H.E. Sheikha Al-Mayassa opens 'On the Move' exhibition at National Museum of Qatar

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Sheikha al mayassa opens on the move exhibition national museum qatar

H.E. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, in the company of several dignitaries, today opened, 'On the Move', a special exhibition on view at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) until 14 January 2023.

The exhibition explores the lives of nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists across three distinct regions: Central Sahara, Qatar, and Mongolia. Featuring a diverse selection of more than 400 objects – including paintings, historical images, oral history, archival footage, and contemporary photography - 'On the Move' explores how these groups created and maintained rich and meaningful social lives while producing complex and beautiful cultural forms in challenging environments.

Artefacts on display are drawn from the collections of NMOQ, Lusail Museum, Qatar National Library and Qatar Museums, along with loan items from international museums including the National Museum of Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar., Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, and Weltmuseum Wein in Vienna, among other institutions.

On the Move is one of more than ten exhibitions presented as part of Qatar Creates, the year-round national cultural movement that curates, promotes, and celebrates the diversity of cultural activities in Qatar and connects resident and global audiences with Qatar’s creative industries. The exhibition also forms part of the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022, an international cultural exchange designed to deepen understanding between nations and their people. As such, the exhibition reflects the creative power and heritage of the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia (MENASA).

The exhibition is curated by Professor Lila Abu-Lughod, Department of Anthropology, Columbia University; Tania Al Majid, Associate Curator of Social History and Ethnography, National Museum of Qatar; Faisal Al Naimi, Director of Archaeology, Qatar Museums; Dr. Haya Al Thani, Director of Curatorial Affairs, National Museum of Qatar; Dr. Anja Fischer, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna; and Dr. Elizabeth Turk, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

A collection of gifts inspired by the exhibition are available for purchase at the NMoQ gift shop.