Collaborating with the Seashore Group and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is currently hosting Mosques in Qatar: Then and Now, an exhibition focusing on Qatar’s mosque heritage. It was inaugurated by His Excellency the Minister of Municipality Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie on 22 June and will be open to the public until 12 August 2023.
The show’s visitors are taken on an exciting architectural photographic tour of Qatar: from the earliest mosque situated at Murwab Archaeological Site to today’s modern architecture. Apart from giving one an opportunity to see how mosque architecture in Qatar evolved over the last 100 years, the exhibition also emphasises the crucial role mosques have played (and still play) in the community’s history and culture. Besides, the show involves and pays tribute to some of the renowned Qatari imams who have guided the community and muezzins who have called the community to prayer.
Mosques in Qatar: Then and Now was designed by Hungarian paper sculptor Edina Németh, whose company (Edinas Paper) designs paper installations, window displays, and exclusive stationery. Dimly lit, the Sheikh Saoud Gallery, where the show is being staged, has been turned into a serene handcrafted space serving as a perfect backdrop for the history of Qatari mosques. Fenestrations and an arched doorway guide one through to the tall minaret at the space’s centre. Within the semi-circular arrangement of panels, the interconnecting space is decorated with intricate papercuts resembling mosque ornaments.
Dr. Julia Gonnella, Director of the Museum of Islamic Art, said: “We invite [everyone] to visit [Mosques in Qatar: Then and Now] to experience the variety of mosques, learn a bit of their design and how that relates to the environment, and finally to compare […] with the mosques of the 21st century.” Mohammed bin Hamad al-Kuwari (Da’wah Affairs and Mosques) added that “the exhibition showcases more about the nation’s mosques: its history and architecture through the years.”
To learn more about the Mosques in Qatar show, please visit its official web page.
You might also be interested in visiting The Bait Al Naboodah Museum in Sharjah and Miraj Islamic Art Centre.
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