QM showcases diverse array of exhibitions

Qatar Museums (QM) offers a unique opportunity to discover diverse exhibitions across different museums and art galleries throughout the country, particularly during the colder months.These captivating displays offer a glimpse into different aspects of history, culture, and artistic expression, with most exhibitions running until next year.In collaboration with the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC, the "Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran” exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art sheds light on the key role silk played during the Safavid period (1501–1736 CE).QM noted that the show explores the development of the silk industry under Shah ‘Abbas, citing Isfahan as the heart of the Safavid state. Contemporary commissions by Qatar-based designers bring a modern perspective to the historic textiles, showcasing the enduring influence of Safavid silks on today's creative minds.As part of the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture, the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) presents "Growing Kopi, Drinking Qahwa: Stories of Coffee in Qatar and Indonesia”. This exhibition, running until February 17, 2024, highlights the traditional and contemporary coffee cultures in both countries through interactive displays, immersive projections, and sensory experiences.At NMoQ, another must-see exhibition is "The Shape of Time: Art and Ancestors of Oceania from the Metropolitan Museum of Art”. Featuring nearly 130 works from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Oceanic collection, this exhibition highlights themes of Voyaging, Ancestors, and Time. The display, on view until January 15, 2024, provides an opportunity to investigate the Pacific Islanders’ cultural heritage and artistic expressions across four centuries."The Present: The Future of the Past” exhibition at the Fire Station: Artists in Residence, running until December 16, offers a unique glimpse into the creative process of 31 artists in residence. The exhibition blurs the lines between the studio experience and the final artworks, bridging the gap between the artistic journey and outcome.Doha Design District is hosting the "Masterpieces of Furniture Design” exhibition until December 9, in partnership with the Vitra Design Museum. Featuring more than 50 iconic pieces from the last 200 years, the exhibition spotlights design classics and lesser-known works while expanding the canon of design to include female designers and non-Western creators.Two exhibitions at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art include "Distilled Lessons: Abstraction in Arab Modernism” and "Mehdi Moutashar: Introspection as Resistance,” both on view until March 5, 2024. The former examines experiments in abstraction within Arab modernism, while the latter marks Moutashar’s first solo exhibition in Qatar, showcasing his diverse works inspired by Arabic calligraphy and ornamental patterns.Mathaf also hosts "De/Constructed Meanings” and "Cities Under Quarantine: The Mailbox Project,” both on view until March 5, 2024. The former, in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University School of Arts in Qatar xLab, looks into linguistic systems and ideology critique, while the latter presents a powerful documentation of life during the Covid-19 pandemic through a unique Artist’s Book project.