Qatar Museums (QM) has officially opened 'Seeing Is Believing: The Art and Influence of Gérôme', an exhibition that delves into the art and legacy of the renowned French painter and sculptor Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904).
In honour of the 200th anniversary of the artist’s birth, the exhibition is organised by the upcoming Lusail Museum in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and curated by Emily Weeks, guest curator, Lusail Museum; Giles Hudson, curator of Photographs, Lusail Museum; and Sara Raza, guest curator, Mathaf.
On view until February 22, 2025, the exhibition showcases more than 300 works, organised into three interconnected sections that aim to invite a reconsideration of Gérôme's art and artistic impact through both historical and contemporary lenses.
The exhibition was inaugurated by QM chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, accompanied by Lusail Museum director Dr Julia Gonnella, and Mathaf director Zeina Arida.
Seeing Is Believing provides a comprehensive exploration of Gérôme’s life and travels throughout the Mena region, shedding light on his profound impact on European perceptions of the region.
The exhibition showcases iconic paintings from the Lusail Museum’s exceptional collection of Orientalist art, works from Mathaf’s collection of Arab modern art and QM’s general collections alongside notable loans from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Islamic Arts Museum in Malaysia, as well as private collections and art galleries.
The exhibition pairs Gérôme’s historical works with contemporary art works and newly commissioned pieces from contemporary artists, including Babi Badalov and Nadia Kaabi-Linke.
The exhibition unfolds across three interconnected sections: A Wider Lens, A New Gérôme presents new research on Gérôme’s life, artistic techniques, and travels, showcasing works that illustrate his influence on subsequent generations of artists; Truth is Stranger than Fiction highlights the relationship between Gérôme’s paintings and contemporary photography, offering insights into how the medium influenced his artistic practice and perception of the East; and I Swear I Saw That situates Gérôme’s work within a contemporary, post-colonial context, featuring modern interpretations that challenge traditional narratives and provoke discussions about identity and power structures.
Seeing Is Believing is organised as a legacy of Qatar–France 2020 Year of Culture, a year-long programme of collaborations between institutions across both countries. The exhibition is designed by Duncan McCauley Studio (Berlin).
Seeing Is Believing: The Art and Influence of Gérôme is presented as part of the Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Season of Qatar Creates - a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Qatar’s creative industries and promoting cultural activities within the country.
