Tribune News Network
DOHA
Qatar Museums is reflecting on a spectacular opening week for Design Doha, a new biennial aimed at elevating the design culture of the MENA region and highlighting the exceptional design environment of Qatar on the global stage.
Under the visionary leadership of Qatar Museums’ Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the launch of Design Doha witnessed a roster of special events and exhibition premieres, attracting some 22,000 visitors throughout the week.
Led by Artistic Director Glenn Adamson, Design Doha’s opening week commenced on February 24 with events taking place in Msheireb, a creative neighbourhood that nurtures collaboration, creativity and innovation.
The launch of Design Doha’s exhibitions, activations, installations and programmes played a crucial role in further activating the district as an artistic hub, attracting creative tourists, designers and artists from across Qatar.
Present among them were notable figures such as Franck Millot, director of Paris Design Week, Qatari-businessman Wissam Al Mana, and co-director of Zaha Hadid Architects Woody Zao. The inaugural week culminated with a spectacular closing gala dinner and prize giving ceremony, which was opened by prominent Qatari architect Ibrahim Al Jaidah.
During the ceremony, Fabraca Studios, Fadaa, Sayar & Garibeh, and Abeer Seikaly were each awarded the Design Doha Prize – an initiative established to provide recognition and support for exceptional designers in the categories of product design, interior design, furniture design and craft. The winners were selected among almost 600 applicants.
Looking back at the success of opening week, Fahad Al Obaidly, head of Programmes, deputy director of Programmes and Partnerships for the Design Doha Biennial, said: “Design Doha is already proving its purpose as a dedicated platform for cultivating creativity and design excellence, providing creatives and institutions with a space to showcase their designs and ideas.
“By attracting international attention and facilitating collaborations within the design community, the biennial is poised to stimulate various sectors of Qatar’s economy, including tourism, hospitality and creative industries. We are proud of what the initiative has achieved in its inaugural edition and are incredibly excited to see what the future holds.”
Highlights of Design Doha opening week included the opening of several exhibitions.
The anchor exhibition, Arab Design Now, a regional survey of more than 70 Arab designers featuring 38 commissioned works opened at M7 and will run until August 5, 2024, as well as five additional exhibitions which remain open until March 30, 2024.
These exhibitions are Colours of the City: A Century of Architecture in Doha (open until 30 April 2023); Weaving Poems (open until 30 April 2023); 100/100 HUNDRED BEST ARABIC POSTERS Round 04 (open until 5 August 2023); Crafting Uzbekistan: Tradition in Threads (open until 30 March 2023), and Cultural Kinship (open until 30 March 2023).
Three commissioned works were unveiled, Desert by Amine El Gotaibi (The Ned Doha), Doha Dragon by Joris Laarman (Msheireb), and Afterimage of the Beginning by Choi Byung Hoon (National Museum of Qatar).
In addition, 20 partner exhibitions and commissions by partner design studios based in the region as well as local institutions were activated around Msheireb, including Kuwait Design Hub: An Eco Cultural Tapestry, which was exclusively on view during opening week.
Other activations remain open for the public to explore, including Embrace Blue by Bachir Mohamed in collaboration with Ahmad al Emadi & Michel Ghanem for Blu Ribbon Design Atelier (on view until March 30, 2024), and Anatomy of a Majilis by the Media Majlis at Northwestern University in Qatar (on view until March 23, 2024).
The unveiling of Design Doha exhibitions and installations coincided with the launch of the Design Doha Forum (DDF), the headline programming event for Design Doha which welcomed 62 industry experts from around the world to share their experience and knowledge in the field of design.
With over 500 guests attending 17 panel talks and keynote speeches across the five-day event, DDF proved a resounding success, showcasing its potential as a diverse platform for discourse, delving into the significant impact of design on daily life.
Various networking events took place during the inaugural week, including the first Designers Breakfast Club by FROMM., a design platform based between Qatar and Italy. The programme provided daily targeted coaching sessions throughout the week to over 18 selected designers helping designers to enhance their creative processes, promote personal and professional development, and equipping them with valuable skills for success in interior, furniture and accessories design.
Other events included Design Doha B-B Speed Networking event, which offered 22 designers the opportunity to make quick connections and broaden their networks. Design Doha also welcomed four Moroccan artists and designers currently participating in the year-long Design Doha Exchange Qatar | Morocco: Crafting Design Futures programme to Qatar, where they embarked on a two-week research residency at Liwan Design Studios and Labs and Torba Farm.
This residency was part two of the programme, following the visit of four designers of Qatar to Morocco in January 2024.
Qatar Museums invites residents and visitors to Qatar to explore Design Doha and all it has to offer. To plan your visit, go to designdoha.org.qa/en/.
