11/30: Kuala Lumpur: Tent Makers & Masjid Negara

While Steven took some more souvenirs to mail home at the nearby Post Office, I stayed at the hotel to work on the blog as I was so far behind. (You can see that is still the case as here I am writing about our second day in Kuala Lumpur - KL for short - a full two weeks later!) We left about noon to get the monorail and then the elevated Metro to the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia but didn’t get there til almost 2 after getting lost a few times! It was delightful being in the air conditioned building after the heat and humidity outside.

The 35 story marble Dayabumi Tower that we saw from the metro was one of KL’s most striking landmarks. It was designed by a local architect and, according to my travel notes, ‘it introduces contemporary Islamic architecture to the skyscraper area.’

 The same design I mentioned in my previous post about KL.

Not sure if you can read the sign for this building that was next to the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAAM); it was the Islamic Religious Department of the Federated Territories.

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAAM for short) was a stunning white building although it doesn't appear like that from the photo. It was another very cloudy day in KL but we didn't mind as we had luckily had so few rainy days this entire trip. 

The orange daylilies looked gorgeous against the stark white exterior.

Photos of Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia:

The outstanding museum has one of the best collections of Islamic decorative arts in the world and provides a fascinating collection of textiles, metalware, etc from diverse areas such as Iran, India, South Asia, and China. The museum was established in 1988 in response to the rapid growth of interest in Islamic art.

Ceremonial Tent.

The first exhibition we saw at the Museum was called ‘Khayamiya’ or the 'Tentmakers of Cairo.’ The distinctive hand-appliqued technique developed over many centuries in response to the desert dust, bricks and concrete of Cairo. The textiles are assembled at weddings, funerals, graduations and festivals of all kinds to form spaces for celebration.

Khayamiya are created by cutting small pieces of cotton fabric which are then delicately folded and hand-sewn to canvas to create vast walls of color. Though Khayamiya are intrinsic to Egyptian culture, very few skilled tent makers remain in Cairo and this art form is now endangered due to changing technology.

The art of Khayamiya has changed in order to survive. The tent makers of Cairo now rarely make large tents; instead they create artworks to be displayed inside homes. Tourists have been an important audience for the tent makers since the 1890s when many soldiers and nurses during the World Wars collected Khayamiya as souvenirs. To make their work more appealing to new audiences, the tent makers invented smaller, brightly colored and very carefully sewn designs, often using ancient Egyptian motifs. International quilters have recently become important patrons of this endangered art form because quilting and Khayamiya have much in common. 

The 90 Names in another cotton applique tent panel.

 Syrian Ceiling Tent Panel.

Cotton Appliqué Tent Panel. This blue, gray, white and black contemporary design resembles the Moroccan traditional tile mosaics called zellige. The 9 circular forms form an optical illusion in which convex or concave dorms seem to emerge. A strong center is important for Khamiya design, so in the central part, the blue arrows are very slightly larger than the others.

Matisse and the Khayamiya.

After seeing the incredible display about the tent makers of Cairo, all I wanted to do was hop on a plane and fly to Cairo to see more Khayamiya! Possibly next year?

 One of the beautifully decorated museum domes.

The Mosque Architecture Gallery featured the architecture of mosques and mausoleums from around the Islamic world. It was interesting to see the diversity of designs in Islamic architecture.

Flat screen Qur'an (i.e.Koran) Presentation. I watched for a few minutes the recitation of the Qur'an by a celebrated Egyptian iman and read the simultaneous translation in English. 

The Qur'an and Manuscript Gallery had a number of early Qur'an folios inscribed in Kufic script. There were also manuscripts on astronomy, medicine, geography, literature, etc as well as miniature paintings, official documents and marriage certificates that showed the huge diversity of artistic traditions within the Islamic world.

The Qur'an from 18th century Kashmir. 

The ottoman period Damascus Room was one of the highlights of the IAAM. It is the only room of its type preserved intact in Southeast Asia and is dated from 1820-21. The reception room, made with painted wood panels, was probably made for an affluent family and would have been the largest and most lavishly decorated room in the home. It likely would have faced south to take advantage of the winter sun. The Damascus Room was officially opened by Prince Andrew, Duke of York in 2001.

Another of the museum's gorgeous domes. I think of you, Janina, each time I crane my head to take thse ceiling shots after your comment on one of the posts from last year year!

Calligraphy Leaves.

A beautifully illustrated book by a renowned Persian poet from the late 12th century.

Ivory miniatures.

An 1863 wooden panel from the Malay archipelago carved with the Proclamation of Faith in Islam.

We stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the museum's Ceramics Gallery. 

Calligraphy-inspired pottery.

The Jewelry Gallery, below, displayed the opulent art of jewelry making form both precious and semi-precious stones on personal ornaments to household items using filigree and enamel techniques.

A 19th century turquoise and gold floral rosette necklace from Qajar, Iran; what a lovely bauble to have!

One of my favorite galleries showcased Islamic Textiles, below, as it had sumptuous fabrics used in furnishings and costumes with decorative techniques such as embroidery and weaving.

Ottoman 18th century embroidered napkin.

20th century embroidered tent bag from Central Asia.

19th century embroidered woman's mantle from Uzbekistan - certainly the first time I've ever needed to write that country's name!

When the Safavids came to power in Iran at the turn of he 16th century, Iran's textile industry was already well developed. However it was during their reign that Iranian textiles reached their pinnacle.

Indian carpet. People produced and traded a dazzling array of textiles throughout the Indian subcontinent since at least the 1st century A.D. Following the arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1499, European traders discovered an already flourishing trade in textiles between India and Rome, Persia, China as well as the Malay world. Under the patronage of the Mughul emperor Akbar, at the end of the sixteenth century, textile manufacturing was founded in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri in India. (Remember those  places as you will see them in future posts.)

Above, Textiles from the Malay world.

Moroccan textile. Situated at the crossroads of Africa's northwestern region, the Mediterranean and Europe, Morocco was a melting pot of different cultures. Under the rule of the Berbers in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Morocco developed a distinctive textile tradition. Moroccan needlework, practiced for hundreds of years, consisted of diverse regional styles in cities across the country. Perhaps we may see examples of Moroccan needlework if we travel there next year as we're thinking about.

20th century woman's dress from Palestine.

The best description of papier mache I've ever read.

Lacquered papier mache mirror cases.

This wall was called 'Palestine Remembered' and was dedicated to Palestine, the cradle of different civilizations and monotheistic religions. Did you know that Jerusalem is the third holiest city for Muslims? Alongside a brief chronology of major events in Palestine's history, were photographic glimpses of Palestinian arts, crafts and heritage.

I liked the design of this hanging light.

We then walked over to the National Mosque that was located across the street from the Islamic Art Museum Malaysia which we had thoroughly enjoyed. 

The mosque, inspired by Mecca’s Grand Mosque, is the main place of worship for KL’s Malay Muslim population. Its blue tile roof has 18 points symbolizing the 13 states of Malaysia and the 5 pillars of Islam. Its dome looked like a partly opened umbrella roof which was intended to symbolize the aspirations of an independent nation.

Photos of National Mosque aka Masjid Negara:

I had to wear a robe and headdress before being allowed to visit the mosque. Steven and I have visited many mosques the last couple of years but I had never had to cover my head with anything other than simply a scarf before.

The sweet woman guard told us that, unlike any other mosques we’d visited in other countries, only Muslims were allowed entry into Masjid Negara's prayer hall. When we asked why, she said that mosque management had made the decision to bar foreigners.She kindly took the following photos for me.

We had such a positive experience visiting the mosque and chatting with the woman there which was refreshing after hearing about the recent horrific attacks in Paris.

Exterior views of the mosque.

Above and below: The former central Train Station across the street from the mosque is one of KL”s most famous landmarks. It was designed by a British colonial architect and completed in 1910.

The Dayabumi and KL Towers from Masjid Negara.

Haven't a clue what this building was that we walked by en route to catching the metro but it sure looked very impressive!

KL's monorail as it neared the city's Central Station AND just before it began raining again. We had thought about also going to the nearby Petronas Towers that day but decided that we had seen enough of Kuala Lumpur and headed back to the hotel as we had a long travel day ahead of us.

Posted on 12/15 from Delhi, India.