Islanic Art at the Louvre.

The new department of Islamic art just opened at the Loure in Paris this week.



I quite like it.

It's not exactly hot on the heals of the last contemporary installation commissioned by the Louvre (I.M Pei's glass pyramid) but did you expect one of the oldest art galleries in the world to move briskly with the times?

The new Department of Islamic Arts is designed by Milanese architect Mario Bellini and his French colleague Rudy Ricciotti, who won the commission through an international competition in 2005.

The veil roof of this building subtly and comfortably coexists with the surrounding facade of the existing 18th century Cour Visconti. It undulates like a piece of cloth frozen in the wind but is infact a freeform of 8,000 steel tubes in a triangular honeycomb pattern of panels weighing in at nearly 120 tons!

Just like I.M Pei's project a naturally lit, underground space. Excavated to a depth of 12meters, the open plan area of 2,800 square meters is the new home for the new home of the Louvre’s prestigious collection of Islamic Arts. This subterranean gallery is finished in the most beautiful black waxed concrete contrasting with the glorious floating roof of glass, gold, silver and aluminum. 

So what else is there to say? I can't comment on how this will project Islam to France but I can say that this lovely wee box is a delight and a beautiful compliment to the artifacts it houses.