For the first time, visitors will see works that were part of Qatar Museums’ collections and had been in the collections of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) or are being prepared for their new home in the new Lusail Museum. Dr. Mounia Chekhab-Abudaya, the museum’s deputy director for curatorial affairs, has curated the show as part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture.
Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani thanked the collaboration with institutions in Morocco: “We are incredibly fortunate to work with institutions all across Morocco as part of our Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture. This type of cooperation greatly expands the range of opportunities for Qataris and residents to interact with the many wonderful Islamic legacies of this North African neighbour. As we build momentum through scholarship, scientific breakthroughs, and excellence in the arts, so much of what has transpired this year in that exceptional cultural programme has itself rested on a solid base.”.
The Years of Culture program promotes long-term cultural cooperation between Qatar and other nations, respecting each other’s diversity in culture.
Exhibition Themes:
- Faces of Morocco: Landscapes and Society: A journey through a rich tapestry of photographs by artists such as Bruno Barbey, Irving Penn, Lalla Essaydi, Mous Lamrabat, and Mounir Raji.
- The Soul of Morocco: Kings, Saints, and Scholars: A deep dive into Moroccan dynastic history.
- Threads of Tradition: Morocco’s Artisanal Mastery: In this section, crafts have a great importance within Morocco’s multiculturalism.
Sounds of Traditional Morocco: Instrumentations of sounds that help Andalusian melodies in cities and the Gnawa of South. - Contemporary Craftmanship of Morocco: In this section, seven pieces from commissioned Moroccan artist Noureddine Amir, transforms his take on traditional craftsmanship in an elegant abstract style while hung off the gallery ceiling.
