Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time - Toronto - Until 23-2-2020

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Aga Khan Museum
77 Wynford Drive
Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1K1


Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange Across Medieval Saharan Africa

Until 23rd February 2020

Journey along the Sahara Desert’s trade routes during a time when western African gold directly impacted and connected peoples and cultures, arts and beliefs across continents. Experience the first major exhibition to reveal the shared history of western Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe from the 8th to 16th centuries and see more than 250 artworks, many shown in North America for the first time.

The exhibition draws on recent archaeological discoveries, showcasing fragments excavated in major African trading centres. These “fragments in time” are displayed alongside stunning works of art from around the world that invite us to imagine the fragments as they once were, to reconsider treasures from the Western canon, and to see the past and present in a new light. Caravans of Gold transforms long-standing narratives about the medieval world and fills a critical gap in our understanding of world history.

The exhibition, which originated at the Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, was organized in collaboration with an interdisciplinary advisory team of specialists working in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and Europe. The exhibition includes major loans from the Ahmed Baba Institute of Higher Learning and Islamic Research, the Direction Nationale du Patrimoine Culturel, L’institut des sciences humaines de Bamako, and the Musée National, all in Mali; the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Bank Al-Maghrib Museum in Morocco; and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria. The Aga Khan Museum has contributed several artworks to this international collaborative venture, which after its residence in Toronto will travel to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. A version of the exhibition will be displayed in Mali, Morocco, and Nigeria after its North American run.

Opening hours: Thursday to Tuesday 10 am to 6 pm - Wednesday 10 am to 8 pm - Closed Mondays (Open Monday 17th February 10 am–6 pm)

Admission: $20 (Free each Wednesday from 4 pm to 8 pm)

https://www.agakhanmuseum.org/exhibitio ... ns-of-gold