“Royal Court World and Universe: The Greatest Century of Seljuk” exhibition completed its work on June 24 in new-York Metropolitan Museum in the United States of America. It was held almost for three months from April 27. For the first time for this show, our country presented items from collections of State Museum of State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan, Mary Historical and Local History and Kunyaurgench Museums.
The exhibition held in the Year of Honour of Heritage and Transformation of the Motherland is particularly relevant as it introduced numerous foreign visitors to artefacts indicative of that period of history when Seljuk Empire reached its highest peak.
During work of exposition, while familiarizing with exhibits of the show, visitors stated with delight their historical value and expressed their satisfaction of presented opportunity to enjoy the ancient culture and art of legendary state of Great Seljuks.
Head of Department of Islamic Art of Metropolitan Museum Sheila Canby in her interview to the State News Agency of Turkmenistan described key directions and purposes of the exhibition and shared her vision of perspectives of further cooperation with our museums.
Please, tell about the idea of this exhibition, how it came to the mind?
After we opened our permanent galleries, time has come to think about special exhibition on the subject, which would give opportunity to demonstrate the area of our specialization as well as to allow visitors take fresh look on one of the most important period of Islamic art. Seljuk art was exactly that subject and yet there were not special exhibition before dedicated Seljuk’s dynasties. So I think that time for this exposition has come.
What countries along with Turkmenistan presented their exhibits for the exposition?
There were items presented for rent by private collector and government institutions of United States of America, Canada, Ireland, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Georgia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
What do you find most important and valuable in art of Seljuk’s epoch?
In addition to beautiful architecture, - I mean first off all Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum in Ancient Merv, part of Jami Mosque in Isfahan, buildings of Seljuk’s period in Konya, Sivas and Divriği, the Seljuks and their successors brought up the art of glazed ceramics, encrusted metal and splendid silk textile works on new level.
Do you think that there was Seljuk style or is this just interpretation of modern art historians?
The difficulty in defining of idea of “Seljuk’s style” is that most part of art items, which are called Seljuk’s ones, were made after fall of Seljuk Empire in XII century but before Mongolian invasion in 20s years of XII century. At the same time, the style is deservingly called Seljuk as forms and iconography of the items related to Seljuks and their successors were developed under their patronage or by their subjects.
Do digital technologies affect museum exposition and how did the approach of Metropolitan Museum to change appearance and contents of exhibitions change in this relation?
Yes, undoubtedly. We used digital technologies in the current exposition to project fragments of encrusted brass jug, as without it, it would be difficult to see the details. We also have projection of landscapes and architecture in order to provide the feeling of context for presented exhibits. The visitor gave positive feedback on it.
What is the main purpose of the Museum?
In few words, our targets are to collect, study, preserve and demonstrate. But in fact, we want to present the art to public in order to inspire them and give opportunity to familiarize more closer with culture and history of world’s countries.
Would you like to organize exhibition from collection of Metropolitan Museum in Turkmenistan? If yes, what subject would you offer for it?
This is great idea that will allow to consolidate our cultural relations. I am all for it from my side. The subject of exhibition can discussed after all formalities. As for my opinion, it would be interested to introduce more closely the citizens of your country with part of museum pieces of “American decorative art” collection, which contains around 12 thousand items of the end of XVII and the beginning of XX centuries. As you know, the collection of the museum have items from times of classic Antiquity and Ancient Egypt until canvas and sculptures of almost all modern masters. That is why the final choice is at Turkmen side discretion.
