Museum of Islamic Art, Doha explained

Museum of Islamic Art
Native Name:Arabic: متحف الفن الإسلامي
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Location:Doha, Qatar
Type:Islamic Art Museum
Director:Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr[1]
Owner:Qatar Museums

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is a museum on one end of the 7km (04miles) Corniche in Doha, Qatar. As per the architect I. M. Pei's specifications, the museum is built on an island off an artificial projecting peninsula near the traditional dhow harbor. A purpose-built park surrounds the edifice on the eastern and southern facades while two bridges connect the southern front facade of the property with the main peninsula that holds the park.[2] The western and northern facades are marked by the harbor showcasing the Qatari seafaring past. In September 2017, Qatar Museums appointed Julia Gonnella as director of MIA.[3] In 2024 Julia Gonnella became director of the Lusail Museum and was replaced by Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr.[4] In November 2022 the MIA became the first carbon-neutral certified museum in the Middle East Region.[5] [6] The museum participated in the Expo 2023 Doha from October 2023 until March 2024, with workshops and events focusing on biodiversity and sustainability.[7]

Facilities

The museum hosts the restaurant IDAM led by the head chef Alain Ducasse.[8] The restaurant is inspired by French Mediterranean cuisine. IDAM also offers master classes in cooking artisanal bread and raw foods.[9] The museum has a park,[10] workshops for schools and the general public,[11] and a library that provides information about Islamic Arts in both English and Arabic. The library also has nine study rooms.[12]

Adjacent to the museum is the MIA Park, a waterfront open space administered by the museum. It features cafes, a children's play area, and 7, a vertical steel sculpture by American sculptor Richard Serra.[13] A bazaar is also held at the park, having started in 2012 as a once a month event, but eventually being hosted twice a week since late 2016.[14] After being paused in 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic,[15] the bazaar was held again in late February 2023.[16]

Architecture

The museum is influenced by traditional Islamic architecture[17] yet has a uniquely modern design involving geometric patterns. It is the first of its kind to feature over 14 centuries of Islamic art in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.[18]

Occupying an area of, the museum is on an artificial peninsula overlooking the south end of Doha Bay.[19] Construction of the building was done by a Turkish company, Baytur Construction, in 2006. The interior gallery spaces were designed by a team of Wilmotte Associates. The museum was opened on November 22, 2008, by the then-emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad.[20] It opened to the general public on December 8, 2008.[21] [22]

At 91 years of age, the museum's architect, I. M. Pei had to be coaxed out of retirement to undertake this enterprise. He traveled throughout the Muslim world on a six-month quest to learn about Muslim architecture and history and read Muslim texts to draw inspiration for his design.[23] According to Pei, the light fountain in 9th century Ibn Tulun Mosque of Cairo was the inspiration.[24]

Declining all proposed sites for the museum, he suggested a stand-alone island for the structure to avoid encroachments by other buildings in the future. It was built off an artificial peninsula, approximately off the Doha Corniche and surrounded by a somewhat crescent-shaped park.[23] Pei requested that the museum spaces be designed by his collaborator on the Louvre project, Wilmotte & Associates, who then assembled a design team including Plowden & Smith (conservation consultants), Isometrix Lighting + Design (lighting consultants), and SG Conseil (AV Consultants) under Turner Projacs. Along with this design team, Leslie E. Robertson Associates was the structural engineer for the project.

The main building consists of the five floors, the main dome, and the central tower. It is connected with the education ward via a large central court.[25] Pei utilized creamy limestone for the outer facades to emphasize the various shades during the different times of the day. The five floors are covered by a glass facade to the north, and it provides a panoramic view of the Persian Gulf. The interior of the building is decorated by several Islamic arts, and the large metallic chandelier hung over the main staircase of the lobby.[26] Many elements found in Ibn Tulun Mosque are represented in the building as an abstract form. This enables the agreement with values and principles of the postmodern architecture historical trend which synchronize the modernity and the historical Islamic architectural identity.[24]

2022 renovation

As preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Museum of Islamic Art announced in June 2021 that it would be closed for renovation works until autumn 2022, to upgrade its main entrance, galleries, lecture hall and further indoor spaces.[27] [28] In June 2022 MIA Director Julia Gonnella[29] introduced the museum's revised concept of an 'immersive cultural experience'[30] to attract additional visitors and to enable families and young visitors to explore Islamic art.[31] In August 2022 the official reopening date was confirmed for 5 October 2022 with an increased number of more than 1,100 mostly newly acquired exhibits on display. The renovations provided better accessibility and an improved educational environment[32] including digital presentations and subjects interesting to younger visitors. The museum also added a 3-D tour to its website.[33]

The museum reopened on 4 October 2022, during the National Cultural Event of "Qatar Creative",[34] which provides an opportunity to bring together Qatar's creative industries with the wider public community.[35] Its 18 newly renovated galleries, covering an area of 480,000 square feet, display Islamic art from the seventh to the 20th centuries, divided according to their historical eras and their cultural and geographical backgrounds,[36] which allows visitors of modern Doha an extended insight into Islamic history.[37] The renovated museum's first exhibition, Baghdad: Eye's Delight presents the traditions and history of Iraq's capital.[38] The exhibition includes also objects loaned from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre in Paris.[39]

Collection

The Museum of Islamic Art represents Islamic art from three continents over 1,400 years.[40] Its collection includes metal work, ceramics, jewelry, wood work, textiles, and glass obtained from three continents and dating from the 7th to the 20th century.[41]

The museum houses a collection of work gathered since the late 1980s including manuscripts, textiles and ceramics.[42] It is one of the world's most complete collections of Islamic artifacts, with items originating in Spain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, India, and Central Asia.[43]

Manuscripts

An important Quranic manuscript within the collection is MS.474.2003.[44] The museum also owns a page of the Blue Qur'an, an indigo-dyed manuscript created over 1,000 years ago that is one of the most elaborate Qur'ans in the world.[45] [46]

Cooperations and collaborations

The 2022 to 2023 exhibition "Baghdad: Eye’s Delight" showcased objects from other museums such as the Met or the Louvre.[47] [48] After receiving a donation from Qatar Museums to celebrate the reopening of the MIA and the 10th anniversary of the opening of The Met’s Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia in 2022, the Met named one of its galleries the Qatar Gallery.[49] [50] During the 2021 Qatar-USA year of culture, the exhibition "Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran" was shown as part of a collaboration at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC. From October 2023 to April 2024 the exhibition took place at the MIA.[51] [52] After Qatar Museums signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, an exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, organised by the MIA, were announced for 2025.[53] [54] In May 2024 the museum opened a Museum Escape Room in a cooperation with the VCUarts Qatar, focusing on themes such as Islamic Science, Calligraphy and Inventions as well as Astronomy.[55]

The museum exhibited some of their items in the Place Vendôme Mall in Lusail in 2024.[56] [57] [58]

Exhibitions

Exhibitions organized by MIA include:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: QATAR MUSEUMS ANNOUNCE LEADERSHIP CHANGES. Artforum. 2024-05-31.
  2. Web site: MIA Park . 2022-05-19 . www.mia.org.qa.
  3. Web site: Qatar Museums Names Julia Gonnella Director of the Museum of Islamic Art – ARTnews.com . 2022-03-09 . www.artnews.com.
  4. Web site: ArtAsiaPacific: New Leadership Team at Qatar Museums . 2024-05-31 . artasiapacific.com.
  5. Web site: 2022-11-04 . MIA Asia’s first museum to achieve carbon neutral status . 2024-02-16 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  6. Web site: Turqueza . Lalaine . 2022-11-03 . First in MENA: Museum of Islamic Art Achieves Carbon Neutral Status . 2024-02-16 . Marhaba Qatar . en-GB.
  7. Web site: 2023-10-01 . Qatar Museums collaborates with Expo 2023 Doha to offer engaging public activities . 2024-02-16 . Qatar Tribune . en.
  8. Web site: IDAM . 2022-05-19 . www.mia.org.qa.
  9. Web site: IDAM. www.mia.org.qa. 2019-04-02.
  10. Web site: Park Map. www.mia.org.qa. 2019-04-02.
  11. Web site: Learning at the Museum of Islamic Art. www.mia.org.qa. 2019-04-23.
  12. Web site: Using the Library. www.mia.org.qa. 2019-04-16.
  13. Web site: MIA Park Doha, Qatar Attractions . 2023-01-25 . Lonely Planet . en.
  14. Web site: 2016-12-24 . MIA Park bazaar now held twice a week . 2023-09-29 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  15. Web site: Museum of Islamic Art suspends all activities in January . 2023-09-29 . Qatar Day . en.
  16. Web site: 2023-02-22 . Vibrant community comes together as weekend bazaar returns at MIA Park . 2023-09-29 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  17. News: Lawrence. Lee. 2022-01-29. ‘Fashioning an Empire: Safavid Textiles From the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha’ Review: The Fabric of a Dynasty. en-US. Wall Street Journal. 2022-02-18. 0099-9660.
  18. Web site: Behance. MIA, DOHA. 2021-11-23. Behance. english.
  19. Web site: Museum architecture . 2022-05-19 . www.mia.org.qa.
  20. News: Doha, Qatar, a New Arts Capital. 2009-01-08. The New York Times. 2021-03-18. en.
  21. News: Meet the women museum directors changing the way we think about art. 2021-03-08. Christie's . 2021-03-18. en.
  22. News: Pei's Doha museum reflects splendor of Islamic art . November 23, 2008 . International Herald Tribune . 2008-11-23.
  23. Web site: Doha's Islamic Arts Museum :: Qatar Visitor. www.qatarvisitor.com. 2009-12-31.
  24. Solaiman Abdullah Elkhereiji, Islamic Architecture Past Present & Future. SAK, Jeddah, 2016, p.67. Retrieved 8-21-2017.
  25. Web site: Floor Plans for the Museum of Islamic Art . 2022-05-19 . www.mia.org.qa.
  26. Web site: 2017-03-12 . IM Pei's Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar captured in new photographs . 2023-03-08 . Dezeen . en.
  27. Web site: 2021-05-24 . Qatar Museums to renovate Museum of Islamic Art . 2022-11-04 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  28. Web site: Ibrahim . Menatalla . 2021-05-25 . Museum of Islamic Art plans 'unique' renovation to expand collections . 2022-11-04 . Doha News . en-US.
  29. Web site: 2017-09-30 . QM appoints new director for MIA . 2023-02-23 . Gulf Times . en.
  30. Web site: 2022-06-02 . MIA to bring ‘immersive cultural experience’ . 2022-11-04 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  31. Web site: 2022-06-07 . Revamped MIA to open in Fall 2022: official . 2022-11-04 . Gulf-Times . ar.
  32. Web site: 2022-08-31 . Everything to Know About Qatar's Museum of Islamic Arts Reopening in October . 2022-11-04 . Vogue Arabia . en-GB.
  33. News: Belcher . David . 2022-08-29 . Museums Find Value in Sharing Jewels’ History . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-04 . 0362-4331.
  34. Web site: Opadijo . Jelili Adekola . 2022-08-31 . Museum of Islamic Art to reopen on October 5 following enhancementproject and collection reinstallation . 2023-02-23 . Qatar Tribune . en.
  35. Web site: 2022-10-05 . Museum of Islamic Art reopens after major overhaul . 2022-11-04 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  36. Web site: Batycka . Dorian . 2022-10-06 . In Pictures: See the Treasures of Middle Eastern History and Culture Inside Qatar’s Newly Revamped Museum of Islamic Art . 2022-11-04 . Artnet News . en-US.
  37. News: Belcher . David . 2022-10-14 . In Qatar, a Museum Looks Back at the Breadth of Islam . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-04 . 0362-4331.
  38. Web site: Doha’s Best Museums and Art Galleries . 2022-11-04 . GQ.
  39. Web site: 2022-07-14 . Qatar ramps up cultural programme ahead of Fifa World Cup with museum previews and extensive exhibition programme . 2022-12-07 . The Art Newspaper - International art news and events.
  40. Web site: About the Museum of Islamic Art . 2022-05-20 . www.mia.org.qa.
  41. Web site: 2021-05-05 . Museum of Islamic Art organises online session on astrolabes . 2021-11-23 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  42. Web site: Cornucopia Magazine . 2023-02-23 . www.cornucopia.net.
  43. News: In Qatar, an I. M. Pei Museum of Imposing Simplicity - NYTimes.com. www.nytimes.com. 2009-12-31. Ouroussoff. Nicolai. 2008-11-24.
  44. A Variant Quran: fragment MS.474.2003 Paperback by Daniel Alan Brubaker
  45. Web site: 2023-08-09 . Folio belonging to 9th Century Blue Qur’an showcased at the Museum of Islamic Art . 2023-09-29 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  46. Web site: Brooklyn Museum . 2023-09-29 . www.brooklynmuseum.org.
  47. Web site: 2022-08-31 . Revamped Museum of Islamic Art in Doha to reopen with more than 1,000 new objects . 2024-07-03 . The Art Newspaper - International art news and events.
  48. Web site: 2022-10-26 . Sheikha Moza opens ‘Baghdad: Eye’s Delight’ exhibition at MIA . 2024-07-03 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  49. Web site: BALUYUT . JOELYN . Qatar cements position as art and culture hub in the Middle East . 2024-07-03.
  50. Web site: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Announces Major Gift from Qatar Museums - The Metropolitan Museum of Art . 2024-07-03 . www.metmuseum.org.
  51. Web site: Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art explores history of Safavid silk in collaboration with Washington institution . 2024-07-03 . en-US.
  52. Web site: 2023-08-30 . Qatar Museums to present collection of rare luxury textiles . 2023-09-29 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  53. Web site: 2024-03-25 . QM signs MoU with West Kowloon Cultural District Authority to showcase two exhibitions . 2024-07-03 . Gulf Times . en.
  54. Web site: 2024-03-26 . QM, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority sign dealto showcase two exhibitions . 2024-07-03 . Qatar Tribune . en.
  55. Web site: 2024-05-21 . MIA, VCUarts collaborate to introduce Qatar’s first museum escape room . 2024-07-03 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  56. Web site: 2024-06-13 . Qatar Museums brings artefacts from Museum of Islamic Art to Place Vendôme Mall . 2024-07-23 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  57. Web site: 2024-06-13 . Qatar Museums brings selected artefacts from Museum of Islamic Art to Place Vendôme Mall . 2024-07-23 . Qatar Tribune . en.
  58. Web site: 2024-06-12 . Place Vendome Mall hosts MIA artefacts . 2024-07-23 . Gulf Times . en.
  59. Web site: 2013-03-19 . Showcasing the art and crafts of Afghanistan . 2022-04-25 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  60. Web site: 2013-05-15 . MIA showcases rare swords from collection . 2022-04-25 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  61. Web site: 2013-10-09 . MIA show provides a unique vision of Haj . 2022-04-25 . Gulf-Times . ar.
  62. Web site: Radiant . 2022-04-25 . east-wing.org . en.
  63. Web site: 2014-03-03 . Museum to open ‘Kings & Pawns’ expo on March 19 . 2022-04-25 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  64. Web site: 2014-04-30 . Al Andalus ceramics at MIA exhibition . 2022-04-20 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  65. Web site: Tipu Sultan . 2022-04-13 . mia.org.qa.
  66. Web site: Building our Collection . 2022-04-13 . mia.org.qa.
  67. Web site: Marvellous Creatures . 2022-04-11 . mia.org.qa.
  68. Web site: The Hunt . 2022-04-11 . mia.org.qa.
  69. Web site: Qajar Women exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar . 2022-04-08 . mia.org.qa.
  70. Web site: 2016-06-30 . Muhammad Ali exhibition to go up at MIA for Eid . 2022-04-25 . Doha News Qatar . en-US.
  71. Web site: Imperial Threads . 2022-04-08 . mia.org.qa.
  72. Web site: Powder And Damask: Islamic Arms And Armour From The Collection Of Fadel Al-mansoori . 2022-04-04 . mia.org.qa.
  73. Web site: Syria Matters . 2022-04-04 . mia.org.qa.
  74. Web site: Set in Stone: Gems and Jewels from Royal Indian Courts . 2022-03-31 . mia.org.qa.
  75. Web site: A FALCON’S EYE . 2022-03-31 . mia.org.qa.
  76. Web site: 2022-09-25 . MIA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host "Safar" exhibition from Oct 6 . 2022-11-18 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  77. Web site: MIA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Present Safar Exhibition Starting October 6 . 2022-11-18 . www.qna.org.qa . en.
  78. Web site: Raku Kichizaemon XV·Jikinyū: A Living Tradition of Japanese Pottery . 2022-11-18 . Marhaba Qatar . en-GB.
  79. Web site: Raku Kichizaemon XV·Jikinyū: A... Exhibitions MutualArt . 2022-11-18 . www.mia.org.qa . en.
  80. Web site: 2022-11-25 . Iconic Artist Yayoi Kusama's Works Make Their Regional Debut in Doha, Qatar . 2022-11-25 . Vogue Arabia . en-GB.
  81. Web site: 2022-11-22 . Qatar Museums opens exhibition of renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama . 2023-03-16 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  82. Web site: 2022-12-24 . Museums back to regular hours . 2023-01-27 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  83. Web site: 2023-06-24 . ‘Mosques in Qatar: Then and Now’ explores architectural evolution . 2023-08-01 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  84. Web site: 2023-09-27 . Things to do this weekend in Qatar (Sept 28-30, 2023) . 2023-12-19 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  85. Web site: 2023-12-29 . Last chance to visit 'Ektashif Al Andalus' exhibition at MIA . 2024-06-06 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  86. Web site: 2023-12-31 . MIA presents ‘Palestine: A Journey Through Time’ books display . 2024-01-10 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.
  87. Web site: Aguilar . Joey . 2024-03-19 . MIA unveils ‘Golden Spider Silk’ exhibition Middle East debut . 2024-07-03 . Gulf Times . en.
  88. Web site: 2024-03-22 . 1.2 million spiders make rare golden cape on display at MIA exhibit . 2024-07-03 . thepeninsulaqatar.com . en.

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