Qatar Museums Celebrates Year of Family 2024 with Educational Event at Fire Station: Artist in Residence

Qatar Museums (QM) hosted an engaging event in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development and Family titled “We Are QM Family” at Fire Station: Artist in Residence on the sidelines of its ongoing exhibition, Pipilotti Rist – Electric Idyll, which is on view until June 1. Aligned with the Qatar Family Year 2024 and aimed to propagate the family’s Code of Ethics, “We Are Family” forms part of the exhibition’s educational programme, centred around the theme of family values and ethical commitment.

Sheikha Reem Al-Thani, Acting Deputy CEO of Exhibitions, said, “Embarking on this inspiring journey of creativity and collaboration with our esteemed Qatar Museums family is a testament to our collective dedication to nurturing and promoting the arts in Qatar. It reinforces our shared values and exemplifies our deep commitment to enriching the fabric of Qatari society through cultural expression and engagement.”

Qatar Museums employees joined forces to create an artwork representing unity and creativity within the Qatar Museums family. Titled 1300 Inspirations, the artwork comprises 36 panels hand painted with acrylic colour, which will be unveiled on International Family Day, 15 May, at Fire Station.

The Qatari National Charter on Family Rights and Duties underscores the importance of family as the foundation of society, highlighting the interdependence between individuals and their families, and emphasising the role of conscious citizens in upholding societal values. Qatar Museums embodies these principles by cultivating a sense of family among its employees, in harmony with the Charter’s ideals, fostering creativity, innovation, and self-reliance within its community, and advancing QM’s vision and mission by nurturing individual talents and aspirations.

The Head of the Events Team at the Ministry of Social Development and Family, Maetha Saif Al-Khayarin, said: “Celebrating the Year of Family, the Ministry, in collaboration with Qatar Museums, is participating in this occasion to emphasise on the pivotal role families play in strengthening family cohesion, advocating for the Family Charter, and fostering awareness through various activities and artistic endeavours addressing issues related to families and their cohesion. This is achieved by art being both a tool for creative expression and self-awareness.”

The Fire Station is part of Qatar Museums’ Creative Hub/Creative Cluster, which initiates and supports projects that create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

Khalifa Ahmad Al Obaidli, Director of Fire Station, added, “Fire Station is more than just a place for creating art, it’s also a nurturing ground for a community of creativity. Our commitment to nurturing creativity and providing a supportive platform for artists from diverse backgrounds is at the core of our mission. Through our ongoing initiatives, we aim to create a lively community where art thrives, adding to Qatar’s cultural diversity and extending its impact globally.”

Electric Idyll is the first survey exhibition dedicated to renowned contemporary Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist (b. 1962) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region — at Fire Station: Artist in Residence. Curated by Massimiliano Gioni, the exhibition marks the second major presentation of Rist’s work in Doha, following the installation Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You (2022).

GO: For more information and ticketing, please visit
https://firestation.org.qa/en/calendar/pipilotti-rist-electric-idyll/.