Collection in Focus

Qaisra M. Khan is curator of Islamic art at the Khalili Collections, where her focus is on the Arts of Pilgrimage, a subject on which she has lectured and broadcast widely. She has a degree in Law and an MPhil in Oriental Studies both from the University of Cambridge and after working for many years in financial consulting, she acquired an MA in Islamic Art from SOAS, University of London.

She has worked for the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar and the British Museum, London, where she co-curated the pioneering ’Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam’ exhibition. Her publications include Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage (2022) and Essays in Honour of Nasser David Khalili (2023).

Her interest in William Morris came about in 2017 when invited to the Cheltenham Literature Festival to explore the idea of William Morris and Islamic art. She is co-curator of the exhibition ’William Morris and Art from the Islamic World’ at the William Morris Gallery (2024).

Dror Elkvity is Curator of the Khalili Collection of Spanish Damascene Metalwork, as well as five other collections under the Khalili auspices: the Japanese Art collection, the Kimono collection, Enamels of the World, Aramaic Documents, and Swedish Textiles. His work encompasses all aspects of the collections, from research and conservation to publications and exhibitions. He has overseen numerous exhibitions and publications drawn from the collections, including Metal Magic: Spanish Treasures from the Khalili Collection, Auberge de Provence, Valletta, Malta (2012); Beyond Imagination: Treasures of Imperial Japan from the Khalili Collection, 19th to Early 20th Century, Moscow Kremlin Museums, Russia (2017); Splendours of Imperial Japan, Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, Paris, France (2019); and Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, Victoria and Albert Museum, London (2020–2025). Publications he has worked on include the exhibition catalogues Kimono: The Art and Evolution of Japanese Fashion, ed. Anna Jackson (Thames & Hudson, 2015), and Kimono: Images of Culture, 1915–1950 in the Khalili Collections, ed. Jacqueline M. Atkins (Prestel, 2024). Forthcoming publications include Visions in Silk: The Khalili Collection of Japanese Fine Art Textiles, ed. Clare Pollard, and Japonisme: Artistry and Influence, ed. Dror Elkvity (working title).

I’m Dr. Glaire Anderson, award-winning author and historian of Islamic art, architecture, and visual culture.

I’m Founding Director and Principal Consultant of the Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections (DLIVCC), a purpose-led business serving the games and GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) sectors. I’m also Senior Lecturer in Islamic Art and Deputy Director of the History & Games Lab at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where I’ve taught since 2018.

I mentor and advise a small number of private clients, with a focus on leadership and consulting across video games, XR+, education, and cultural heritage for positive social impact.