DOHA: Katara is set to open a glass exhibition titled ‘Constantin Boym: Learning from Mabkhara’ on November 8 at Katara Gallery 2, Building 13.
Boym is a Professor and Inaugural Director of Graduate Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, and the project has been supported by Faculty Research Grants from VCUQatar.
The expo which will run until the December 1 features unique and exquisite shapes and designs of Mabkhara (pictured), a traditional Arab incense burner typically used in daily domestic activities in the Arab world.
Incense burners serve as representations of sensorial culture of the East, much celebrated in the world of literature and arts in the last two centuries. The exhibition will present the new objects alongside their traditional prototypes from the region, to illustrate the process of ‘learning’ and to better highlight the dialectic between continuity and innovation.
The collection of incense burners to be displayed at the expo is made of borosilicate (Pyrex), a special glass that is clear and heat-resistant. The traditional formal language is extended into the realm of new materials and technologies, reflecting changing conditions of material culture in the Gulf.
“Following the success of the Shared Glass Exhibition we are delighted to welcome back Constantin Boym. This beautiful collection, hand-made by the glass master Massimo Lunardon in Veneto, Italy, promotes a new vision for the traditional objects of Arab culture,” said Sa’id Costa, Curator of Exhibitions and Educational Programs of Katara.
“This exhibition is a testament of our commitment to nurturing local talents as well as providing a platform for cultural exchange,” he added. The Peninsula
