AS THE SUN APPEARS FROM BEYOND: TWENTY YEARS OF THE AL BURDA AWARD

AGA KHAN MUSEUM

As the Sun Appears from Beyond: Twenty Years of the Al Burda Award

Aga Khan Museum

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

As the Sun Appears from Beyond: Twenty Years of the Al Burda Award, June 14th, 2025 – February 15th, 2026, Aga Khan Museum collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, UAE.

The exhibit is a celebration of over two decades of contemporary Islamic art. The exhibition is making its North American debut at the Aga Khan Museum after its inaugural presentation at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The exhibition was jointly curated by Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, Director and CEO of the Aga Khan Museum and three Emirati curators: Fatma Al Mahmoud, Sara bin Safwan and Shaikha Al Zaabi.  

Featuring over 60 works from the Al Burda Award collection alongside objects from the Museum’s own holdings, the exhibition explores the beauty, creativity, and craftsmanship of Islamic artistic traditions, including calligraphy, poetry, and ornamentation.

Anchored by the theme of divine light — Al-Noor — the exhibition invites visitors on a journey of reflection and understanding. The exhibit design encourages quiet reflection, using a deep colour palette that allows the artwork to stand out in contrast and appear to glow from within. The layout of the exhibition was designed with thoughtful attention to visitor flow and sightlines, ensuring that movement through the space feels intuitive yet deliberate. The exhibit design supports the curatorial vision by positioning works to allow visitors to discover connections between artwork, both ancient and contemporary.

Interactive elements and opportunities for close-looking punctuate the experience, inviting reflection through participation. Custom listening devices for poetry and step-by-step graphics reveal how these complex artworks are created.

Image Courtesy of the Aga Khan Museum and the Ministry of Culture, UAE.

Exhibit Design: WeatherstonBruer
Fabrication: Kubik Maltbie
Graphic Design: Meredith Sadler
Media Design: TMU Design & Technology Lab