Qatar Museums continues to play a significant role in promoting sustainability, openness to the world, and supporting creativity, says its CEO Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), al-Rumaihi said that Qatar Museums aims to expand its global partnerships and present various cultural projects to enhance Qatar’s position as a leading cultural hub on the global stage.
He revealed the key projects Qatar Museums plans to launch during the spring of 2025, including the third edition of Qatar Photo Festival “Tasweer”. This biennial festival features exhibitions, awards, presentations, and workshops, aiming to empower the diverse practices of photographers and photography communities in Qatar and the Mena region.
He said that this year’s theme focuses on the concept of belonging through five exhibitions held in museums, galleries, and outdoor venues in Doha, adding that the Fire Station, Artist in Residence, will host the festival’s main exhibition on the theme of sea meditation as a discovering of true self, curated by Tasweer’s artistic director Meriem Berrada, highlighting three generations of Arab artists whose works provoke public thought on their place in the world and their role in society.
Al-Rumaihi also mentioned that this season will feature the exhibition “Latinoamericano: Modern and Contemporary Art” from the collections of the Latin American Art Museum in Buenos Aires (MALBA) and Eduardo F. Costantini. This landmark exhibition will be the first major showcase of Latin American art in the Mena region. And another exhibition featuring works by Qatari artists from Abdullah bin Ali bin Saud al-Thani collection, will be held at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
Among the significant exhibitions organised by Qatar Museums is “Wafa Al Hamad: Geography of Imagination,” the first solo exhibition of the late Qatari artist, featuring works from the museum’s permanent collection. Other notable events include the “Al-Raqeem Calligraphy Competition,” “A Seat at the Table: Food Culture in the Islamic World” at the Museum of Islamic Art, and “A Journey in Design with Marcello Gandini between Italy and Qatar,” presented by the Qatar Auto Museum.
He emphasised that Qatar Museums has made significant strides in integrating sustainability across all its operations, focusing on eco-friendly practices in building design and construction and daily activities. The institution has achieved notable milestones, including obtaining prestigious international certifications from organisations such as LEED and GSAS, as well as other significant awards. Qatar Museums has also revolutionised waste management practices through community engagement initiatives.
He said that Qatar Museums is working to achieve carbon neutrality certification for the Fire Station: Artist in Residence, having already received carbon neutrality certification for the Museum of Islamic Art in 2022. This unprecedented achievement reinforces its position as a leading cultural institution in the Mena region. The certification was granted by CSR-A, a renowned UK-based organisation that honours institutions integrating social, environmental, and ethical considerations into their practices.
Al-Rumaihi stressed that Qatar Museums will continue striving towards creating a more sustainable and responsible future, with the awards, particularly for the National Museum of Qatar, highlighting their ongoing efforts towards sustainability and environmental preservation, adding that success means making a positive impact on the world around us, reflecting the core values and mission of our institution.
He highlighted Qatar Museums’ key partnerships with counterpart institutions around the world over the past year, and their most significant outcomes in enhancing Qatar Museums global image. He explained that Qatar Museums signed a historic co-operation agreement with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), affiliated with the Aga Khan Development Network, aim at advancing efforts in heritage preservation, art education, vocational training, and urban renewal initiatives. Additionally, it concluded a co-operation agreement with the global Alwaleed Philanthropies Foundation to support projects around the world.
Al-Rumaihi noted that these agreements represent a joint commitment to enhance various aspects of the creative economy and supporting local creators and craftsmen.
Qatar Museums has also signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with prestigious museums and institutions around the world, aimed at fostering co-operation and offering distinctive experiences for visitors. These include an MoU with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority on the occasion of the first Hong Kong International Cultural Summit 2024, an MoU with Microsoft to enhance Qatar Museums smart experiences, and several other agreements.
Regarding the most prominent outcomes of the ICOFOM 2024 conference, hosted by Qatar Museums with the aim of enhancing international co-operation and raising awareness of the importance of museums, al-Rumaihi stated that the conference explored museum practices in the Arab region. It focused on issues of sustainability, innovation, educational models, the use of modern technologies, joint artistic evaluation, balancing historical perspectives, and encouraging knowledge sharing between generations. He added that this event aimed to enhance sustainability within the museum sector, aligning with the UN 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Regarding the most prominent activities and events held by Qatar Museums over the past year, aimed at promoting learning within the community, al-Rumaihi emphasised that Qatar Museums is dedicated to offering a wide range of workshops, conferences, and training courses tailored to meet the needs of school teachers. It also provides numerous programmes designed for children of all ages, along with various educational materials and engaging activities that teachers and parents can utilise both at school and at home.
He noted that all activities align with the professional standards set by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, as well as national curriculum standards. For instance, the Education and Community Awareness Department at the Museum of Islamic Art is focused on developing programmes that broaden participants horizons and deepen their knowledge of Islamic arts. These programmes adopt various approaches to enrich the museum experience, such as integrating technology into new workshops, exploring Islamic heritage through tangible objects, and creating exact replicas of famous artworks. These replicas are presented to visitors, especially children, allowing them to examine, explore, and understand the details, textures, and materials of these works more closely.
Regarding the most important international art exhibitions organised by Qatar Museums over the past year, the CEO of Qatar Museums said that the year was marked by several distinguished exhibitions. These included “MANZAR: Art and Architecture from Pakistan 1940s to Today,” which showcased the vibrant and diverse art scenes of Pakistan and its global communities. Another highlight was “Between a Look and a Look: Gerome, Art and Influence,” the first major exhibition of the artist in the Middle East. Additionally, “Splendours of the Atlas: A Voyage Through Morocco’s Heritage,” explored the rich heritage of Islamic art in Morocco, while “Ellsworth Kelly at 100” was the first retrospective exhibition of the American painter and sculptor in the Middle East.
These exhibitions were made possible through collaborative initiatives within Qatar Museums institutions, including partnerships between the future Lusail Museum, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the future Art Mill Museum, and the National Museum of Qatar, al-Rumiahi pointed out.
He mentioned that the Museum of Islamic Art hosted two exhibitions linked to the Qatar Years of Culture initiative, a national programme that fosters long-term cultural partnerships between Qatar and other countries.
As for the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, it launched a travelling exhibition in Paris titled “Esports A Game Changer,” alongside the exhibition “Olympic Thought: Values and Peaks” which chronicles 40 years of Qatar’s participation in the Olympic Games, coinciding with the Summer Olympic Games. Shortly after the exhibitions opening, and as part of the Qatar team reception organised by the Qatar Olympic Committee in Paris for the Olympic Games, Qatar Museums presented, for the first time, the book Pierre de Coubertin's Selected Writings / Volume 1: Revelation. This included a copy of the first Arabic translation of Pierre de Coubertin's Selected Texts, by the French historian widely regarded as the father of the modern Olympic Games, he added.
Regarding Qatar Museums plans to develop projects for creative and innovative designers in the fields of design, creativity, and entrepreneurship, in light of the transformation of the M7 Center into an incubator for professional and talented designers, the CEO of Qatar Museums explained that the establishment of the M7 Center was aimed at exploring, collaborating with, and developing thriving businesses. He emphasised that Qatar Museums work to provide all the necessary tools and expertise for designers to transform their ideas from concept to market, and aim to meet the demands of the advanced Qatari fashion and design labour market.
He explained that last year saw the launch of the Qatar Museums “Design Doha” biennial exhibition celebrating excellence and innovation in the design community in Qatar and the broader Middle East and North Africa region. Organised by the Design Doha programme under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums, the event serves as a new platform for Arab designers to showcase their work, explore their future career paths, and interact with renowned designers from around the world.
The first edition of the “Design Doha” biennial was held last year, featuring numerous special events and exhibitions. The second edition of the event will take place this year, further solidifying its role in enriching the regions creative activities and serving as a vital hub for innovation. The inaugural edition attracted around 22,000 visitors over the course of a week. (QNA)
National Museum of Qatar
