Qatar has made a name for itself in the arena of sports by hosting world-class events. Doha hosted some top world events recently and many more are in the pipeline. Along with sports, Qatar is also well respected globally for its rich cultural footprint due to the various initiatives by government to preserve and promote culture by building breath-taking architectural wonders like the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ).
Both museums were designed by world-renowned masters - MIA is considered one of the master-pieces by legendary architect I M Pei and award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel designed NMoQ.
Qatar has also been taking high art to the masses by installing works by many well-known artists at public places, thereby democratising art. This deserves great praise as it introduces common man to great artists of our time and allows a unique interaction between the artwork and the viewer.
Some of these works by such greats like Damien Hirst, Louise Bourgeois, Richard Serra and Subodh Gupta, to name a few, are available throughout Qatar at many places including Hamad International Airport, Qatar National Convention Centre, Katara Cultural Village and even at sand dunes.
From yesterday, Fire Station, another interesting space for artists and art lovers, is hosting the first museum show in the Middle East dedicated to Brian Donnelly, known professionally as KAWS. Curated by acclaimed art historian Germano Celant, KAWS: He Eats Alone explores the artist’s career and vast oeuvre, featuring paintings, graphic design, small-scale objects, and large-scale sculptures made over the past twenty years.
This is great opportunity for every art connoisseur to see the works by a modern era great, who is equally respected for his large sculptures and his toys.
Another interesting exhibition art aficionados should not miss is the ‘Magnificent Jewels of Jean Schlumberger: From the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Collection’ exhibition at NMoQ. More than 125 dazzling pieces of jewellery and art objects crafted by iconic French jewellery designer Jean Schlum-berger are on show here.
To round off MIA is displaying more than 100 magnificent pieces of gems, jewellery, works on paper and photography from India at an exhibition dubbed “Set in Stone: Gems and Jewels from Royal Indian Courts” as part of Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture.
Three varied exhibitions at three different venues, which are unique in their own right, go on to prove the cultural depth and diversity Qatar has to offer and this is the best time for an art lover to be here.
