QM to open contemporary art exhibition in China

“Watering the Desert | Contemporary Art from Qatar” will be the first large-scale exhibition of Qatari and Qatar-based contemporary artists to be presented in China, Qatar Museums (QM) announced Sunday.
Curated by the QM's Issa al-Shirawi and Maryam Hassan al-Thani, the exhibition organised in collaboration with Yuz Museum, will showcase from Wednesday (November 8) the work of 34 multidisciplinary artists, designers, and filmmakers working within Qatar’s artistic scene.
The exhibition is scheduled to be on view until March 3, 2024.
“‘Watering the Desert’ is the result of a six-year strategic partnership between the QM, Yuz Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA),” said QM Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
“The exhibition highlights the importance of cross-cultural dialogue and exchanges through art,” she said. “We are proud to collaborate with Yuz Museum in Shanghai, a prominent Chinese institution and a long-time partner of Qatar Museums, in showcasing and amplifying distinct voices and artistic practices from Qatar.”
Justine Alexandria Tek, chief executive and director of Yuz Museum and Yuz Foundation, said: “This marks a significant step forward for Yuz Museum to embrace our late founder, Budi Tek’s vision of promoting exchanges with the world through significant art and culture.”
“Through the long-term partnership between the three institutions, Yuz, QM, and LACMA, we aim to continue and strengthen this unique and precious bond through conversations and programmes, highlighting our individual distinctions while uncovering our similarities in this new era of globalisation,” she said.
The exhibition bridges the gap between Qatar's traditional practices and modern transformative spirit and focuses on four interconnected themes: vivid recollections of shared experiences, commentary on complex social dynamics regarding the concept of home, urban transformations, and the fusion of art and the natural environment.
“We are proud to serve as a global platform for Qatari artists to showcase their work, whether they are pioneering, mid-career, and emerging artists,” said exhibition co-curator al-Shirawi, the head of international exhibitions at the QM.
“We have approached this exhibition with fresh perspectives on recurring themes in contemporary Arab art,” exhibition co-curator Maryam Hassan al-Thani said. “To work with Yuz Museum, who shares the same passion for contemporary art and providing platforms for emerging voices in the art world, has been an extremely meaningful process that we are excited to share with new audiences.”
“Watering the Desert | Contemporary Art from Qatar” involves a number of collaborations with other QM and partner organisations in Qatar, with notable contributions from Virginia Commonwealth University of Arts (VCUarts Qatar) and the Doha Film Institute (DFI).
Several of the exhibited works were created by artists based in VCUarts Qatar creative research labs, and a number of artists previously participated in the “Fire Station: Artist in Residence” programme created and operated by the QM.
The featured artists are Sebastian Betancur-Montoya, Hassan bin Mohamed al-Thani, Noora al-Hardan, Hadeer Omar, Michael Hersurd and Simone Muscolino, Sophia Al Maria, Mubarak Nasser al-Thani, Markus Elblaus, Maryam al-Homaid, Noor Abu Issa, Salman al-Malik, Bouthayna al-Muftah, Abdulrahman al-Muftah, Aisha al-Sowaidi, Hana al-Saadi, Ghada al-Khater, Yousef Ahmad al-Homaid, Christto Andrew, Giovanni Inella, Hala Amer, Saga Elkabbash, Levi Hammett and George Paul, Anfal al-Kandari, Alya al-Khalifa and Guillaume Rousere, Naila al-Thani, Amena al-Yousef, Saida al-Khulaifi, Water with Water (Nathan R Davis and Sarah Elawad), (IN)>Tangible Lab (Sara al-Naimi and Maha al-Marri with research and design by Latifa al-Ali, Alanood al-Thani and Natasha Fernandez, and film, sound, support, and guidance from Astrid Kensinger, Mayssa al-Mumin, Guillaume Rousere, Alaa Albarazy, Dr Aspa Chatziefthimiou, Raviv Cohen, Shaima Sherif, David Mathew, Basma Hamdy and Nishi Rafols), Shaima al-Tamimi and Mariam Salim, Majid al-Remaihi, Amal al-Muftah, and Jassim al-Rumaihi.