Qatar Museums (QM) will open an art studio in New York early next year as part of its Artist in Residence programme, a senior official has said.
Designed to nurture the next generation of artistic talent in the country, the three-month programme is the second extension of QM’s Residency programme in Doha after Paris.
“The idea of establishing a studio in New York, which is ‘Studio 209’, forms part of our vision to help artists develop their skills and creativity, and promote the art scene in Doha,” Khalifa al-Obaidli, director of Fire Station, a creative space that allows emerging talent from within Qatar to further their practice, said in an exclusive interview Monday.
The programme will provide talented individuals in Qatar with studio accommodation space and the chance to be fully immersed in the US city’s art and culture scene.
QM first opened a studio at the renowned Cité internationale des Arts, Paris, one of the biggest and most important art residencies in the world with 325 residency studios and with artists in residence from more than 55 countries.
Ebtisam al-Saffar was the first Qatari artist to complete the Artist in Residence programme in Paris followed by Nasser al-Attiya, Abdullah al-Kuwari and Ghada al-Khater.
“It will work in parallel with the Paris studio and our efforts here in Doha as well. New York as you know is a city of art, business, and provides a big opportunity for artists,” al-Obaidli noted. “The (New York) programme itself has a very rich content.”
Besides studio space, he said artists who will be selected for the Residency will have the opportunity to meet local artists, join various exhibitions, and visit museums and galleries, among other activities.
“So I am expecting that the artist will really be influenced and impacted very positively well with such special atmosphere, seeing what professional artists do and how they think. It is really a life-changing experience,” al-Obaidli explained.
One artist from Qatar will be selected every quarter starting from January next year for QM’s New York Residency programme – a total of four individuals in a year, he added.
“Applicants can apply online through the Fire Station’s website (http://www.firestation.org.qa). Then we will have a small jury who will be reviewing the participants (application),” he said.
“We will select in the beginning two artists: one for the January to March (2019) programme and the second for the April to June,” al-Obaidli added. “Then we will have another open call in March or April for the next two quarters of the year.”
The Fire Station director said the programme is open to all Qatari artists from various disciplines such as painting, sculpture, street arts, print-making and photography, among others. However, the jury is expected to look for strong portfolios.
