QATAR AMERICA INSTITUTE FOR CULTURE DEBUTS TWO NEW EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATING THE QATAR-USA 2021 YEAR OF CULTURE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 16, 2021, the Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) hosted an opening reception for its two newest exhibitions in partnership with Qatar Museums and its Years of Culture program, Cultural Fusion and Light & Shadow: A Visual Journey Through Oregon. With both exhibitions open to the public until early 2022, they will serve as a continuation of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture initiative, as well as a celebration of the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Qatar in 2022.    

The reception comes on the heels of the recent announcement that Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, will join QAIC's Honorary Board of Trustees. On the appointment, Executive Director Fatima Al-Dosari stated, "With Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani joining our Honorary Board of Trustees, QAIC is proud to continue to serve as a platform here in the United States for art and cultural exchange. We look forward to supporting the legacy efforts of the Qatar-USA Year of Culture as we move into the year ahead."

"As we close the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture program, we are honored to have these two exhibitions as a part of both celebrations," said Aisha Al Attiya, Director of Diplomacy, Qatar Museums. "I thank the Qatar America Institute for Culture and our many other fantastic partners who have collaborated to bring the 2021 Year of Culture to life, and I am excited to continue our partnership through 2022 and beyond."

The event also recognized one of Qatar Foundation's newest initiatives, the Alif Ba Tarf Park, a travelling installation that will "promote cultural partnership and understanding and help expand visitors' understanding and appreciation of the Arabic language," according to Qatar Foundation CEO, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al-Thani.

Cultural Fusion commemorates the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture through the artwork of eight graphic design students. It began in a Core Studio 2 class at VCUarts Qatar as a way to explore the ongoing relations between the United States and Qatar through design. The project allowed a variety of creative freedom, resulting in a multitude of diverse outcomes with both serious and playful approaches, eight of which are on display in this exhibition. Cultural Fusion will be on view through February 2022.

Light & Shadow: A Visual Journey Through Oregon is also part of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture program, presenting the work of two photographers, American Andrew Studer and Qatari Khalifa Al-Misnad, captured during a ten-day journey photographing the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. While embarking on the journey as strangers, Studer and Al-Misnad quickly bonded through their shared love of photography and nature. The pair endured early mornings, strenuous hikes, and inclement weather as they ventured over Mount Hood, the Cascades, the Three Sisters, and the Oregon coast. The result of their journey is a series of photographs that not only serve as documentation of the natural wonders in the Pacific Northwest, but also as individual perspectives meeting to appreciate the present moment. Light & Shadow: A Visual Journey Through Oregon is on view through March 2022.

"That is the nature of these exchanges," remarked Dr. Hamad Al Muftah, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the State of Qatar during the event program. "When we give ourselves the chance to celebrate our differences and learn more about one another, we open ourselves up to a world of opportunities, where important collaborations can take place." Dr. Al Muftah was joined by Dr. Chase Robinson, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, who also commented on the "harmonious integration of diverse traditions" that only art and cultural programming can provide.

Viewings of Cultural Fusion and Light & Shadow: A Visual Journey Through Oregon can be arranged by appointment only. For more information or to schedule a private tour of these exhibits, please visit www.qataramerica.org.

About the Qatar America Institute for Culture
Founded in 2017, the Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates, curates, and executes programs and research that amplify the prominence of all forms of art and culture in society. QAIC cultivates artistic expression and cultural dialogue from the United States, Qatar, and the larger Arab and Islamic worlds. QAIC serves as a vital hub to convene artists, curators, storytellers, creatives, scholars, and academics, connecting them with a global network that extends beyond its physical space in Washington, D.C. Through art exhibitions, educational programs, scholarly research, and cross-cultural partnerships, QAIC provides interactive experiences in an inclusive environment to celebrate and appreciate art and culture.

About Years of Culture
Under the leadership of its Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums (QM) has developed the "Years of Culture" initiative — an annual international cultural exchange designed to deepen understanding between nations and their people. Though the formal programming lasts only one year, the ties of friendship that are strengthened and formed are long-lasting. Culture is one of the most effective tools to bring people closer together, encourage dialogue, and deepen understanding between nations. Previous Years of Culture have included: Qatar-Japan 2012, Qatar-UK 2013, Qatar-Brazil 2014, Qatar-Turkey 2015, Qatar-China 2016, Qatar-Germany 2017, Qatar-Russia 2018, Qatar-India 2019, and Qatar-France 2020.

The Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture follows the signing of a cooperative agreement on 14 September 2020 during the 2020 Qatar-United States Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C between Qatari Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and His Excellency, the former Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo. This year's program was inaugurated at the Katara Opera House on 16 January with a special concert by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra and the U.S. Air Forces Central Band (AFCENT), with a special piece composed by Dana al-Fardan and performed by the AFCENT band. Led by Joo Young Oh, the recently appointed Concertmaster of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, the program, which began with the national anthems of both countries, featured a variety of Qatari and American compositions.

Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture is planned in collaboration with leading institutions in Qatar and the United States, including Qatar Museums, the Embassy of Qatar in the United States, the Embassy of the United States in Qatar, Qatar's Ministry of Culture, Qatar Foundation, the National Tourism Council, Doha Film Institute, Qatar National Library, Katara, the Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC), the Supreme Council for Delivery and Legacy, and Qatar Football Association. 

The Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture is supported by Qatar Museums, with platinum sponsor ExxonMobil. 

About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation's preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation's cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.

Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, and the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival. Future projects include the soon to open 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar.

Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival and the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.

SOURCE Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC)

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