Today, the Museum of Islamic Art announced the names of the participants in the Discover 2 programme, the annual initiative that this year will see the participation of eight Qatari artists.
The list of participants this year includes the artists: Mona Al-Badr, Mashael Hijazi, Naima Al-Hail, Ali Al-Kuwari, Zainab Al-Shaibani, Salha Al-Subaie, Ahmed Al-Ali, and Nouf Al-Muraikhi.
The participating artists will have an educational trip to the Turkish city of Istanbul, in cooperation with the organizing committee for the events of “Doha, Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for the Year 2021” and the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
The Museum of Islamic Art explained that a committee of experienced artists in various artistic fields and from different sectors was formed, and met on September 7th to select participants in the Discover 2 program.
The committee included Mr. Ismail Azzam, artist and public art consultant at Qatar Museums, Ms. Noura Al-Maadadi, artist and head of the art department and art programs at the Museum of Islamic Art, Ms. Hoda Al-Yafei, artist and director of the Visual Arts Center representing the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ms. Hanadi Al-Darwish, artist and consultant at the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and Ms. Abeer Al-Kuwari, artist and photographer.
Mr. Salem Abdullah Al-Aswad, Deputy Director of the Museum of Islamic Art and Director of the Education and Community Awareness Department at the Museum, said in a statement that the Museum of Islamic Art is proud of this strategic partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, noting that the Discover 2 program comes within a wide range of cultural and artistic programs and activities that all come under the umbrella of Doha, Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2021.
For his part, Mr. Hamad Al-Athba, General Coordinator of the Doha, Capital of Culture of the Islamic World 2021, said that this partnership comes as an enhancement to the Qatari artistic energies, which have a high degree of potential and talent, which makes them worthy of the support they deserve. It will also be a great opportunity to express one’s artistic self and bring to bear its accumulations and talents, in addition to highlighting the beauty of Islamic arts, and the historical richness and architectural uniqueness of the heritage and archaeological monuments.
The committee set several criteria for selection, including that the candidate must be a Qatari who has not previously participated in this trip, have good experience in the field of art, and be given an opportunity to discover new Qatari talents that have not appeared before, as well as selecting some artists with great experience and integrating them with the emerging generation in order to exchange ideas and experiences and create a good environment for learning.
The trip aims to provide Qatari artists with new experience in Islamic art, by participating in artistic workshops, visiting the landmarks of Istanbul, and exploring the wonders of the world of authentic Islamic art.
For her part, artist Noura Al-Maadadi, head of the Department of Art and Art Programs at the Museum of Islamic Art, said: “The Islamic Museum has always presented many initiatives that support art and artists in Qatar by providing new opportunities for education and offering workshops specialized in Islamic art.”
The Discover program is the latest activity launched by the Education Department at the Museum of Islamic Art, and aims to inspire the next generation of creators by introducing them to new forms of art.
