Exhibitions devoted to the cultures of Antiquity organised by ”La Caixa” Foundation aim to show the different ways in which humankind has, at various times and places, grappled with great universal questions; they broaden our outlook on the world and help us gain a better understanding of people from other cultures who live in our midst.

From that point of view, “The Worlds of Islam in the Aga Khan Museum’s collection” is of particular interest. In times marked by statements proclaiming that East and West are separated by an unbridgeable divide, arts and culture challenge clichés and bring opposing views closer.

The 190 works on display in this exhibition give a vision of the history, traditions, languages and geographies of the Islamic world as an extraordinarily rich and varied conglomerate, extending from the Far East to the Iberian Peninsula, encompassing languages, beliefs and lifestyles under the common denominator of the Arabic language and of Islam.

The exhibition shows how Islam took different forms as it permeates different substrata and local cultures – from the Maghreb and al-Andalus to India - and shows Islamic art and culture as a common heritage of mankind.