The 17th edition of the Al Burda Awards unfolded last night at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, commemorating the captivating art inspired by Islam. Coinciding with the UAE’s celebration of the Year of Sustainability, this year’s theme, “Al Mizan – The Balance: Islamic Art as a Catalyst for Sustainability,” took center stage. In the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sheikh Salem bin Khaled Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, 24 winners of the Al Burda Award were honored.
Initially launched by the Ministry of Culture in 2004 to honor the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), this year’s award ceremony focused on highlighting the enduring commitment of Islamic principles to environmental protection, conservation of natural resources, and the individual responsibility for maintaining planetary balance.
The annual award acknowledges the intrinsic value of Islamic art and culture, applauding creativity across traditional Islamic disciplines. It pays homage to the complexities of the Arabic language through submissions from poets, calligraphers, and artists inspired by the Prophet, the Holy Quran, and hadiths. The recognized categories include poetry (classical and nabati), calligraphy (classical and modern), and ornamentation.
Prior to the ceremony, attendees immersed themselves in an exhibition curated by Noor Al Suwaidi, an Emirati cultural advisor, curator, and artist. The exhibit showcased a diverse collection of modern and traditional calligraphy artworks.
Calligraphy, considered to be one of the most versatile, disciplined and rich practices of Islam, has rooted itself as a highly respected tradition in Muslim culture. The practice is not only a form of writing but also spiritual expression.
One of the standouts of the exhibition was the West African calligraphy section hailing all the way from the Republic of Senegal, who was the guest of honor at this year’s award show. Showcasing the vibrant works of calligraphy by Senegalese calligrapher and artist Yelimane Fall who founded the West African Calligraphy Institute. His distinctive calligraphic style seamlessly blends the Maghrebi-influenced Arabic script of West Africa with contemporary Senegalese elements.
Fall’s artistic endeavors center around themes of social significance, Islam, the 28 letter of the Arabic alphabet, and the poetry of Cheikh Ahamdou Bamba, a prominent scholar in the study of Islam in Senegal.
Additionally, the exhibition featured a series of poems that you could read and listen to, with each poem highlighting the life and character of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) through the art of language and the power of verbal expression. For the third discipline ornamentation, the exhibition showcased a series of intricate artworks that depicted an aesthetic range which are, calligraphy, vegetal patterns, geometric patterns, and figural representation.
After indulging in Islamically rich artwork, guests were treated to spiritually and culturally-infused performances by the Emirati Malid that filled the extravagant venue, following prize announcements.
The first prize in the “Classical Poetry” category was awarded to Ahmed Hafez. In the “Nabati Poetry” category, the first prize was won by Awad Al Oud. In the category of “Modern Arabic Calligraphy,” Zaid Ahmed Amin won first place. In the Ornamentation category, first place was awarded to Iranian artist Afsaneh Mahdavi.
With vibrant projections adoring the Louvre’s walls, Sadbou Samb, a group of Senegalese praise singers known as “Griot” filled the artspace with spiritual melodies. The evening also included traditional transcendent sounds from a Turkish choir that featured the traditional whirling practiced by Sufi dervishes. Meantime, the Samaa’ Group, hailing all the way from Egypt and Syria, gave a captivating performance centered in discovering unique voices in chanting to preserve the important heritage, and revive old traditional molds, while drawing inspiration from the arts of Arabic calligraphy and Sufi whirling dance.
The Al Burda Award ceremony provided an insightful exploration of nuanced art forms derived from the Islamic religion. The spiritually uplifting evening, filled with traditional musical performances, left an atmosphere of profound peace— an overall divine celebration of the Islamic tradition and its artistic offerings.
Photo: Work by Ahmet Ali Namazi
