September 7, 2024–January 5, 2025

Wonderment is said to be a state of perplexity that comes over a human being when he fails to understand the reason for a thing or how it affects him.

—Zakariyya ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (d. 1283)

Wonders of Creation explores intersections of art and science in Islamic intellectual and visual culture from the 8th century to the present day, using the lens of “wonder” as defined by a celebrated 13th-century Islamic cosmography, an influential text describing the wonders of the universe. Written in Arabic and Persian by the scholar Zakariyya ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (d. 1283), The Wonders of Creation and Rarities of Existence catalogues the marvels of the universe in a single, richly illustrated book. The text contains anecdotes about the wondrous qualities of the natural world and its inhabitants, all created by God. Beginning with the stars and heavens, it then travels across the earth to conclude with humanity and its crafts and traditions.

Using wonder as the vehicle to explore Islamic culture, Wonders of Creation illuminates the extraordinary global impact of science and artistic production from the Islamic world while introducing new audiences to its diverse geographies and multifaceted visual cultures. Over 200 works, including illustrated manuscripts and paintings, maps, scientific instruments, magic bowls, luster dishes, architectural elements, and contemporary art, will evoke sentiments of wonder through a visual journey inspired by Qazwini’s text. As an encyclopedic cosmography, Qazwini’s text is, simply put, a description of the universe; in the exhibition, it serves as a framework carrying the reader through the orbits of the cosmos from the heavens to the earth.

The exhibition begins with an introduction to the original text and its impact. Three major sections on the celestial and terrestrial spheres and humankind examine topics such as astronomy, astrology, natural history, mineralogy, alchemy, medicine, geometry, and architecture through objects from Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East to Central, South, and Southeast Asia and the modern diaspora.

The exhibition includes works from more than 30 lenders, including major loans from The al-Sabah Collection, Dar Al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait; and the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM). In addition to these prestigious collections, visitors will also see contemporary works by California-based artists Ala Ebtekar and Hayv Kahraman commissioned specifically for this exhibition. The Museum has also commissioned Mamluk joinery samples made by master craftsman Hassan Abou Zeid of the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation to provide a hands-on opportunity for guests, and commissioned two contemporary replicas of a 17th-century Persian astrolabe by Taha Yasin Arslan, Ph.D., to further evoke a sense of awe throughout the exhibition.

Wonders of Creation pairs ancient art and objects from the Islamic world with contemporary works of art, thereby introducing visitors to art, science, and innovation spanning 13 centuries. Featured contemporary artists on view in the exhibition include work by

• Faig Ahmed, an internationally recognized artist known for his contemporary abstractions of traditional weaving;
• Kourosh Beigpour, a Los Angeles-based artist who blends Persian and Arabic typography with graphic design;
• Ala Ebtekar, a California-based artist whose work explores the cosmos and is creating a commissioned work that will join The San Diego Museum of Art collection;
• Monir Farmanfarmaian (died 2019), an Iranian artist known for exploring geometry through her work;
• Fouad Kouichi Honda, a Japanese calligrapher whose work was donated to the Museum by the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia on occasion of the exhibition;
• Pouran Jinchi, an Iranian artist who combines the fluidity of abstract painting with Islamic calligraphy traditions and whose work is part of the Museum’s permanent collection;
• Hayv Kahraman, a Los Angeles-based artist fascinated by geometry and systems of symmetry, who will have one work showcased in the exhibition plus a commissioned work that will join The San Diego Museum of Art collection;
• Pantea Karimi, a multimedia artist focused on the interconnectivity of art and science, showcasing two large hanging installations;
• Issam Kourbaj, a Cambridge-based Syrian artist, who is lending 19 boats from his Dark Water, Burning World, plus one commissioned boat to be acquired by the Museum, all of which will greet visitors in the Museum rotunda;
• Sherin Guirguis, whose practice centers recovered feminist histories from the SAWANA region, interweaving traditional craft materials and techniques with contemporary modes of abstraction, is lending two works;
• Timo Nasseri, who is known for exploring geometry through his work and is recreating his 2016 Florenz-Bagdad installation of mirrors specifically for the Museum; and
• Parviz Tanavoli, a pioneer of modern Iranian sculpture, showcasing his sculpture Heech Lovers.

Wonders of Creation is designed to invite visitors into a world of wonder where they will explore the marvels of the heavens and the earth and admire the crafts and customs of humanity.

Please note: Due to the staff and logistics necessary for this special exhibition, there is an additional charge ($5) for nonmembers, ages 7+. Members receive free admission. Advanced tickets are not required. See below for more information about special exhibition entry.