The Aga Khan Museum Reveals a Captivating Fall and Winter Programming Lineup
From a striking multisensory art exhibition by Shezad Dawood to a fiery flamenco festival and a stunning light show, new programming at the Aga Khan Museum will encourage intercultural connection
TORONTO, CANADA – September 28, 2023 – This fall and winter, Aga Khan Museum visitors will have the opportunity to explore a spectrum of unique and diverse programming. Between the return of the Museum’s annual Duende Flamenco Festival and the opening of the upcoming exhibition, Night in the Garden of Love, visitors will experience the harmonic impact of collaboration and the unifying power of art.
Visitors can explore a calendar filled with new exhibitions and installations that delve into our impact on the environment and one another, including:
Technicolour Ocean: The Fragile Biodiversity of Indonesia – Open September 23, 2023 to March 31, 2024, in the Aga Khan Park and Lower-Level Gallery, this one-of-a-kind visual exhibition explores the biodiversity of the ocean with a series of breathtaking photographs taken by wildlife photographer Prince Hussain Aga Khan, during his expeditions through Indonesian waters.
Night in the Garden of Love – Open November 10, 2023 to May 5, 2024, contemporary artist Shezad Dawood’s multisensory exhibition, inspired by and featuring African-American Muslim musician Yusef Lateef, is a dynamic conversation between the artists’ practices and philosophical approaches. Dawood uses gardens as starting points for a creative futuristic and intercultural conversation in which art and music can help transform the individual and the environment.
Seeing Through Babel – Open November 28, 2023 to April 28, 2024, Syrian-Armenian artist Kevork Mourad’s installation reimagines the story of the Tower of Babel using visual imagery as a universal language, connecting people across divides.
IAM – Open October 2 to November 27, 2023, Earthly and Cosmic, the final two acts of artist and scientist Radha Chaddah’s four-part digital exhibition about perspective in pandemic times, feature artist-made short films supported by storytelling around the work created by the Museum.
With October marking Islamic Heritage Month, visitors can engage in cross-cultural conversations through a series of thought-provoking events and lectures, including:
Rumi and the Path of Radical Love – On October 1, award-winning scholar and professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University, Dr. Omid Safi, will explore the tradition of Radical Love that led up to Rumi. He will examine the Masnavi as the poet’s path upon which one must journey to achieve healing and illumination.
This Being Human: Live at the Aga Khan Museum – On October 4, host Abdul-Rehman Malik will be joined by his sister and Deputy Mayor of Toronto, Ausma Malik, for a free live taping of the Museum’s groundbreaking podcast. The duo will discuss Ausma’s path to political life while swapping stories about their upbringing, how family and faith shape their public life, and what it’s been like for Ausma to make the jump from activism to elected office.
The Museum will also host a growing lineup of performances and festivals that will fill the newly named Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium with sounds from around the world, including:
ᐸᐊᐧᑲᐣ | pawākan | dream Spirit – On September 30, to mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, multidisciplinary artist Moe Clark will take to the stage for a free performance with acclaimed musicians from Turtle Island and abroad, including special guest and kamancheh player Saeed Kamjoo.
Bach and Kayyam – On October 13, musical ensemble Constantinople will be joined by a group of esteemed musicians from around the world to present the first performance in a three-part series that masterfully blends genres.
Duende Flamenco Festival – From November 16 to 19, the Museum's annual celebration of the fiery world of flamenco explores the multidisciplinary nature of the dance form, exploring its continually evolving modes of expression through dance, music, and film. This year’s festival boasts special performances by prolific artists such as Eduardo Guerrero and El Yiyo.
Light Up the Dark – From December 27 to 29, OCAD University students and graduates will bring the Museum’s exterior to life with mesmerizing light projections inspired by the Museum’s Collections and upcoming exhibition, Night in the Garden of Love.
“Our vision of contributing to inclusive, pluralistic communities by sparking wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim cultures and their connection with other cultures lies at the heart of everything we do at the Museum,” says Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, Director and CEO at the Aga Khan Museum. “We are passionate about contributing to the conversation around topics we all care about. Through creative, often unexpected, cross-cultural initiatives and collaborations, we empower artists to use the Museum as a platform to weave together — in creative dialogue — cultures and communities to imagine alternative futures and horizons together."
Explore all upcoming exhibitions, performances, festivals, and more by visiting agakhanmuseum.org.
About the Aga Khan Museum
The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational activities and performing arts, the Museum’s mission is to spark wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim cultures and their connection with other cultures through the arts. Designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, the Museum shares a 6.8-hectare site with Toronto’s Ismaili Centre, which was designed by architect Charles Correa. The surrounding landscaped park was designed by landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic.
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