The Islamic Museum of Australia (IMA) is a community museum in Thornbury, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It began as a

not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

foundation founded in May 2010 with the purpose of establishing the first Islamic museum in Australia. It aims to showcase the artistic heritage and historical contributions of Muslims in Australia and abroad through the display of artworks and historical artefacts.

History

Designed by desypher, a Melbourne-based architectural firm, the $10 million museum was opened on 28 February 2014 by the Australian treasurer

Joe Hockey Joseph Benedict Hockey (born 2 August 1965) is a former Australian politician and diplomat. He was the Member of Parliament for North Sydney from 1996 until 2015. He was the Treasurer of Australia in the Abbott Government from 18 September 2 ...

. It shared a $4 million grant from the Victorian Government's multicultural facilities program. The museum was established by Moustafa Fahour, who is director of the museum and Maysaa Fahour, with his brother Ahmed Fahour (CEO of

Australia Post Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation, is the government business enterprise that provides postal services in Australia. The head office of Australia Post is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, which also serves as a post o ...

) and family contributing $4 million, early in 2014, to the IMA.

Architecture and siting

The unique architectural style features a rusted Corten Steel facade representing the Australian

outback The Outback is a remote, vast, sparsely populated area of Australia. The Outback is more remote than the bush. While often envisaged as being arid, the Outback regions extend from the northern to southern Australian coastlines and encompass a n ...

, wrapped a white cube covered in geometric tilework with Arabic calligraphy. The site backs onto Merri Creek, near the border of Thornbury and Brunswick East, two of Melbourne's well-established multicultural suburbs.

Description

The IMA is the first centre of its kind in Australia to showcase a diverse range of Islamic arts including architecture, calligraphy, paintings, glass, ceramics and textiles. The museum also aims to promote new and established Islamic artists, both local and international. The Temoporary Gallery has hosted exhibitions such as ''Mush'' by Sydney-based Blake Prize-winning artist Khaled Sabsabi, and ''Borderlands: Islamic design covered surfboards'' by Sydney-based artist Phillip George. The permanent art gallery contains many unique works, including a 2011 Archibald Prize shortlisted portrait of Waleed Aly. The effort to establish this purpose-built Islamic Museum was geared towards sharing the artistic and historical achievements of Muslims internationally, and particularly in Australia. The Australian Muslim History gallery focuses on the history of Afghan cameleers, Malay pearlers, Albanian farmers and others. This was documented in the book and documentary, ''Boundless Plains'', produced by the IMA based on a 2011 expedition unearthing unique Muslim stories from outback Australia. The Museum's Modern Middle Eastern Cafe is run by Masterchef Australia 2013 Top 3 finalist Samira El-Khafir, who is Fahour's sister.

Recognition and criticism

The Islamic Museum of Australia's permanent exhibition was Highly Commended in the 2014 Museums Australia MAGNA awards, endorsed as: "An important new museum which sensitively interconnects Australia's Muslim heritage with strong interpretive themes". Yassir Morsi, from the International Centre for Muslim and Non-Muslim Understanding at the University of South Australia, in his review lists a number of deficiencies, saying the museum displays "how European we are when we colonise our Islamic history". He says the museum's only saving grace is the large oil painting of Waleed Aly.

Sponsorship and governance

Etihad Airways Etihad Airways ( ar, شَرِكَة ٱلْاِتِّحَاد لِلطَّيْرَان, sharikat al-ittiḥād li-ṭ-ṭayarān) is one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates (the other being Emirates). Its head office is in Khalifa ...

and Dubai-based Habtoor Leighton Group are principal partners, while the museum branding was completed by ''Design 55'' - a Dubai based studio. ''Gallery One'' from the Jumeirah Beach Residence Dubai, supplies the museum's gift store. The museum has a major UAE influence. The federal government contributed $1.5 million towards the IMA in the 2012-13 budget. The Australian Labor Party promised to contribute a further $3 million during its unsuccessful re-election campaign in 2013. In February 2015 the Saudi Government contributed $1 million towards the IMA. In March of that year the

federal government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

allocated $500,000 and the state government pledged $450,000 for an arts and culture education program which will be developed by the IMA.

AMA exhibition and art prize

The Australian Muslim Artists launched in 2018, as an annual non-acquisitive exhibition featuring the work of emerging and established Australian Muslim artists. AMA is also a database of artists and art professionals intended as a networking tool for both local and international artists. Following the establishment of the AMA Art Prize in 2019, the exhibition includes only shortlisted entries for the prize. In 2021 the AMA exhibition is available for viewing online. The Australian Muslim Artists Art Prize was established in 2019, with the prize initially (until 2020) worth , as an annual acquisitive art prize hosted by IMA in collaboration with sponsor La Trobe University. the award is worth . The prize is open "to any Australian artist whose work is influenced by Islamic art or

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

identity". The winning work is added to the university's collection managed by La Trobe Art Institute. The partnership with La Trobe includes possibilities such as the university providing training in Islamic cultures for teachers, adding a new component to journalism courses and "work-integrated learning opportunities".

Winners

*2019:

Abdul Abdullah Abdul Abdullah (born 1986) is a Sydney-based Australian multidisciplinary artist, the younger brother of Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, also an artist. Abdul Abdullah has been a finalist several times in the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes. He crea ...

, for an embroidery entitled ''You can call me troublesome'' **Future Australian Muslim Artists category (for students in years 10–12): Hashim Mohamed *2020:

Abdul-Rahman Abdullah Abdul-Rahman Abdullah (born 1977) is an Australian artist based in Western Australia, an elder brother of artist Abdul Abdullah. He works mainly in sculpture and art installation, installations. Early life and education Abdul-Rahman Abdullah w ...

, for ''Transplants (Euphorbia, Monstera, Sansevieria)'' *2021: Fatima Killeen, for her collagraph print on paper, ''The Crooked Narrative''

References

External links

Islamic Museum of Australia
{{MuseumVictoria 2010 establishments in Australia Community museums Islamic museums Islamic organisations based in Australia Islamic organizations established in the 2010s Museums established in 2010 Museums in Melbourne Religious buildings and structures in Melbourne Religious museums in Australia Religious organizations established in 2010 Australian art awards Buildings and structures in the City of Darebin