To support Didar a range of public workshops and talks have been programmed to allow visitors to engage with researchers, practitioners and conservators.
DIDAR: Stories of Middle Eastern Manuscripts PUBLIC LECTURE
The manuscripts in the University of Melbourne’s collection transcend time and place. Through their many subjects, languages and materials, they tell stories. Poetries of Persia and elaborate scenes of book scholarship. Arabic grammars with their detailed annotations and practiced calligraphy. The intricate illustrations in gold, blue and red mimic the colours and patterns of a carpet. Each aspect is an exciting avenue of research. An expression of cultural transmission and maintenance. Join our public lecture as we celebrate the manuscript tradition.
In celebration of this manuscript tradition, the University of Melbourne's DIDAR: Stories of Middle Eastern Manuscripts exhibition at Arts West Gallery will host a free public lecture featuring two researchers whose work celebrates the manuscript tradition and the artistic and cultural practices of the Near East. Speakers are:
- Dr Sareh Abooali - Image as resource, Pop-up as decode: Analysing Persian Miniature Paintings as Documentations of Social History
- Tarek Makhlouf - Reading outside the box: paratextual misadventures
Talks will be followed by a musical performance and light refreshments. The exhibition will be open from 5 pm.
WHEN: Friday 4 November 2022
WHAT TIME: The lecture will begin at 6pm sharp and conclude at 7.30pm. The Gallery will be open from 5pm.
WHERE: Arts West Forum Theatre, Level 1, Arts West Building, University of Melbourne, Parkville
COST: Free. Please register as seating is limited.
EVENT GUIDELINES: This is a COIVDsafe event. View the event guidelines here.
This event is possible thanks to funding from the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Arts Inclusion and Diversity Small Grant Program.
Listen to this reed: a Persian calligraphy workshop
Didar is a Persian word meaning ‘to visit’. It is the moment when evocative memories transcend time and place. It is the excitement of hearing from the beloved. It is intimacy with a subject, and the anticipation of a new experience.
In this workshop, you’ll experience the Didar exhibition through the lens of the nay (reed), an element connecting Persian poetry, music, and calligraphy.
The reed is mentioned in Rumi’s poetry – “Listen to this reed, how it complains, it is telling a tale of separations” – referring to nay as a musical instrument. The reed is also used in calligraphy, the pen through which Persian poetry unfurls.
See how traditional inks are made and used, practice your own calligraphic techniques, and enjoy Iranian refreshments in the gallery space.
Date: Saturday 19 November 2022
Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm
Location: Arts West Gallery, Ground Floor Art West, The University of Melbourne, Parkville
Cost: Free. Bookings essential https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/listen-to-this-reed-a-persian-calligraphy-workshop-tickets-429535340767
This event is produced in collaboration with Being Human, an international festival of the humanities. Information on other events can be found online here.
Petals and poets: a Turkish cultural workshop
Didar is a Persian word meaning ‘to visit’. It is the moment when evocative memories transcend time and place. It is the excitement of hearing from the beloved. It is intimacy with a subject, and the anticipation of a new experience.
In this workshop, you’ll experience the Didar exhibition through the lens of the rose (gül), a flower with deep roots in Turkish culture.
Hear from a Sufi master on the symbol of the rose in Sufi thought and poetry, try your hand at traditional ebru paper marbling, and enjoy Turkish refreshments to complete the multi sensorial experience.
Join us to stop and smell the roses!
Date: Sunday 20 November 2022
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Location: Arts West Gallery, Ground Floor Art West, The University of Melbourne, Parkville
Cost: Free. Bookings essential https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/petals-and-poets-a-turkish-cultural-workshop-tickets-428266475557
This event is produced in collaboration with Being Human, an international festival of the humanities. Information on other events can be found online here.
Curator floor talk
Join researchers and exhibition curators Dr Leila Alhagh and Dr Sophie Lewincamp, and PhD candidate Tarek Makhouf as they discuss the Middle Eastern Manuscript collection.
This session is open to prospective students and families.
Date: various dates throughout November and December
Duration: 30 minutes
Location: Arts West Gallery, Ground Floor Art West, The University of Melbourne, Parkville
Cost: Free
Special collection viewings
Special collection viewings with exhibition curators Sophie Lewincamp and Dr Leila Alhagh are available throughout the exhibition by appointment only.
Duration: 1-hour
By appointment only
Want to know more?
For more information on the University’s Middle Eastern Manuscripts collection, public programs and associated research on the collection, contact the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation.