Hajj Journey Through the Ages
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia
13th December 2019 - 13th March 2020
This series of forty-three original oil paintings by Saudi Arabian artist Reem Nazir entitled ‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’ explores the history of the Hajj, a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Makkah, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, including a visit to the Holy City of Madinah. This series depicts a bygone era, when the long and arduous travel to the Hijaz was mostly undertaken by camel caravan and traditional sailing dhows, before the advent of steamships, trains and air travel.
Alongside the paintings are historic reference photographs, mostly taken from the archives of the Barakat Trust and Royal Geographical Society, that relate to scenes depicted in the paintings. In addition, descriptions of each scene are provided by a variety of historical ‘voices’.
Evocative quotations of first hand witnesses, from the earliest Islamic historians and travellers, through to later Eastern and Western travellers, are used in addition to verses from the Holy Quran and traditional sayings of the Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him).
A seventy-two page catalogue featuring all paintings is available during the exhibition.