Opening on 19 March is Curious Desert, Olafur Eliasson’s first solo exhibition in the Gulf region, bringing together a dozen new site-specific installations located near the Al Thakhira Mangrove in Northern Qatar and an extensive gallery presentation at the National Museum of Qatar. The outdoor installation consists of twelve temporary pavilions that Eliasson considers to form an artistic laboratory in the desert. At the National Museum of Qatar, the gallery portion of the exhibition features artworks from different periods of Eliasson’s career and in a wide range of media.

As part of the Curious Desert exhibition, two panel discussions will take place at the National Museum of Qatar. The first panel discussion will happen on 18 March, a day before the opening of Eliasson's exhibition. Qatar Creates invites the public to attend a conversation between the Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Faleh Bin Nasser Bin Ahmad Al Thani (MoECC), Ghanim Al Ghanim, and Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, about how art has the power to offer different perspectives, and how cultural spaces can host pluralistic thought, build awareness, and offer a platform for differences of opinion to coexist.

The second panel discussion will discuss how can people work collaboratively across disciplines and geographic, cultural, and national borders in order to navigate towards a sustainable future for human and nonhuman beings. It will also tackle approaches in art and architecture, activism and research offer. This cross-generational discussion looks at people's entanglements with natural environments in the context of the climate emergency and addresses the complex ways in which we can hear and respond to the needs of many – humans and nonhumans alike.

Olafur Eliasson in conversation with Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Faleh Bin Nasser Bin Ahmad Al Thani (MoECC) and Ghanim Al Ghanim

• Date: 18 March
• Time: 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• Location: National Museum of Qatar

‘Art and the Environment: Awareness and Action’ – Panel Discussion Olafur Eliasson in conversation with Eng Ahmad Al Sadaa, Dr Aspa D. Chatziefthimiou, Reem Al Shlawi, and Neema Githere

• Date: 19 March
• Time: 3 pm – 4 pm
• Location: National Museum of Qatar

Source and cover image credit: Qatar Creates

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Tracy Quirino

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