Last updated on September 9th, 2024 at 03:43 pm
Where can the future cultural hubs of the world be found? Researchers looking at the worldwide increase in important cultural structures over the past 30 years have concluded that this increase has most likely occurred in Asia and the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi and Doha, two cities with big plans and large pockets, are leading the way in the construction of cutting-edge new museums, opera houses, and theatres to compete with the established cultural capitals of New York, London, and Paris.
A century ago, the people of Qatar spent their summers herding camels and their winters pearl diving for the British. However, the 20th century saw a whirlwind of enrichment and modernization when oil and, more importantly, natural gas was discovered. Around $450 billion is in its sovereign wealth fund at the moment.
Setting the Cornerstone
Doha, the capital of Qatar, has been called the new artistic capital of the Middle East, and The New York Times selected Qatar as the Cultural Destination of the Year in 2009.
Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art, designed by the late architect I.M.Pei, is located on the city’s glittering seafront Corniche. It triumphantly displays one of the world’s most comprehensive Islamic art collections.
The ziggurat-like edifice of white stone is the cornerstone of a colossal endeavour by Qatar to transform itself into the arts hub of the Middle East. The building’s austere, almost primitive shapes and the brilliant treasures it holds, according to Nicolai Ouroussoff, architecture critic for The New York Times, demonstrate the seriousness of the country’s cultural ambition.
Image Courtesy: Doha Museum of Islami Art
A Hefty Art Budget and a Pioneer
The artistic goal of the city encompassed the complete establishment of a national symphony orchestra and the opening of a slew of new contemporary art galleries in Doha’s revitalized historic souq, the Souq Waqif. The daughter of Qatar’s Emir, HHSheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has been responsible for many of the country’s cultural aspirations. Her status as Chairperson of Qatar Museums and vast personal wealth have given her considerable sway in the art world. According to Bloomberg, she carried an annual buying budget of $1 billion for Qatar Museums.
Reportedly spending $300 million on Paul Gauguin’s ‘When Will You Marry?’ in 2015, $250 million on Paul Cezanne’s ‘The Card Players’ in 2012, $70 million on Mark Rothko’s ‘White Centre’ (Yellow, Pink, and Lavender on Rose) in 2007, and $20 million on a Damien Hirst pill cabinet, Sheikha Al-Mayassa also owns works by Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Francis Bacon.
She has financed and organized significant shows in Doha by artists such as Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, and Richard Serra. The Sheikha was in charge of a number of museums, including the National Museum of Qatar (designed by Jean Nouvel and opened in March 2019) and the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha designed by I. M. Pei and opened in November 2008.
Plans Ahead
The Art Mill Museum (AMM) is opening soon in a renovated flour mill. Lusail, a museum devoted solely to “Orientalist” art, is also on the horizon.
Predicted to begin construction in 2030 on Doha’s Al Maha Island, a popular tourist hotspot, Lusail will provide “insight into the movement of ideas and perspectives to reveal complex layers of perception, power, and politics, which continue to frame how different people around the world understand each other today,” as stated in promotional materials.
The folks at Lusail, led by director Dr Xavier Dectot, have put together a preview exhibit called “Tales of a Connected World.” The collection was put together by the Qatar Museums and featured 247 works of art, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and photographs.
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