With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 around the corner, the world is beginning to descend on Qatar—physically, virtually and metaphorically. The Media Majlis, a media, communication and journalism museum located within Qatar Foundation (QF) partner, Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), has curated an exhibition that asks the question: Is it a beautiful game?
The Media Majlis at NU-Q explores the deep and intertwined relationship between football and media with an exhibition that challenges audiences to question how these two mega-industries influence opinions and views.
The exhibition is curated by the museum's associate curator and manager of exhibition planning, Jack Thomas Taylor. "We want audiences to feel empowered to ask critical questions," says Taylor. "Football and the media are two multi-billion-dollar industries with a complex relationship that continues to grow, shape and morph across time, technology and cultures. We believe everyone has the right to know how football, media and the game intertwine."
As Qatar prepares to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, this exhibition invites everyone, especially students, media professionals and football fans, to learn more about the dynamics of the sport and its culture.
"Since Qatar was announced as the host for the upcoming tournament, there has been much questioning concerning Qatar’s, and the region's, sporting heritage. You often hear statements that it doesn't exist, but that's simply not true. Over the last century, Qatar has evolved into a global player," says, Taylor.
"NU-Q is educating, mentoring, training and preparing the next generation of journalists and media professionals. Our university is just a few kilometres away from one of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums and even closer to the hub that will mediate the tournament to the world. So, if any institution should dig deeper into this subject, it should be us."
"Everything we do is student-first. Whether our students work with us to develop ideas, research narratives, help produce content, evaluate our audiences’ responses to exhibitions, or even explore the subject and themes during a faculty-led class, all our exhibitions provide educational opportunities. We hope faculty—from within Qatar and beyond—use the museum space as their classroom for informal learning and debate."
Football jerseys worn by Mohamed Salah and Diego Maradona provoke audiences to consider the spectrum of hero and villain. In contrast, a photograph of Arab entertainment icons Farid al-Atrache, Layla Fawzi, Houda Sultan, Salah Zoulfikar, Madiha Yusri, Farid Chawki, Omar Sherif, and Mariam Fakhreddine attending a football match in the late 1950s reminds visitors that the Arab world does have football heritage.
These objects are complemented by various museum-made films, including 'Where do you stand?'—a production that includes graduates from universities within Qatar, including NU-Q, Georgetown University in Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Northumbria University.
'Is it a beautiful game?' is open from Saturday to Wednesday from 10am–5pm each day until November 12.
The exhibition is curated by the museum's associate curator and manager of exhibition planning, Jack Thomas Taylor. "We want audiences to feel empowered to ask critical questions," says Taylor. "Football and the media are two multi-billion-dollar industries with a complex relationship that continues to grow, shape and morph across time, technology and cultures. We believe everyone has the right to know how football, media and the game intertwine."
As Qatar prepares to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, this exhibition invites everyone, especially students, media professionals and football fans, to learn more about the dynamics of the sport and its culture.
"Since Qatar was announced as the host for the upcoming tournament, there has been much questioning concerning Qatar’s, and the region's, sporting heritage. You often hear statements that it doesn't exist, but that's simply not true. Over the last century, Qatar has evolved into a global player," says, Taylor.
"NU-Q is educating, mentoring, training and preparing the next generation of journalists and media professionals. Our university is just a few kilometres away from one of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums and even closer to the hub that will mediate the tournament to the world. So, if any institution should dig deeper into this subject, it should be us."
"Everything we do is student-first. Whether our students work with us to develop ideas, research narratives, help produce content, evaluate our audiences’ responses to exhibitions, or even explore the subject and themes during a faculty-led class, all our exhibitions provide educational opportunities. We hope faculty—from within Qatar and beyond—use the museum space as their classroom for informal learning and debate."
Football jerseys worn by Mohamed Salah and Diego Maradona provoke audiences to consider the spectrum of hero and villain. In contrast, a photograph of Arab entertainment icons Farid al-Atrache, Layla Fawzi, Houda Sultan, Salah Zoulfikar, Madiha Yusri, Farid Chawki, Omar Sherif, and Mariam Fakhreddine attending a football match in the late 1950s reminds visitors that the Arab world does have football heritage.
These objects are complemented by various museum-made films, including 'Where do you stand?'—a production that includes graduates from universities within Qatar, including NU-Q, Georgetown University in Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Northumbria University.
'Is it a beautiful game?' is open from Saturday to Wednesday from 10am–5pm each day until November 12.