DOHA: ‘Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport’ exhibition has opened at the National Football Museum in Manchester, the UK, as part of Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture.
Commissioned by Qatar Museums Authority (QMA), Hey’Ya (Arabic for Let’s Go) runs until October 13 and features works by the internationally renowned photographer Brigitte Lacombe and documentary filmmaker Marian Lacombe.
On display is a series of large-scale photographs of Arab sportswomen, from beginners to Olympians, from 20 Arab countries, shown alongside videos by Marian Lacombe.
The exhibition was conceived by QMA to encourage more Arab girls to participate in sports and comes to Manchester as part of the Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture celebrations. The Year is a programme of cultural exchanges and events in Qatar and the UK, coordinated by the British Council and QMA to forge new and support existing partnerships between both countries in the arts, education, sport and science, while promoting awareness and appreciation of each country’s culture, achievements and heritage.
The project was shot over seven months starting in December 2011 when the Arab Games were held in Doha. With the support of the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Brigitte and Marian Lacombe were able to set up their outdoor studio, working side by side, capturing athletes practising sports ranging from taekwondo to swimming and equestrian.
Among them were a number of Qatari girls, one of them Nada Mohamed Wafa, the first Qatari female swimmer to compete in the Olympic Games.
Nada said: “I am proud to be featured in this amazing exhibition. I enjoyed learning about the UK’s culture last year when I competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. I am excited that the exhibition is travelling to Manchester as part of Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture. I hope people of the UK enjoy learning about my country’s culture as much as I did learning about theirs.”
Kevin Moore, Director of the National Football Museum (NFM), said: “We wanted to bring something different to Manchester, a truly global sports city.
“The NFM is committed to raising awareness of the role women play in developing football and other sports, now and historically, and is committed to breaking down cultural and gender stereotypes.
“This exhibition is part of a programme to display works of the world’s best photographers and artists and is a continuation of NFM’s collaborations with cultural institutions, such as QMA, from all round the world.”
The Peninsula
