22/08/2026
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Symposium: Global Exchanges and Regional Adaptations in Islamic Art
From the 16th to the 18th centuries, at the height of their cultural and political influence, the Mughal, Safavid, and Ottoman empires shaped a vast and interconnected world across Asia. Rather than developing in isolation, artists, objects, styles, and ideas moved between these empires, creating an interconnected Islamic world that extended across the Indian Ocean to the sultanates of Southeast Asia.
Over two days, international scholars and curators will explore this shared artistic world through art and material culture. Moving beyond geographic boundaries, speakers will examine how artistic traditions travelled along historic networks and how local communities adapted global influences to their own cultural landscapes. The symposium also explores Islamic art in Southeast Asia, situating it within the broader history of Islamic art and tracing its continuing influence across the region.
This symposium is held in conjunction with Crosscurrents: Masterpieces of Mughal, Safavid, and Ottoman Art from the Musée du Louvre.
More details will be announced soon on our website and socials.
23 & 24 October 2026
Ngee Ann Auditorium
Asian Civilisations Museum