Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 7:27 p.m.
Doha – The exhibition “The Art of Moroccan Bookbinding” was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Qatar National Library, highlighting the rich history of the art of bookbinding and book manufacturing in Morocco.
This exhibition, which is part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 cultural year, will continue until April 26. It also features a collaboration with five Qatari artists who have created new works inspired by Moroccan arts and heritage, strengthening dialogue and consolidating the deep historical ties between the two countries.
These works offer a contemporary vision that celebrates the richness and antiquity of Moroccan heritage, leaving a deep imprint on audiences in both countries.
At the opening of this event, the Qatari Minister of State and President of the National Library, Hamad Ben Abdelaziz Al-Kawari, stressed that the exhibition is a real boon for the public to delve into the thousand-year-old traditions of Moroccan bookbinding.
Indeed, the exhibition highlights the arts of bookmaking which have flourished for hundreds of years in the Islamic world, thus celebrating a shared heritage, he stressed, adding that the reception of this event by the National Library reflects its firm commitment to strengthening Qatari-Moroccan relations through cultural exchange.
In addition to showcasing exceptional manuscripts, the exhibition unveils some of the oldest Moroccan manuscripts in the library’s collection, written in beautiful Moroccan script from the city of Fez. It also showcases the natural materials used in bookmaking, such as inks, perfumes and dyes derived from plants and natural stones.
The first day of the exhibition attracted a large number of visitors who were able to enjoy an immersion in the different stages of the production of handwritten books, from the acquisition of raw materials such as leathers and inks, to copying. texts by professional calligraphers and the binding process.
