Experience Al Jazeera, an exhibition showcasing the Al Jazeera Media Network and its unprecedented impact and growth from a single Arabic language television channel to a globally recognised media organisation, opened today at the Garage Gallery, Fire Station. The exhibition, on view through 25 March 2023, is presented by Qatar Museums as part of Qatar Creates, the year-round national cultural movement that curates, promotes, and celebrates the diversity of cultural activities in Qatar, connecting resident and global audiences with Qatar’s creative industries and the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022, an international cultural exchange designed to deepen understanding between nations and their people.
Experience Al Jazeera highlights the trailblazing efforts of Al Jazeera Media Network, which set a precedent for freedom of the press in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The exhibition is both a celebration of the Network’s achievements and commitment to the human story, as well as an introspective look into the challenges it has faced. Experience Al Jazeera showcases the evolution of the pioneering achievements of Al Jazeera Media Network since its inception in 1996, the growth of the network from a single channel to five TV channels and multiple digital platforms and the success it has amassed in only two and a half decades. In addition, the exhibition explores the principles and guiding values of ethics in journalism at Al Jazeera.
Ramzan AlNaimi, Acting Executive Director of Global Brand & Communications Division at Al Jazeera Media Network, said:“I hope that the visitors from all around the world will be able to experience and discover the essence of Al Jazeera’s unique journalism and its journey, in which it presents the untold stories from around the world. On-behalf of the Network, I would like to thank Qatar Museums for their decision and commitment to launching this project that highlights Al Jazeera's achievements and contribution to journalism.”
Anaghime Ziani, curator and museography manager of the exhibition, said: “We are delighted to present Experience Al Jazeera as part of the Lusail Museum’s prefiguration. The exhibition celebrates the emergence of a voice from the Arab world that has become a pioneer in the contemporary media landscape both regionally and globally. In presenting newly-contextualised information, the exhibition encourages visitors to have a better understanding of Al Jazeera Media Network while underscoring the invaluable role of journalism.”
The exhibition begins by introducing the Network’s origins, challenges faced by journalists, and the perils of journalism as a profession. It highlights news content, documentaries, and Al Jazeera’s digital expansion and innovation. Experience Al Jazeera tackles serious truths and the responsibilities journalists face, asking questions that prompt visitors to consider the impact that global events have on individuals.
Experience Al Jazeera is one of four exhibitions which prefigure the Lusail Museum, currently being developed by Qatar Museums, a museum that will explore ideas around movement, encounters, exchange and identity. The three special exhibitions accompanying Experiencing Al Jazeera are:
- Lusail Museum: Tales of a Connected World, on view at QM Gallery Al Riwaq from 24 October 2022 to 1 April 2023, presents extraordinary works of art that illuminate moments of encounter and connection across the Indian Ocean World.
- Labour of Love: Embroidering Palestinian History, organised by the Palestinian Museum in collaboration with Qatar Museums, on view at Qatar Museums Gallery Katara until 23 January 2023. The exhibition is a journey to discover Palestine through the art of embroidery. The land of Palestine carries a complex contemporary history, a narrative that the Lusail Museum seeks to better understand.
- Raku Kichizaemon XV: Jikinyū’ – A Living Tradition of Japanese Pottery, on view at the Museum of Islamic Art from 25 October 2022 to March 2023 displays a set of fourteen ceremonial tea bowls inspired by Qatar’s natural environment and people, featuring the poetry of Sheikh Jassim the Founder, whose home was Lusail.
Fire Station
The Fire Station is a world-class artist residency programme for residents of Qatar designed to nurture, energize and promote the country's artistic and creative community, and enrich the art scene in Qatar. Founded in 2015 and located in a fire station repurposed by Qatari architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, the Fire Station offers a nine-month programme for creatives across all disciplines, enabling young artists to cultivate their talent through production support, curatorial advice, and expert mentorships. During the residency, artists engage with professionals from all over the world who recognize Qatar as a growing centre of artistic talent and creativity. Over the past six years, the programme has welcomed 92 artists and expanded its duration to include a three-month stint at the prestigious Cite Internationale des Art in Paris and New York City at Studio 209 NY, which is part of the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP).
The Fire Station includes extensive studio spaces, a theatre, the popular restaurant Café #999, a bookshop, an art supply shop, and gallery spaces presenting inspiring local and international exhibitions. The Fire Station has also hosted world-class exhibitions organized by Qatar Museums within its expansive Garage Gallery, including Picassos Studios (2020), KAWS: He Eats Alone (2019) curated by renown art historian Germano Celant, Kazimir Malevich: Genius of the Russian Avant-garde (2019), Russian Avant-garde Pioneers and Direct Descendants (2018), Laundromat by Ai Weiwei (2018), German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks from the Deutsche Bank Collection (2017), and Picasso-Giacometti (2017). The Fire Station is headed by Director Khalifa Ahmad Al Obaidly, the renowned Qatari photographer.
About Years of Culture
Culture is one of the most effective tools to bring people closer together, encourage dialogue, and deepen understanding between nations. Under the leadership of its Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums (QM) developed the annual “Years of Culture” initiative — an international cultural exchange that deepens understanding between nations and their people. Though formal programming lasts only one year, the ties of friendship that are strengthened and formed are long-lasting.
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the 2022 Year of Culture will offer programming from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA).
The Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022 will include countries and communities from: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022 has been developed in collaboration with leading organizations in Qatar, including Doha Film Institute, Education Above All, Katara Cultural Village, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar Charity, Qatar Football Association, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, Qatar National Library, Qatar Tourism, Qatar Olympic Committee, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, with assistance from Doha-based embassies of participating countries.
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, Qatar-France 2020, and Qatar-USA 2021. Past sponsors include Vodafone, Qatar Gas, Shell, Ooredoo, Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts, Lulu Group International, Qatar Financial Centre, Qatar Petroleum, and ExxonMobil.
Follow and tag Qatar-MENASA 2022 Year of Culture on: @yearsofculture, #yearsofculture #QatarMENASA2022
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, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar, which is currently under development. 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.
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Qatar Museums
Twitter: @Qatar_Museums | Instagram: @Qatar_Museums | Facebook: @QatarMuseums
About Qatar Creates
Qatar Creates curates, celebrates, and promotes cultural activities within Qatar.
Working with partners in museums, film, fashion, hospitality, cultural heritage, performing arts, and the private sector in Qatar, the Qatar Creates platform amplifies the voice of Qatar’s creative industries, directly connecting audiences to events.
About Al Jazeera Media Network
Launched in 1996, Al Jazeera was the first independent news channel in the Arab world dedicated to providing comprehensive news and live debate.
Al Jazeera Media Network continues to grow; since the inception, it added new channels and platforms. Currently with over 90 different nationalities, Al Jazeera newsrooms provide depth and diversity to its news content, while maintaining the independent and pioneering spirit that defined its character.
Al Jazeera’s remarkable journey over the past 25 years has been rich with editorial vision, journalistic spirit, and determination to tell human stories from all corners of the globe.
Al Jazeera is dedicated to informing and empowering people with accurate, in-depth and compelling content that upholds the value of truth and elevates the human spirit. The Network’s subsidiaries follow the same principles—values that inspire it to be challenging and bold and provide a ‘voice for the voiceless’ from some of the most underreported places on the planet.
Today Al Jazeera is available in over 150 countries and territories with more than 70 bureaus around the world with access to over 430 million homes.
Fire Station
The Fire Station is a world-class artist residency programme for residents of Qatar designed to nurture, energize and promote the country's artistic and creative community, and enrich the art scene in Qatar. Founded in 2015 and located in a fire station repurposed by Qatari architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, the Fire Station offers a nine-month programme for creatives across all disciplines, enabling young artists to cultivate their talent through production support, curatorial advice, and expert mentorships. During the residency, artists engage with professionals from all over the world who recognize Qatar as a growing centre of artistic talent and creativity. Over the past six years, the programme has welcomed 92 artists and expanded its duration to include a three-month stint at the prestigious Cite Internationale des Art in Paris and New York City at Studio 209 NY, which is part of the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP).
The Fire Station includes extensive studio spaces, a theatre, the popular restaurant Café #999, a bookshop, an art supply shop, and gallery spaces presenting inspiring local and international exhibitions. The Fire Station has also hosted world-class exhibitions organized by Qatar Museums within its expansive Garage Gallery, including Picassos Studios (2020), KAWS: He Eats Alone (2019) curated by renown art historian Germano Celant, Kazimir Malevich: Genius of the Russian Avant-garde (2019), Russian Avant-garde Pioneers and Direct Descendants (2018), Laundromat by Ai Weiwei (2018), German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks from the Deutsche Bank Collection (2017), and Picasso-Giacometti (2017). The Fire Station is headed by Director Khalifa Ahmad Al Obaidly, the renowned Qatari photographer.