Crosscurrents

For the first time in Singapore, the Louvre presents around one hundred masterpieces from the collections of the Department of Islamic Arts, placed in dialogue with major works from the Asian Civilisations Museum. This exhibition highlights the virtuosity of artists serving the Mughal, Safavid and Ottoman courts, while revealing the distinct artistic culture of each of these empires.

Spanning a vast historical and geographical field, it offers a rich panorama of the exchanges and artistic circulations that, over the centuries, shaped the evolution of forms and motifs.

It holds particular significance for Singapore, fully situating Southeast Asia within this broader narrative. Far from being on the margins of the Islamic world, the region emerges as a space of encounters, shaped by ancient ties with the Middle East, Iran, India and the Indian Ocean world.

Through an original scenography, the exhibition and the accompanying book trace the dialogues and interactions that helped shape a shared visual culture, nourished by commercial, diplomatic, migratory and artistic exchanges.