Qatar Museums hosts discussion at La Biennale Di Venezia

Doha, Qatar: During the pre-opening events for the 19th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia, H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, hosted a series of historic ceremonies, discussions and celebrations on May 8, marking Qatar’s heightened presence on this pre-eminent stage of the international art world.

In Venice’s Giardini, the heart of La Biennale di Venezia, H E Sheikha Al Mayassa welcomed Mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro, President of La Biennale di Venezia Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, and Qatar’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Italy H E Khalid bin Youssef Khalifa Abdullah Al Sada to the site of the future Qatar Pavilion. When completed, the Qatar Pavilion will be only the third national Pavilion added to the prestigious Giardini in more than fifty years.
“Qatar will join the great chorus of nations in the Giardini, where architecture becomes diplomacy, and beauty speaks peace,” H E Sheikha Al Mayassa said before the

invited audience of dignitaries, distinguished guests and media. “Our Pavilion, crafted by the brilliant Lina Ghotmeh, will embody hospitality, resilience and our collective dreams. 

The Qatar Pavilion will be a home for exchange, for wonder, for the world — a place to engage in multiple dialogues that foster peace and inspire understanding. It will also be the place where we showcase the art, architecture and creativity of Qatar and our entire region of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.” Her Excellency then opened the temporary installation that Qatar is presenting on the site: Community Centre, designed by architect Yasmeen Lari/Heritage Foundation of Pakistan.

For the second part of the conversations, H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa engaged in a discussion about the future Qatar Pavilion with Lina Ghotmeh, founder and principal of the Paris-based studio Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture, moderated by noted architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff. 

H E Sheikha Al Mayassa said, “This is a national pavilion that will reflect what Qatar does in the world, which is to support Arab voices across all pursuits—social, economic, and of course creative—and so it is important to have an Arab architect. Our goal is to elevate Arab creatives as well as others from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.” 

Lina Ghotmeh said, “Qatar is a place where the world comes to discuss serious matters while the nation continues to foster cultural diplomacy through art and creativity. This is the vocation of the permanent Qatar Pavilion as well—to be a place where visitors can discover art as a way of bringing people together.

“The question of hospitality is at the center of the design of the Qatar Pavilion. It is about how a place can embrace people and allow these encounters, especially at this location, which is really at the heart at the Giardini. Opening up this new platform for Arab voices and presenting us in our diversity brings a new perspective to the Giardini.”