Two Decades of Art and Heritage: Celebrating 20 Years of the Jameel Gallery at the V&A

This July, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in South Kensington reached a significant cultural milestone, marking twenty years since the grand opening of the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art. Since its inauguration in 2006, the gallery has stood as a cornerstone of the museum’s mission to preserve, study, and present the rich artistic traditions of the Islamic world. To commemorate this two-decade legacy, the V&A has spent the year hosting a series of new displays, live craft demonstrations, and academic dialogues, all while looking toward the future of how these historic collections can resonate with contemporary audiences.

The Jameel Gallery serves as a sanctuary for roughly 400 objects, spanning a vast geographical and chronological expanse from Spain in the west to Central Asia in the east, and from the 8th century to the modern day. Visitors are invited to explore a diverse array of media, including intricate ceramics, woven carpets, delicate metalwork, fine woodwork, glass, and illuminated manuscripts. True to the V&A’s founding principles, this extensive collection remains free for the public to access, ensuring that the legacy of Islamic artistry remains an open resource for scholars, artists, and the general public alike.

The inception of the gallery was made possible through the generous support of the Jameel family, a collaboration that signaled the start of a enduring partnership between the family and the museum. This relationship was further deepened in 2009 with the establishment of the Jameel Prize, an international award that bridges the gap between historical Islamic tradition and contemporary artistic practice. This year, with the ongoing support of Community Jameel, the museum has used the anniversary as a catalyst for a year-long program of public engagement, academic conferences, and special events designed to reflect on the gallery’s impact.

A Year of Reflection and Craft

A defining theme of the anniversary celebrations has been the integration of "living traditions." By inviting contemporary practitioners to demonstrate their skills within the gallery, the V&A has sought to bring the historic objects on display into a dialogue with the hands that continue to shape these crafts today.

In May, during London Craft Week, the museum hosted Egyptian textile artist Hany Abd El-Kader. His demonstration of khayamiyya—the intricate art of cotton appliqué—was a highlight of the season. Introduced by Seif El Rashidi of the Barakat Trust, the sold-out talk provided a rare look at a craft steeped in history. For a select group of attendees, the event extended beyond observation; they were invited to participate in a hands-on workshop, allowing them to create their own pieces of khayamiyya under the guidance of a master artisan.

The milestone reached its symbolic peak on July 17, exactly twenty years to the day after the gallery first opened its doors. The museum hosted The Islamic art Museumscape, a landmark conference that examined the evolving role of Islamic collections in the 21st century. The event served as a "pulse check," analyzing how the landscape of museum curation has shifted since 2006 and exploring the new themes and methodologies that have emerged in the study of Islamic art. Later that month, the V&A held a "Friday Late" event in partnership with Shubbak, titled Body as a Vessel, which focused on contemporary creativity emanating from the Arab and SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) regions, demonstrating that the gallery is not merely a repository of the past, but a living space for contemporary expression.

The celebration continued into September during the London Design Festival, featuring a new installation by artist Aziza Kadyri that wove through the gallery’s historic arches. Kadyri collaborated with Uzbek embroidery artist Yulduz Mukhiddinova, who traveled to London to lead intensive sessions on suzani embroidery. These workshops, alongside a performance by Uzbek singer-songwriter Laylo during the Awakenings Friday Late, allowed approximately 80 participants to engage with the traditional stitches of Central Asia, reinforcing the V&A’s commitment to keeping these ancestral techniques alive.

Twenty Years of Curatorial Vision

Reflecting on the milestone, Mariam Rosser-Owen, Curator for the Middle East in the V&A’s Asia Department, highlighted the profound history of the museum’s collection. "As curators of Middle Eastern art, we are so fortunate to be able to work with one of the best collections of Islamic art in the world," she noted. She explained that the museum’s interest in the region dates back to the 1850s, when the institution was founded with the intent to improve British design through the study of global excellence. Over the following century, the V&A’s holdings grew significantly, attracting and inspiring generations of British artists and designers, most notably William Morris.

Rosser-Owen also emphasized the importance of the museum’s archival holdings, which provide vital context regarding the provenance and history of these items. While the space currently occupied by the gallery was first opened in 1950, it underwent a necessary transformation in 2006. "The gallery was refreshed in the 1970s, but by the time the curatorial section of Middle East specialists was formed in 2002, it needed a major overhaul," she explained. The subsequent renovation, supported by the Jameel family, allowed the collection to be displayed in an environment that truly respects the craftsmanship and historical weight of the objects.

The Significance of the Partnership

For the Jameel family, the gallery represents more than just a donation; it is a manifestation of a long-term commitment to cultural preservation. Fady Jameel, Family Ambassador of Community Jameel and Chairman and Founder of Art Jameel, reflected on the gallery’s evolution: "The Jameel Gallery at the V&A anchors the Jameel family’s long-standing commitment to supporting and celebrating Islamic art. Over the past 20 years, the gallery has become a platform for research, public engagement, and contemporary creative practice, showing how historic artistic traditions continue to evolve."

He noted that through the partnership with the V&A and the wider initiatives of Community Jameel, there remains a dedicated focus on ensuring that these traditional arts reach new, diverse audiences, fostering a global appreciation for the nuances of Islamic craftsmanship.

Iconic Objects in the Collection

For visitors navigating the Jameel Gallery, the collection offers several must-see treasures that define the scope of the exhibition. Chief among these is the Ardabil Carpet, dating back to 1539–40. Created for the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din in Ardabil, Iran, it remains the world’s oldest dated carpet. Since the gallery’s 2006 redesign, the carpet has been housed in a custom-built central case, allowing it to be viewed flat, as it was originally intended. To ensure the preservation of its vibrant colors, the carpet is illuminated only for ten minutes on the hour and half-hour.

Equally compelling is the rock crystal ewer, carved in Cairo between 1000 and 1050 for the Fatimid treasuries. The object features astonishingly detailed carvings of birds of prey hunting horned animals, all rendered within swirling palmette scrolls on a surface of translucent crystal. Another highlight is the monumental minbar made for Sultan Qaitbay in Cairo (1468–1496), an architectural feat composed of hundreds of individual pieces of carved wood and ivory, showcasing the complex geometric precision of the Mamluk period.

At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a 15th-century lustreware bowl from Málaga, Spain. Its shimmering glaze, which reacts to the viewer’s movement, provides an inviting introduction to the gallery’s aesthetic. Finally, the gallery’s recent acquisitions include a selection of 20th-century Iranian prints, gifted by Tarlan Rafiee and Yashar Samimi Mofakham in 2023. These pieces, including a 1975 screenprint by Nasser Ovissi, provide a bridge to the modern era, representing the artistic output of Iran’s pre-revolutionary movement.

Looking Ahead

As the anniversary year draws to a close, the V&A continues to plan for the future. In November 2026, during Islamic Art Week, artist Mariam Ashraf will offer a live-streamed demonstration of plaster carving. This technique, used to create the decorative windows set with colored glass—a staple of 19th-century Cairene architecture—will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the skill required to produce such intricate architectural elements.

Twenty years after its doors first opened, the Jameel Gallery remains a vital, breathing space. It continues to reveal the threads connecting the past to the present, ensuring that extraordinary objects, living craft, and new artistic voices remain at the heart of the London cultural landscape. The Jameel Gallery (Room 42) at V&A South Kensington remains open to the public with free admission, continuing its mission to share the profound beauty of Islamic art with the world.