TEHRAN � The director of the Iranian Miniature Association, Mohammad-Baqer Aqamiri, has said that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the leading customer of Iranian illumination works.


�No other country has as good a collection of illuminations as the UAE, because it spends a goodly sum of money on this form of art,� Aqamiri told the Persian service of ILNA on Sunday.

�UAE (Ministry of Culture) holds an international contest named Al Burda Award Competition every year, in which the best of illumination works from Iran and Turkey go on display, and the first five top works are purchased. Later on the works are shown in other countries with the aim of introducing illumination as an Arabic artwork,� he added.

Aqamiri said that the association cannot do anything, adding, �The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is the custodian of culture in this country and needs to take action to help preserve this art in the country.

�A number of books bearing beautiful illumination works of Iran are being preserved in different museums across the UAE because it spends a lot of money on this art,� he mentioned.

Aqamiri said that there already is a good college on Quranic science and would be good to establish a college for Islamic art as well.

�Different types of art such as calligraphy and illumination works on copies of the Holy Quran are the finest masterpieces of our country, and we can attract students from all over the world to teach them Islamic art,� he remarked.

He also regretted that there is no museum for Islamic art where works by veterans can be shown.

By Tehran Times