Under the patronage of Qatar Museums (QM) Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Doha Fire Station (DFS) has announced the opening of the latest edition of its Artist in Residence exhibition, titled Dual Inspirations. The exhibition, which is open to the public between 17 July and 1 October, marks the end of a highly successful season of the Artist in Residence Programme—an annual initiative that nurtures creative talent from across the country.
This year’s edition is presented as a conversation between two artists sharing their perspectives on the same topic. The main narrative of the exhibition is based on the idea of 'reflection and inspiration', whereby two artists are matched in one section under a specific theme which describes their work. Themes include memory, constructivism, material, contemplation, abstractionism, city, result, seld, perception and viewpoint.
The Artist in Residency Programme—which was formerly the old Civil Defence building—provides participants with a chance to delve into the world of aestheticism and be exposed to influential mentors that can help them challenge and develop their artistic skills. The programme is a highlight of Qatar Museums’ initiatives, all which aim to create a new generation of talents that can inspire audiences and drive forward Qatar’s cultural sector.
The initiative, which began in 2015, demonstrates a clear commitment to nurturing emerging talent and builds on a longer tradition of patronage of the arts, and a passion for supporting the development of artistic talent in Qatar. During the nine-month programme, artists who are resident in Qatar move into one of the studios, collaborate with fellow creatives and develop their artistic technique. They meet curators, access all QM exhibitions and are encouraged to join lectures. They also benefit from weekly mentoring sessions and meet arts professionals from all over the world, representing Qatar in the international cultural community.
Artists from a wide range of multi-disciplinary backgrounds including art, photography, design, architecture and other fields are welcomed into the programme for a period of nine months. All artists must go through an application process. All applications are subject to a carefully managed selection and decision-making process involving an independent jury.
The programme is currently open to artists living in Qatar. Over time, there are plans to extend it to artists from the region. Doing so supports one of the key objectives of the residency, which is to support cultural dialogue and exchange between artists living in Qatar and the rest of the world.
The exhibition will also have a section titled, 'Contemporary Artists Reading Modernism Loudly,' discussing the inspiring relationship between contemporary and modern art. Participating artists were tasked with visiting Mathaf and choosing an artwork that inspires and informs their own practice. The selected artwork is presented alongside their own to emphasise a dialogue that has taken place between two epochs and generations of artists. Some of the artists’ ideas were an extension and an answer to works by those pioneers, while others were chosen to question or provide a contrast to the works presented at Mathaf.
Khalifa Al Obaidly, Director of the DFS, commented: “This exhibition is not only a testament to the world-class artistic talent that exists among Qatar’s creative community, but is also a proof of the impact that the programme has had in terms of nurturing our artists’ skills. I am proud to announce the conclusion of another exciting edition and look forward to being amazed by our artists’ future endeavors.”
Participating artists include: Mubarak Nasser Al-Thani, May Saleh Al Mannai, Islam Shehab, Fatima Mohammed, Alexandra Jawe Oddie, Ahmad Nooh Ahmad, Paul Valentine, Yasser Abdulla Al Mulla, Ryan Browning, Fatma Al Naimi, Wajiha Pervez, Yousef Fawzi Bahzad, Diogo Esteves, Aisha Al Fadhala, Aisha Al Malki, Yassmin Al Khasawneh, Shouq Al Mana, and Rachel Leah Cohn.
For a visual tour inside inside the 'Laundromat Exhibition' by Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, click here.
To know more about the Doha Fire Station, check out their social media links below!
Website: http://www.firestation.org.qa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dohaf...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dohafirest...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doha...
Are you planning to visit the Dual Inspirations exhibition at the Doha Fire Station now that it's already open for public viewing? If yes, which piece of art are you most looking forward to see? Drop us a line in the comments and also, don't forget to like and share this article—it keeps us going!
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