These artists, intellectuals, journalists and cultural activists have contributed, at both formal and informal levels, to the city’s efforts in realising a cultural legacy through key government agencies formed in the 1970s.
Doha’s creative landscape was influenced by new ideas from the Arab world, along with the regional identity politics of the Gulf region. This led to innovative cultural practices and exchanges where both modernity and traditions were emphasised. Prominent artists and other creative professionals engaged with the local community, exploring new techniques and ideas in venues such as Al Jasra Sports Club (now Al Jasra Social and Cultural Club) and Al Marsam Al Hurr (The Free Atelier). Through organic collaborations in the fields of visual arts, theatre and literature, these initial achievements paved the way to aesthetic innovations that continue to exist up to the present day.
This exhibition is about the lived experiences and surviving knowledge of those generations; and the lingering questions that artists continue to engage with today. Lived Forward documents the genealogies and different lineages of artistic canons, connecting these to the establishment of several important cultural institutions in Doha. The displays highlight the work of key artists of the past and present, with paintings, photography, video, installation and archives all employed to make these stories more visible.
Curator, Lina Ramadan
Artist List
Saleh Taher
Faiq Hassan
Gazbia Sirry
Adam Henein
Ibrahim al-Salahi
Khalifa al-Qattan
Jassim Zaini
Dia al-Azzawi
Abdulwahed al-Mawlawi
Hassan al-Mulla
Youssef Ahmad
Wafika Sultan al-Essa
Faraj Daham
Mohammed Ali Abdulah
Saif al-Kuwari
Ali Hassan
Salman al-Malik
Yousef al-Sharif
Hassan bin Mohammed Al Thani
Wafa al-Hamad
Aisha al-Misned
Wadha al-Sulaiti
Sophia al-Maria
Bouthayna al-Muftah
Sara al-Obaidly