Two German exhibitions to highlight Year of Culture

Two exhibitions are coming to Qatar next month as major highlights of the Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture.

‘Driven by German Design’, developed in close partnership with the Volkswagen Group, will open at Al Riwaq Gallery in October, which traces the evolution of German design over more than six decades. Curated by renowned museum director Prof Dr Martin Roth before his passing, the exhibition features numerous design objects loaned from some of Germany’s most significant cultural institutions such as the Vitra Design Museum, Neue Sammlung, Porsche Museum and Museum für Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt.

Bernd and Hilla Becher half-timbered houses (1959-1961/1974) photo.The exhibition traces the development of German design, from the 1950s to the present day and provides a glimpse into the future.Deutsche Bank, which has built up one of the world’s most important corporate collections of contemporary art, will simultaneously present ‘German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks’ from the bank’s collection at the Fire Station’s Garage Gallery. The exhibition features more than 100 exemplary works on paper including photographs, and paintings by 27 artists provide an informative overview of the development of German art – and thus also of the history of the country – from the 1960s up to the present day. Both exhibitions are supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.Celebrating the influence and significance of German culture, art and design, both exhibitions reflect Qatar’s continued development as a cultural hub and highlight the diverse and engaging programme of exhibitions and activities on offer in the country.The exhibitions are key moments in the Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture – a mutual exchange of arts, culture, science and sport between Qatar and Germany organised by Qatar Museums (QM), in partnership with the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, the German embassy in Doha and the embassy of Qatar in Germany. The year-long programme is made up of a wide variety of exhibitions and events in addition to literary and art workshops, film screenings, concerts and performances, sports competitions and trade shows. “We are excited to celebrate our ties and commonalities with our German partners for the Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture by bringing two landmark exhibitions to Qatar in the autumn,” QM’s public and international relations director Mohamed al-Othman said.Launched in 2012 under the guidance of QM’s Chairperson, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative is designed to promote mutual understanding, recognition and appreciation between countries.