8 Collections Of NTB Museums Side By Side With Dozens Of World Museums In Jeddah

A total of eight excellent collections of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) State Museum side by side with dozens of major world museums at the international Islamic Arts Biennale exhibition in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

"The collection placement has been completed by a team of experts so that visitors from various parts of the world are ready to enjoy it," said NTB Museum courier Bunyamin in Mataram, Antara, Friday, January 17.

The exhibition organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and sponsored by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was held for four months at the West Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, from January 25 to May 25, 2025.

Bunyamin said the collections had previously been delivered from the NTB Museum on January 2, 2025 and arrived in Jeddah on January 8, 2025.

The collections on display include selected artifacts that represent the uniqueness of Islamic traditions in West Nusa Tenggara, including keris, cipo' cila (the typical Sumbawa women's headscarf), the Tajul Muluk book, and the kining (betel-eating equipment) which reflects the acculturation of local culture with Islamic values.

The Islamic Arts Biennale consists of seven unique components in the form of Al-Bidaya, Al-Madar, Al-Muqtani, Al-Mathala, Makkah al-Mukarramah, Al-Madinah, Al-Munawwarah, and Al-Musalla.

The NTB Museum collection is displayed in fourth place, namely Al-Mathala together with Turkey. The Al-Mathala canopy is an open space that presents a series of new works that respond to the theme of the park in Islamic civilization.

Art works in that part concern the natural world and respond to park culture while discussing social realities and contemporary environments that allow visitors to reflect, learn, meditate, and social gatherings.

The eight NTB Museum collections are extended in a vitrin for five objects consisting of togogan keris, keris grantim, Tajul Muluk book, and two kinings. While above it there is no one mannequin for cipo' cila and two cylinders for ileang kre and trembe songke.

Islamic Arts Biennale is one of the biggest arts and cultural events featuring works of Islamic art from various parts of the world.

The exhibition entitled 'And All That is in Between' explores how faith is experienced, expressed, and celebrated through feelings, thoughts, and works.

Indonesia was elected as a representative of Southeast Asia from 20 countries. Indonesia's participation in the Islamic Arts Biennale exhibition was represented by three museums, namely the NTB Museum, Sonobudoyo Museum in Yogyakarta, and the National Library in Jakarta.

The Head of the NTB Museum, Ahmad Nuralam, said that the participation of the NTB Museum in the Islamic Arts Biennale is a great pride for the people of West Nusa Tenggara and Indonesia as a whole because it can expand the understanding of international visitors about Islamic arts and culture in Indonesia.

According to him, the participation of the NTB Museum is a strategic step to strengthen Indonesia's position in the international arena as a country with a rich and diverse Islamic cultural heritage.

"Our participation in the Islamic Arts Biennale is a very important moment to introduce the rich Islamic culture of West Nusa Tenggara to the world," said Nuralam.

He further conveyed that the presence of the NTB Museum in international exhibitions emphasized Indonesia's position as a country with extraordinary Islamic cultural wealth, so that it is expected to expand the understanding of international visitors about the history and culture of Islam in Indonesia, especially West Nusa Tenggara.