammam Azzam. Both artists reflect on how they use their art to bring ...

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Curator Dr. Michael Chagnon offers a glimpse into how we're caring for the works in the Remastered exhibition during our temporary closure -- and he investigates a story of courtly intrigue and unspoken love as depicted in an exquisite painting from a manuscript of the Diwan of Safavid prince Sultan Ibrahim Mirza. To learn more about this work in our Collection (AKM ...

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With vibrant melodies and orchestral notes, Afro-Latin jazz duo @OkanVEVO performance for February's From Africa online music festival evokes the rich cultural fabric of their homeland of Cuba. Join along as they harmonize on themes of love, belonging, and soul through intentional lyricism and cultural exploration. More about the Museum's February 2021 From Africa festival, presented in partnership with Toronto's Batuki Music ...

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In the first instalment of our new Peer Perspective series, Dr. Sheila Canby, the MET's curator emerita of Islamic Art, explores how an artist behind the extraordinary Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp captured a dynamic scene featuring the hero Rustam. Discover how Muzaffar 'Ali's clever depiction of animals in motion foreshadows Rustam's capture of Akvan, a demon disguised as an onager or wild ...

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The first time veteran energy-sector leader Helen Platis visited the Aga Khan Museum, she was "taken with entire experience" -- the architecture, the landscaping, and of course, the masterworks in the permanent Collection. But as she shares in her The Public Curates video for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, it was one object in particular that inspired a "personal memory" for Platis and revealed for ...

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In their latest Pocket Performance for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, renowned Toronto-based instrumentalists Padideh Ahrarnejad and Ali Massoudi brilliantly tackle well-loved works by celebrated Iranian composers. Be amazed by the passion and precision of their artistry. Production note: This video was filmed in Fall 2020 before the introduction of new provincial COVID-19 orders requiring museums in Toronto to close their doors temporarily. Enhanced health and ...

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Immerse yourself in Part 2 of Naghmeh Farahmand (percussion), Shahin Fayaz (setar), and Bijan Sepanji's (violin) transcendent archived performance at the Museum. The trio, who are all instructor-performers with Toronto's Sarv Music Academy, blend Iranian and Western classical styles to dramatic effect. To learn more about the Sarv Music Academy: This is Part 2 of 2 of the trio's performance at the ...

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In the latest instalment of Storytelling with Armaan, our narrator ventures further into the Museum-commissioned children's book Two Crafty Jackals. Settle in for the tale of Khalila and Dimnah who realize that the moral of all the stories in the book is that deceit is dangerous. Bringing online Museum experiences to you is part of our mission to connect cultures and promote ...

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Toronto-based choreographer Sashar Zarif's upcoming virtual performance for the Aga Khan Museum is an unabashed celebration of spring -- and a bold expression of hope for a better post-COVID-19 future. Featuring breathtaking imagery by Zarif and hybrid-media designer Luke Garwood, Re/turning is a ritual dance story inspired by the journey toward rebirth, from winter to spring, regeneration to awakening. It is an intimate ...

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In a new Lunchtime Lecture for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, Baku-based contemporary artist Faig Ahmed, in conversation with internationally renowned textile researcher Dr. Jessica Hemmings, untangles the ideas and inspiration behind his art practice and Dissolving Order, the Museum exhibition celebrating his work. Moderated by Assistant Curator Bita Pourvash, the discussion unpacks the role of centuries-old weaving traditions in the artist's playful and sometimes ...

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Two elite players with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra take on powerful 20th-century compositions in a new a Pocket Performance for the #MuseumWithoutWalls. In the fall, the TSO's Camille Watts (flute) and Roberta Janzen (cello) recorded one solo each and one duet in the Museum's Auditorium. As you watch the performance, marvel at how these two masterful musicians soar both in melodic conversation ...

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