Qatar abuzz with captivating displays of art, history, culture

Qatar is currently abuzz with a captivating display of art, history and culture as Qatar Museums (QM) presents a wide range of awe-inspiring exhibitions across various galleries and museums.
The eclectic lineup of exhibitions – from groundbreaking contemporary artworks to immersive historical reviews – cater to diverse interests, capturing the imagination of local enthusiasts and international visitors.
Qatar residents and visitors will have the opportunity to explore the exceptional artworks of renowned Panamanian artist Eduardo Navarro, displayed at the “Free Spirits of Wild Horses” exhibition until June 17 at the Fire Station: Artists in Residence.
In collaboration with the Embassy of Panama, QM noted that this unique show highlights the artist’s “rebellious work, featuring paintings that showcase his unique approach using multiple media to express his dynamic energy on canvas.”
According to QM, Navarro's pieces capture the untamed essence of wild horses through “implied movements” and vibrant colours, attracting viewers with its fierce and captivating personalities and taking them back to the 20th-century work of Francis Bacon.
A visit to Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Education City provides a deeper understanding of an important chapter in Beirut’s modern history with a one-of-its-kind exhibition, titled ‘Beirut and the Golden Sixties: A Manifesto of Fragility’.
The show, running until August 5, showcases a diverse array of paintings, sculptures, multimedia works, and archival materials of 37 artists and offers a compelling glimpse into the development of modernism in the city.
Tracing “a brief but rich period of artistic and political ferment”, QM noted that the exhibition delves into “a romanticised era of global influence in Lebanon’s capital to highlight how collisions between art, culture and polarised political ideologies turned the Beirut art scene into a microcosm of larger regional tensions”.
The exhibition explores the impact of the Lebanese banking secrecy law of 1956, which saw the influx of foreign capital into the city. This led to the flourishing of commercial galleries, independent art spaces, and museums, making Beirut a thriving hub of artistic expression. However, underneath the surface of prosperity, simmering tensions eventually erupted into a 15-year civil war, QM added.
Also running at Mathaf until August 5 is the "I Am The Traveler And Also The Road" exhibition, which puts together the perspectives of 12 extraordinary photographers working in West Asia and North Africa (Wana) region.
Each of the photographers featured in the exhibition was a recipient of the prestigious Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani Project Award in 2021 and 2022. This annual grant, created by Tasweer Photo Festival Qatar, empowers photographers living in the Wana region to develop or complete their photographic projects.
Another thought-provoking QM exhibition includes the “Olafur Eliasson: The Curious Desert”, in two locations: the National Museum of Qatar (until August 15) and the desert near the Al Thakhira Mangrove in Northern Qatar serving as an open-air artistic laboratory.
Twelve temporary pavilions present site-specific installations that seamlessly integrate the forces of nature. Harnessing the power of wind, water, and sunlight, these captivating artworks embark on a perpetual journey of transformation, continuously evolving throughout the day and the duration of the exhibition.
A unique QM programme, Zwara, has been attracting design enthusiasts as it welcomes visitors to navigate a series of ongoing exhibitions, archives, and collections at M7, Msheireb Downtown Doha.
Running until September 10, this initiative provides a unique opportunity to witness the vibrant and innovative creative landscape of Qatar firsthand.