Resolutions: Curators’ Letter

This project started as a series of discussions around broad, seemingly unrelated terms from which a singular concept was distilled. As a team of four curators, it became an opportunity for us to come together to examine the approach of curating the permanent collection display at Mathaf, and to explore new possibilities for interpretation and audience engagement.

Our individual perspectives ensured the depth of Resolutions as a multidimensional exhibition. One of our challenges, however, came with attempting to unify these dimensions and create a coherent experience. Fortunately, the final framework came naturally and gradually wherein we ended up with an approach that can be summarised in two main points: institution and collection.

This anniversary exhibition reflects the evolving narrative of the museum since its inception while (re)imagining its journey. Through it we revisit the legacy and significance of the Mathaf collection, as well as its transition from a private platform to a leading cultural institution. Resolutions is a new comprehension of Mathaf's collection and its commitment to its contributors and visitors, serving as grounds for ongoing research and curatorial work. It reconsiders the collection’s relevance to the present day by examining regional visual culture and its ongoing evolvement. We adopted a decolonial perspective on art history exploring artistic and intellectual exchange in the post-independence era. 

During the planning and research stages we delved deep into Mathaf’s vast collection and its relevance to the contemporary and historical sociopolitical realities of the region in the 15 years since its opening. We thought of the institution's formation and its seminal mission with the permanent collection at their core. This led to our focus on themes of regionalism, varying modes of education, community building within Doha through the initiatives of our founder His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani and presenting our history of interdisciplinary projects. This was a way for us to examine Mathaf’s institutional memory, tracing its museological scope, achievements, and collaborative networks. The display reveals multiple forms of encounter, extending beyond the realm of individual artistic expression and towards collectivity and the emergence of innovative initiatives.

Mathaf houses diverse archival materials that are significant to the contextual reading of modern Arab art. It was important to highlight this cultural treasure in the 15th anniversary display. Additionally, we ensured the inclusion of other external sources; artists’ collections, artist estates, and other archives providing multiple entries to the development of modern art in the Arab world.

Resolutions responds to the questions implemented by the role of a museum in the ever-changing culture of knowledge production. Our perspective focuses on the fluidity of a museum's engagement in spotlighting artistic and curatorial practices and the legacies that form around them. Through viewing a museum not as a place stuck in the past, we imagined its collection as a source of alternative narratives that could be readapted to many different contexts. We embraced an extensive reading of the region’s cultural identities, presenting an interactive approach that aims to enrich both current and historical discourses.

Reviving the past becomes the starting point for envisioning Mathaf’s future, one dedicated to fostering critical contemplation and the expansion of the global art historical canon.

The Curatorial Team
Hadeel Al-Kohaji, Fatima Mostafawi, Noora Abdulmajeed and Arthur Debsi
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Plan Your Visit

Plan your visit to Resolutions: Celebrating 15 years of Mathaf, free with entry to the museum until 8 August 2026.