House of Wisdom immortalises Lebanese writer, artist and poet
The virtual exhibition celebrates Gibran’s life and invaluable contributions as a visual artist by showcasing 34 of his original works of art
In line with its vision to enrich human culture and ease access to knowledge to all people around the globe, the House of Wisdom (HOW) in Sharjah, launched the first virtual exhibition featuring a curated and distinguished collection of artworks and personal belongings of acclaimed Lebanese writer, artist and poet, Gibran Khalil Gibran.
Remembering the 140th anniversary of Gibran’s birth (January 6th, 1883), this new initiative comes ater the closing of a physical exhibition titled “A Window to the Soul: Gibran Khalil Gibran” at HOW, which His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated.
Over four months, the physical exhibition atracted 12,956 visitors to explore the literary and artistic experience of a globally prominent writer, whose works have been translated into over 110 languages.
The virtual exhibition celebrates Gibran’s life and invaluable contributions as a visual artist by showcasing 34 of his original works of art, including 15 that are making their debut in public.
The exhibition also includes manuscripts and sketches revealing the artist’s ingenuity, that is revered worldwide.
A visitor who had no opportunity to visit the physical exhibition, and Gibran devotees, can now access a selection of his artworks online from any part of the world.
Marwa Al Aqroubi, Executive Director of HOW, said, “House of Wisdom is a meeting ground for all forms of creativity. His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, established this iconic plaform for cultures around the world to converge and to serve as a beacon of knowledge and development for all humankind.”
She added, “The launch of this virtual exhibition is part of our ongoing quest to utilise the latest technologies to enable people worldwide to access valuable art and literary works. Virtual exhibitions transcend time and geographic boundaries, and this one offers the acclaimed writer’s worldwide fans an opportunity for a closer look at his personal belongings and artworks anywhere at their convenience.”
The items on display include Gibran’s watercolour set and easel and the galley proof and plate proof of his magnum opus, The Prophet, which has been in print since 1923 and translated into more than 100 languages.
Gibran, a key figure in both Arabic and English literature, was 40 at the time of its publication and had once said, “My entire life is all about The Prophet. Everything I have ever done before was only a prelude to this.”
The exhibition also features the original Arabic manuscripts of The Garden of the Prophet - the 1933 sequel to The Prophet; and several parts of the Spirits Rebellious, a cry for freedom of his beloved homeland, Lebanon, which is outlined in three lyrical parables. Visitors can access these works, and many more through How’s website in this link: htps://ddei5-0-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/ wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=htps%3a%2f%2fgkg. houseofwisdom.ae%2f&umid=884c72ab-f197-e705a62a-f2b437ff761a&auth=d95b31bf22 8f812d834cf2cf03f5e34fa7215184-c26d420909bc0a72310ceff74df1ab672af50319
Last November, Sheikh Sultan allocated a five-year grant to restore the Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum in Bsharri, preserve its collections and art pieces and equip it with the latest display technology.
Recently, under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Tunisia opened the activities of the Kairouan Festival of Arabic Poetry in its seventh edition, from 23rd to 25th December 2022, at the House of Wisdom in Carthage. Organised by the Department of Culture in Sharjah, the festival sees the participation of a large number of Tunisian and Arab poets, critics and intellectuals.
In atendance at the opening ceremony were Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Head of the Department of Culture in Sharjah; Rashid Mohammed Al Mansouri, the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia; and Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Cultural Affairs section at the Department of Cultural, other officials, , and a group of writers, academics, and those interested in poetry, along with local and Arab media coverage.