Context (2016-2018) by VCUarts

Issue 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 1

A M E S S AG E from the Executive Dean DONALD N. BAKER

Dear friends and colleagues: Welcome to the 20 th anniversary edition of Context magazine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar’s annual report. This special edition covers the past two years and is bursting with evidence of the diversity and value of our impact on Qatar and the region. This year, VCUarts Qatar is celebrating a fruitful 20-year alliance between VCU and Qatar Foundation, underscoring the commitment of each institution to excellence, inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting. For two decades, the Qatar campus of VCUarts has been a regional leader in cultivating the arts, igniting imagination and shaping the future. In support of the global aims of VCU, the relationship between VCUarts and VCUarts Qatar has grown into an exciting, collaborative conversation focused around art, design, culture, identity and community. Art and design have always been an important aspect of our culture, but the opportunities available to trained artists and designers today are unprecedented. Art and design training provides access to careers in visual arts and creative fields, heritage preservation, culture, digital design and media industries, sectors that contribute value to communities, economies and advancement of the human race. Today, creatives are crossing disciplines and turning things upside down with the goal of solving problems affecting the human race. At VCUarts Qatar, we are giving our students the skills they need to become the world’s leading experts in their own areas of practice, as we continue to expand those areas to include other disciplines. We are not just providing our students with a degree, we are preparing them for a world of dynamic changes and limitless possibilities. None of our achievements would have been possible without the passion, partnership-building and loyal student service from our faculty and staff. VCUarts Qatar is an institution built on the ideas and service of many different people such as artists, designers, historians, mathematicians, scientists, writers and administrators, and it is thanks to their service that we have the important outcomes you will find in these pages.

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:‫اهيا االصدقاء والزمالء‬ ‫ واخلاص بالذكرى السنوية العرشين عىل‬،Context ‫مرحبا بكم يف هذا العدد من جملة‬ ً ‫ يغطي هذا العدد اخلاص‬.‫تأسيس جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫العامني الماضيني ويأيت غنيا بالعديد من اإلجنازات اليت تدل عىل تنوعنا ومدى تأثرينا عىل‬ .‫دولة قطر والمنطقة‬ ‫حنتفل هذا العام بعرشين عاما من التحالف المثمر بني جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث ومؤسسة‬ .‫قطر مما يؤكد عىل مدى الزتامنا بالتمزي والبحث واال كتاشف واالبداع يف بيئة عالمية‬ ‫كان حرم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر وعىل مدى عقدين من‬ ‫ ودعم ًا‬.‫ وتشكيل المستقبل‬،‫ وإشعال اخليال‬،‫ رائد ًا إقليمي ًا يف غرس الفنون‬،‫الزمان‬ ‫ تطورت العالقة‬،‫ جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف ريتشموند‬،‫لألهداف العالمية للجامعة األم‬ ‫ لتصبح عالقة متبادلة قامئة عىل‬VCUarts Qatar ‫ و‬VCUarts ‫بني احلرمني اجلامعيني‬ .‫احلوار والتعاون يف الفن والتصميم والثقافة والهوية والمجتمع‬ ‫ ولكن الفرص التدريبية المتاحة‬،‫كان الفن والتصميم دامئا وأبدا جزءا مهم ًا من ثقافتنا‬ ‫ واليوم يوفر هذا التدريب فرصة الوصول‬.‫للفنانني والمصممني اليوم لم يسبق لها مثيل‬ ،‫إىل وظائف يف الفنون البرصية والمجاالت اإلبداعية والثقافية والمحافظة عىل الرتاث‬ ‫ والمجاالت الصناعية وغريها من القطاعات اليت تاسهم‬،‫والتصميم اإللكرتوين والرقمي‬ ‫ يعرب المبدعون إىل‬،‫ واليوم‬.‫ والهنوض باإلناسنية‬،‫يف قيمة المجتمعات واالقتصادات‬ ‫رأس عىل عقب هبدف حل المشكالت اليت تؤثر‬ ً ‫ يقلبون األمور‬،‫كافة التخصصات‬ .‫عىل اإلناسنية‬ ‫ نقدم للطالب المهارات اليت‬،‫حنن يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ كما نعمل يف نفس الوقت‬،‫حيتاجون إلهيا ليصبحوا خرباء رائدين يف العالم يف ختصصاهتم‬ ،‫ حنن ال نوفر فقط هشادة جامعية لطالبنا‬.‫عىل توسيع هذه المجاالت لتشمل جماالت أخرى‬ .‫حنن هنيهئم لعالم من التغيري الديناميكي واإلمكانيات غري المحدودة‬ ‫ وبناء الرشاكات وتفاين أعضاء الهيئة‬،‫لم تكن أي من إجنازاتنا ممكنة دون وجود الشغف‬ ‫ جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬.‫التدريسية والموظفني يف خدمة الطالب‬ :‫يف قطر هي مؤسسة مبنية عىل أفكار وخدمات العديد من األشخاص المختلفني‬ ‫ وبفضل‬،‫الفنانني والمصممني والمؤرخني والعلماء وعلماء الرياضيات والكتاب واإلداريني‬ ‫ متكنا من حتقيق هذه النتاجئ الممزية واليت ستطلعون علهيا من خالل صفحات‬،‫خدماهتم‬ .‫هذه المجلة‬ ‫ دونالد بيكر‬.‫د‬ ‫العميد التنفيذي‬

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R E M E M B E R I N G D R . D I N A B A N G D E L

REMEMBERING Dr. Dina Bangdel

In loving memory of Dina Bangdel, Ph.D.

VCUarts Qatar mourns the loss of our beloved Director of Art History, Dina Bangdel, Ph.D., who passed away on July 25, 2017. Bangdel was an acclaimed Nepali artist, a loving wife, a mother and friend. Her dedicated and affectionate spirit was an inspiration to all of us. We will continue to hold her in our hearts and value her immense and varied contributions to the educational mission of VCU and VCUarts Qatar. A valued member of the faculty of both campuses, Bangdel began her work at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts – Richmond in 2005 as an assistant professor of Art History. After earning tenure and the rank of associate professor, she became director of the Art History program at VCUarts Qatar when it first opened in 2012. Her thoughtful and visionary leadership successfully launched the program, making it one of the most enrolled majors at VCUarts Qatar. Bangdel taught courses on the art and architecture of South Asia, visual cultures of Tibet and Nepal, contemporary arts of South Asia and South Asian film. She was the daughter of Lain Singh Bangdel, a prominent Nepali artist, but her identity as an art historian was her own. Widely recognized for her expertise as an historian of South Asian and Himalayan art, she also wrote and researched on the topic of gender and identity in South Asian contemporary art and film. Her interests in the early modern period focused on the ritual and ideological functions of Buddhist art in South Asia, including the theories of ritual performance and the politics of identity. She curated several exhibitions such as “Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2003, which was recognized as a finalist for the Alfred Barr Award for best exhibition catalogue. She also curated “Pilgrimage and Faith: Buddhism, Christianity and Islam” in 2010 at the Rubin Museum in New York and “Prakriti Speaks: Contemporary Nepali Art” in Mumbai in 2011. Bangdel is survived by her husband and two sons and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

‫ دينا باندل‬.‫في ذكرى الفقيدة الغالية د‬

‫ مدير‬،‫تنعى جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر الدكتورة دينا باندل‬ .2017 ‫ يوليو‬25 ‫برناجم تارخي الفن واليت وافهتا المنية يوم‬ ‫ كانت روحها المتفانية والمحبة‬.‫ وأم وصديقة‬،‫ وزوجة حمبة‬،‫كانت دينا فنانة نيبالية هشرية‬ ‫ سنواصل االحتفاظ هبا يف قلوبنا ونقدر ماسهماهتا الرائعة‬.‫مصدر إلهام لنا مجيع ًا‬ .‫والمتنوعة يف المهمة التعليمية لكل من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف ريتشموند ويف قطر‬ ‫ بدأت دينا عملها يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬،‫كعضو قيم من أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‬ ‫ وبعد ترقيهتا وحصولها عىل رتبة‬.2005 ‫يف ريتشموند كأستاذ ماسعد يف تارخي الفن عام‬ ‫ أصبحت دينا مدير برناجم تارخي الفن يف‬،2012 ‫ ومنذ انطالق الربناجم يف‬،‫أستاذ ماشرك‬ ‫ ونتيجة لقيادهتا الناجحة ورؤيهتا‬. ‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ جنح الربناجم يف انطالقته وأصبح من أبرز الرباجم المعتمدة يف جامعة فرجينيا‬،‫الثاقبة‬ .‫كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ،‫ وثقافة التبت ونيبال‬،‫قامت دينا بتدريس مقررات عن الفن والعمارة يف جنوب آسيا‬ ،‫ كانت دينا ابنة للفنانة النيبالية البارزة لني سينغ باندل‬.‫والفن المعارص يف جنوب آسيا‬ .‫ولكن دينا عرفت هبويهتا كمؤرخة فنية‬ ‫ حيث قامت بأحباث وكتابات‬،‫اشهترت وعىل نطاق واسع خبربهتا يف جنوب آسيا وهيمااليا‬ ‫ فركزت اهتماماهتا عىل‬،‫ أما عن بدايات الفرتة احلديثة‬.‫عن اجلنس والهوية يف الفن المعارص‬ ‫ مبا يف ذلك‬،‫الطقوس والوظائف األيديولوجية والعقائدية للفن البوذي يف جنوب آسيا‬ .‫نظريات األداء الشعائري وسياسة الهوية‬ ”‫ الفن التأميل البوذي‬:‫ مبا يف ذلك “دائرة النعيم‬،‫قامت دينا بتنظيم العديد من المعارض‬ ‫ والذي تم ترشيحه كمتأهل هنايئ‬،2003 ‫يف متحف مقاطعة لوس أجنلوس للفنون عام‬ ‫ البوذية‬:‫ كما قامت بتنظيم “احلج واإلميان‬.‫جلائزة ألفريد بار ألفضل كتالوج للمعرض‬ ‫ الفن‬:‫ و “براكرييت تتحدث‬،‫ يف متحف روبن يف نيويورك‬2010 ‫والمسيحية واإلسالم” عام‬ .2011 ‫النيبايل المعارص” يف مومباي عام‬ .‫ و بالتأكيد سيفتقدها كل من يعرفها‬،‫تركت دينا وراءها زوجها وابنهيا‬ .‫نتوجه ببالغ احلزن واألىس وبتعازينا القلبية احلارة إىل مجيع أفراد أرسهتا‬

We extend our deepest sympathies, condolences and thoughts to all of her family members.

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Issue 6 — 5

F RO N T A N D C E N T E R Contemporary Art Qatar - Berlin

Shining out in the dead of winter from the beating heart of a historical city, works of art from 18 VCUarts Qatar faculty members, alumni and students dominated the imposing Kraftwerk Berlin building for the “Contemporary Art Qatar” exhibition which took place from December 2017 to January 2018. Inside the cavernous 7,500 square meter exhibition space reclaimed from a power station, alumna Emelina Soares’ (’15) elaborate, fullsize sand carpet laid the literal foundation for a vibrant exploration of contemporary art made in Qatar. Soares’ Qatar Museumscommissioned work “Shifting Identities” used naturally fermented dyes from India to color the sand used for intricate rug patterns, invoking her Indian and Portuguese heritage and her upbringing in the Middle East. Collectively making up 25 percent of all the artwork displayed, the works by VCUarts Qatar’s artists were an integral part of this largest ever showcase of contemporary arts from Qatar. The exhibition was presented by Qatar Museums (QM) as the finale of the Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture program. The strong showing of VCUarts Qatar-affiliated work elevated the university’s brand and highlighted the pivotal role VCUarts Qatar is playing in cultural development in Qatar. The exhibition aimed to allow artists living in Qatar to share their stories and reflect on their lives in Qatar’s ever-changing and growing environment. Aisha Al-Sowaidi (’13), whose work examines concepts of home and memory, was interviewed about her work in the exhibition by Wallpaper* magazine, where she explained how her work stems from her experience of Doha. “Due to constant change in the city, the feeling of belonging might not be the easiest. I try to evoke the past, whether it’s via aesthetics or behavior, in our daily practices, by redesigning some objects.” She goes on to say, “The exhibition is a reflection of raising concepts in society. It’s about change, identity and culture. Maybe it’s because of the ongoing change in the city of Doha, or perhaps it’s the bigger impact of globalization.”

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‫ برلين‬- ”‫معرض “الفن المعاصر – قطر‬

‫ فنان ًا من‬18 ‫ أعمال فنية ل‬،‫سطعت يف عز الشتاء ومن القلب النابض لمدينة قدمية‬ ‫ يف مبىن‬،‫أاستذة وطلبة وخرجيي جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ ماشركني يف المعرض القطري الدويل‬،‫“كرافتفريك” الهشري بالعاصمة األلمانية برلني‬ .2018 ‫ إىل يناير‬2017 ‫ قطر” وذلك خالل الفرتة من ديسمرب‬- ‫“الفن المعارص‬ ‫ مرت مربع وتم استصالحه من حمطة‬7500 ‫يف هذا المعرض الضخم والذي تبلغ ماسحته‬ ‫ للخرجية‬- ”‫ حتت اسم “الهويات المتغرية‬- ‫ وضعت لوحة من السجاد‬،‫توليد الكهرباء‬ ،‫ وباحلجم الكامل‬،٢٠١٥ - ‫ بكالوريوس الفنون اجلميلة يف الرسم والطباعة‬،‫اميلينا سواريس‬ ‫ قامت متاحف قطر‬.‫لتشكل حجر أاسس نابض باحلياة لريادة الفن المعارص يف قطر‬ ‫المخمرة طبيعي ًا‬ ‫ تستخدم أميلينا األصباغ‬.‫بتكليف اميلينا سواريس إلبداع هذه القطعة‬ ّ ‫ مستوحية هذا‬،‫من الهند يف تلوين الرمال المستخدمة يف رسم أمناط السجادة المعقدة‬ .‫اإلبداع من تراهثا الهندي والربتغايل وتربيهتا يف الرشق األوسط‬ ‫ من‬٪25 ‫شكلت أعمال فناين جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ تم تقديم‬.‫األعمال الفنية المعروضة يف أضخم معرض قطري دويل ألعمال الفن المعارص‬ ‫ أدى هذا‬.2017 ‫ألمانيا‬ ‫ قطر‬،‫المعرض من قبل متاحف قطر كختام لربناجم العام الثقايف‬ ‫العرض القوي والمرموق لفناين جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر إىل‬ ‫اإلبداعي والثقايف‬ ‫رفع اسم اجلامعة وإبراز الدور المحوري الذي تلعبه يف إثراء المهشد‬ ّ .‫يف قطر‬ ‫هيدف المعرض إىل السماح للفنانني الذين يعيشون يف قطر ماشركة قصصهم واليت تسلط‬ Wallpaper* ‫ قامت جملة‬.‫الضوء عىل حياهتم يف بيئة قطر النامية والمتغرية باستمرار‬ ،2013 ‫ ماجستري الفنون اجلميلة يف التصميم‬،‫باجراء مقابلة مع الفنانة عائشة السويدي‬ ‫ حيث أوضحت عائشة كيف تنبع أعمالها من‬،‫واليت ُيظهر عملها مفهوم البيت والذاكرة‬ .‫جتربهتا وحياهتا يف الدوحة‬ ‫ قد ال يكون الشعور‬،‫ “بسبب التغيري المستمر يف المدينة‬:‫وعن ذلك قالت عائشة‬ ،‫ سواء عن طريق اجلماليات أو السلوكيات‬،‫ أحاول استحضار المايض‬.‫باالنتماء هو األهسل‬ ‫ “المعرض هو انعكاس لرفع‬:‫ بإعادة تصميم بعض األشياء” وأضافت‬،‫يف حياتنا اليومية‬ ‫ رمبا بسبب التغيري‬.‫ مفاهيم تتعلق بالتغيري والهوية والثقافة‬.‫المفاهيم يف المجتمع‬ .”‫ ورمبا هو التأثري األ كرب للعولمة‬،‫المستمر يف مدينة الدوحة‬ ‫ فقط ظهر‬.‫لم تكن عائشة السويدي الفنان الوحيد الذي حظي بتغطية إعالمية واسعة‬ ‫ وكذلك يف العديد من المنافذ اإلخبارية‬،‫المعرض يف مجيع المنافذ اإلخبارية المحلية‬ The Guardian ‫ و‬،The Art Newspaper ‫ و‬،Artnet News :‫الدولية مثل‬ ،World Around Us ‫ و‬،Le Monde ‫ و‬،‫اليت ضمت صور ألميلينا وهي يف العمل‬ .‫ وغريها‬،ZDF ‫ وقناة التلفزيون األلماين‬،Art is About ‫و‬

Issue 6 — 7

Al-Sowaidi was not the only artist given wide media coverage. The exhibition was featured in all local news outlets as well as international news outlets such as Artnet News, The Art Newspaper, The Guardian (which featured Soares at work), Le Monde, The World Around Us, Art is About and German TV channel ZDF among others. Faculty members’ work on display included: Rachel Leah Cohn’s “Searching for Fata Morgana,” Nathan Davis’ experimental print project “water with water,” Simone Muscolino’s “Moving Postcards,” Maryam Al-Homaid’s “Replaced,” Zach Stensen’s “Picture Craft,” “Arrakis” and “Second Moon” and Richard Blackwell’s “Perforated Facade,” “MAF1” and “Compound.” MFA in Design alumni Othman Khunji (’15) showed his work “Religious Vanity,” Nesma Khodier (’16) displayed her MFA thesis outcome titled, “KANUD” and Aisha Al-Sowaidi (’13) exhibited “Domestic Midkhan 03.” Painting + Printmaking alumni Hana AlSaadi (’15) showcased a sculpture of a ballerina wearing an abaya, interrogating the viewer’s gaze. Rhouda Al Nasser (’15) and Ahmed Al Jufairi (’14) also had their work on display.

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“The exhibition is a reflection of raising concepts in society. It’s about change, identity and culture. Maybe it’s because of the ongoing change in the city of Doha, or perhaps it’s the bigger impact of globalization.” —Aisha Al-Sowaidi MFA in Design ’13

‫ راتشل كوهيزن‬:‫أما أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والذين عرضت أعمالهم يف المعرض فهم‬ ‫” و ناينث ديفيس ومرشوع الطباعة‬Searching for Fata Morgana“ ‫وعملها‬ ،”Moving Postcards“ ‫ وسيموين موسكولينو‬،”water with water“ ‫التجرييب‬ ”Arrakis“ ‫” و‬Picture Craft“ ‫ومريم احلميد “المستبد” وزاك ستنسن يف أعماله‬ ”Perforated Facade“ ‫” وريتاشرد بالكويل يف كل من‬Second Moon“ ‫و‬ .”Compound“ ‫” و‬MAF1“ ‫و‬

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Issue 6 — 11

‫ ‪ C O N T E M P O R A RY A RT Q ATA R - B E R L I N‬‬

‫أما خرجيو اجلامعة فاشرك من برناجم ماجستري الفنون اجلميلة يف التصميم كل من عثمان‬ ‫خنجي – ‪“ 2015‬الغرور الديين”‪ ،‬ونسمة خضري – ‪“ 2016‬كانود”‪ ،‬وعائشة السويدي –‬ ‫‪ ،”Domestic Midkhan 03“ 2013‬وعرضت هناء السعدي‪ ،‬الرسم والطباعة ‪،2015‬‬ ‫منحوتة لراقصة باليه ترتدي عباءة‪ ،‬لفتت أنظار الماشهدين‪ .‬كما تم عرض أعمال فنية‬ ‫لكل من روضة النرص‪ ،‬الرسم والطباعة ‪ 2015‬و أمحد اجلفريي‪ ،‬الرسم والطباعة ‪.2014‬‬

‫‪Students currently enrolled in the MFA in Design program also‬‬ ‫‪had a chance to show their work. Nourbanu Hijazi (’18), Norah‬‬ ‫‪Al-Shammari (’18), Hazem Asif (’18), Noora Melhim (’19), and Sidra‬‬ ‫‪Zubairi (’18) presented “Kalimat,” the outcome of the “Visual‬‬ ‫‪Communication” course led by Nathan Davis and Simone Muscolino.‬‬

‫حصل جمموعة من طلبة برناجم الماجستري آنذاك عىل فرصة لعرض أعمالهم‪ .‬ومهنم‪ :‬نوربانو‬ ‫الشمار وحازم عاصف‪ ،‬وسدرة الزبريي‪ ،‬دفعة ‪ ،2018‬ونورا ملحم المتوقع‬ ‫احلجازي‪ ،‬نورة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫خترجها يف ‪ 2019‬وقدموا القطعة الفنية “كلمات”‪ ،‬واليت كانت نتاج عملهم يف مقرر‬ ‫“التواصل المريئ” بقيادة ناينث ديفيس وسيموين موسكولينو‪.‬‬

‫‪Qatar’s Year of Culture initiatives encourage the people of Qatar and‬‬ ‫‪partner countries to discover their cultural similarities as well as to‬‬ ‫‪explore their differences and engage in mutual dialogue. This excit‬‬‫‪ing exhibition made it clear that when it comes to cultural ambas‬‬‫‪sadorship, VCUarts Qatar is cultivating makers and thinkers that‬‬ ‫‪have an important impact on the perception of Qatar in the world.‬‬

‫تشجع مبادرة قطر للثقافة ومنذ سنوات شعب قطر والدول الرشيكة عىل اكتاشف أوجه‬ ‫التاشبه بني الثقافات‪ ،‬باإلضافة إىل استكاشف االختالفات والماشركة يف احلوار المتبادل‪.‬‬ ‫أوضح هذا المعرض المثري بان جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر تقوم‬ ‫بتنمية وغرس السفراء الثقافيني يف العالم من الصناع والمفكرين والذين لهم تأثري مهم عىل‬ ‫دور دولة قطر‪.‬‬

‫‪Left to right‬‬ ‫ ”‪01 Richard Blackwell’s “MAF1‬‬ ‫”‪02 Emelina Soares’ “Shifting Identities‬‬ ‫‪01‬‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 13‬‬

‫‪12 — Issue 6‬‬

TA S M E E M D O H A 2 017 Analogue Living in a Digital World

“Tasmeem is a chance to celebrate our passion for art and design and to share our knowledge with each other, helping foster future partnerships and collaborations throughout Qatar, the region and beyond.” —Michael Perrone

For two days in the spring of 2017, artists, university students, parents، children and community members filled VCUarts Qatar’s Saffron Hall. Some chatted away while manually putting colored pegs in holes, contributing to one of the largest pegelated art installations in the world, while others had tintype photographs taken and a few watched clay 3D printing or played with virtual reality headsets. Simultaneously, in the Atrium, famous artists, designers and thinkers from across the globe, took turns discussing topics around the theme of “Analogue Living in a Digital World.” Political cartoonist Khalid Albaih, “The Internet is not the Answer” author Andrew Keen, architect Carlo Ratti, University of Maryland art professor Hasan Elahi, fashion technology innovator Anouk Wipprecht, representatives from The Foundland art, design and research collective, Kuwaiti artist Monira Al Qadiri, designer entrepreneur Marquise Stillwell and Qatari American artist Sophia Al-Maria in conversation with Tina Kukielski, the director of the contemporary art and artist series Art21 took to the stage. Representatives from the Penumbra Foundation, The Constitute/Goethe Institute and MoB+Storefront also spoke. This convivial atmosphere was part of VCUarts Qatar’s biennial Tasmeem Doha conference on the theme “Analogue Living in a Digital World.” Held in collaboration with the Richmond campus, the conference focuses on unique and contemporary themes in art and design, and, as the largest art and design conference in the region, puts Qatar at the forefront of cutting-edge discussions and demonstrations in the field of art and design.

‫ المعيشة التقليدية اليدوية في العالم الرقمي‬- 2017 ‫تصميم دوحة‬

‫ اجتمع الفنانون وطلبة اجلامعات وأولياء األمور واألطفال والعديد من أفراد‬،2017 ‫يف ربيع‬ ‫ يف قاعة الزعفران يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬،‫ ولمدة يومني‬،‫المجتمع‬ ‫ فمهنم من اسهم يف‬،‫ للتحدث والتواصل والماشركة يف العديد من األنشطة‬،‫يف قطر‬ ‫تركيب وتشكيل أضخم وأكرب لوحة بكسل يف العالم بواسطة وضع الدبابيس الملونة يف‬ ‫ وآخرون‬،tintype ‫ ومهنم من اشرك بالتقاط صور بتقنية‬،‫لوحة من الثقوب الملونة‬ ‫استمتعوا مباشهدة استخدام الطني يف الطباعة ثالثية األبعاد أو استكاشف سماعات‬ .‫الواقع االفرتايض‬

‫ تنافس العديد من المصممني‬،‫ ويف قاعة االحتفاالت يف اجلامعة‬،‫يف نفس الوقت‬ ‫ يف مناقشة مواضيع حول “المعيشة‬،‫والمفكرين المهشورين ومن مجيع أحناء العالم‬ ‫ أندرو‬،‫ وهم راسم الكاريكاتور السيايس خالد البيه‬.“‫التقليدية اليدوية يف العالم الرقمي‬ ‫ والربوفيسور حسن‬،‫ والمهندس المعماري كارلو رايت‬،”‫كني مؤلف “اإلنرتنت ليس احلل‬ ‫ وممثلون عن‬،‫ والمبدع يف تكنولوجيا األزياء أنوك ويربيشت‬،‫إالهي من جامعة مرييالند‬ ‫ وماركزي‬،‫ والفنانة الكويتية منرية القادري‬،”‫منظمة الفن والتصميم والبحث “فاوند الند‬ ‫ والفنانة األمريكية القطرية‬،‫ستيلويل مؤسس رشكة االستاشرات يف التصميم واالبتكار‬ . ‫ للفن المعارص‬21 ‫ والمدير التنفيذي آلرت‬،‫صوفيا آل ماريا يف حديث مع تينا كوكيالسكي‬ ‫ معهد جوته‬/ ‫ و ذا كونستيتيوت‬Penumbra Foundation ‫وممثلون عن كل من‬ .MoB+Storefront ‫و‬ ‫كان هذا اجلو الهبيج جزء ًا من مؤمتر “تصميم دوحة” والذي تنظمه جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬ ‫ يركز‬.‫ وبالتعاون مع اجلامعة األم يف ريتشموند‬،‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر كل عامني‬ ‫ ويعد واحدا من أكرب مؤمترات‬،‫المؤمتر عىل موضوعات فريدة ومعارصة يف الفن والتصميم‬ ‫ مما جيعل من قطر منصة للمناقاشت والمناظرات المتطورة يف‬،‫الفن والتصميم يف المنطقة‬ .‫جمال الفن والتصميم‬

Issue 6 — 15

01 02

The continued success of the conference has led to far-reaching implications – both within the localized context and outside the region. According to VCUarts Qatar Assistant Professor Michael Perrone, who served as one of the co-chairs for the 2017 conference, “The biggest impact of Tasmeem is to bring the community together.” He went on to explain how community could be defined, “The community could be the VCUarts Qatar community, the Education City community, the larger Doha community or the international community of artists and designers.” According to Perrone, “Tasmeem is a chance to celebrate our passion for art and design and to share our knowledge with each other, helping to foster future partnerships and collaborations throughout Qatar, the region and beyond.” Passing the torch: Alumni lead 10th Tasmeem Doha 2019

From left to right 01 Tintype Photography by the Penumbra Foundation 02 Pegelated pixel art 03 Work by Bob Kaputof 04 Faculty member Zach Stensen screenprinting 05 The EYESECT helmet, a wearable interactive helmet by The Constitute

18 — Issue 6

Since its inception in 2004, Tasmeem Doha has been planned and led by professors who developed the best theme proposal, but for the 10th conference in 2019, the winning conference proposal came from a VCUarts Qatar alumnae team comprising of Noha Fouad, Hadeer Omar, Wajiha Pervez and Yasmeen Suleiman. The alumni have taken over full control of planning and chairing the event, a testament to how VCUarts Qatar fosters the development of local capacity to support the art and design infrastructure.

‫ سواء داخل السياق المحيل أو خارج‬- ‫أدى النجاح المستمر للمؤمتر إىل آثار بعيدة المدى‬ ‫ والذي كان‬،‫ أستاذ ماسعد الرسم والطباعة يف اجلامعة‬،‫ ووفق ًا لمايكل بريون‬.‫المنطقة‬ ‫ “إن أكرب تأثري لـمؤمتر تصميم دوحة هو مجع أفراد‬،2017 ‫أحد الرؤاسء الماشركني لمؤمتر‬ ‫ “جمتمع جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬:‫ ويضيف معرف ًا المجتمع‬.”‫المجتمع مع ًا‬ ‫ أو المجتمع الدويل‬،‫ جمتمع الدوحة األ كرب‬،‫ جمتمع المدينة التعليمية‬،‫التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ فإن تصميم دوحة هو “فرصة لالحتفال بشغفنا‬،‫ وفق ًا لبريون‬.”‫للفنانني والمصممني‬ ‫ وماشركة المعرفة مع بعضنا البعض والماسعدة يف تعزيز الرشاكات‬،‫بالفن والتصميم‬ .“‫المستقبلية والتعاون يف مجيع أحناء قطر والمنطقة وخارجها‬ :‫تمرير الشعلة‬

‫خريجات جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر في‬

2019 ‫رئاسة مؤتمر تصميم دوحة العاشر‬

‫ كان أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية يف اجلامعة دامئ ًا خيططون وينظمون‬،2004 ‫منذ انطالقه يف‬ ‫ وجاءت فكرة‬.‫ ويعملون عىل تطوير وطرح أفضل المواضيع من خالله‬،‫مؤمتر تصميم دوحة‬ ،‫ هنى فؤاد‬:‫ من جمموعة من اخلرجيات هن‬،2019 ‫ تصميم دوحة‬،‫وموضوع المؤمتر العارش‬ ‫ تولت اخلرجيات الصالحيات كاملة يف التخطيط‬.‫ وجهية بريفزي وياسمني سليمان‬،‫هدير عمر‬ ‫ فيدل عىل كيفية قيام جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر‬،‫ وهذا وإن دل‬،‫وقيادة المؤمتر‬ .‫بتعزيز وتنمية القدرات المحلية لدعم الفن والبنية التحتية للتصميم‬

Issue 6 — 19

TA S M E E M D O H A 2017

conference called “Next Jeel” (or “Next Generation”). “The aim of the initiative is to extend the opportunity to students to be proactive by heading a workshop themselves and thus encouraging them to lead rather than follow,” says Co-chair Suleiman. “It’s an opportunity for them to value, develop and share their skills.” “Tasmeem Doha 2019: Hekayat” will be a three-day event running from March 13-15, 2019. The first two days of the event will feature keynote speakers, a variety of talks, workshops and exhibitions, and installations including displays of student and faculty work, created in the semesters prior to the event, will be on view throughout the venue as well. The final day will be an Open Day and will allow workshop participants to show their work and to see the output of other sessions. The effort to connect to the local audience is a key feature of this conference iteration. As Co-chair Pervez points out, “There are many ways in which Tasmeem 2019 will differ from previous editions. Perhaps the most fundamental way is the theme, which offers

‫ مارس‬15 - 13 ‫ – حكايات” عىل مدار ثالثة أيام من‬2019 ‫سيقام مؤمتر “ تصميم دوحة‬ ‫ سيشمل برناجم المؤمتر لليومني األوليني عدد من المتحدثني الرئيسيني وجمموعة‬.2019 ‫متنوعة من المحادثات وورش العمل والمعارض وعرض العديد من األعمال الفنية لكل‬ ،‫من الطلبة وأعضاء الهيئة التدريسية واليت تم ابتكارها يف الفصول الدراسية قبل المؤمتر‬ ‫ سيسمح‬،‫ أما اليوم الثالث واألخري فسيكون يوم ًا مفتوح ًا‬.‫يف مجيع أحناء اجلامعة‬ ‫للماشركني يف ورش العمل ماشركة أعمالهم مع احلضور واالطالع عىل نتاج الورش‬ ‫ يعترب اجلهد المبذول للتواصل مع اجلمهور المحيل مزية رئيسية يف تكرار هذا‬.‫األخرى‬ 2019 ‫ “سيختلف تصميم دوحة‬:‫ وعن ذلك قالت الرئيس الماشرك بريفزي‬.‫المؤمتر‬ ‫ ولعل أكرث هذه االختالفات جوهرية‬.‫عن المؤمترات الاسبقة يف العديد من النواحي‬ .”‫هي موضوع هذا المؤمتر والذي يوفر التنوع والشمولية والقابلية للتكيف‬ ‫ ايل جتاوز احلدود‬،2019 ‫ والذي سيقام يف مارس‬٢٠١٩ ‫هيدف مؤمتر تصميم دوحة‬ ‫ بل أيضا جتاوز جدران اجلامعة بإقامة العديد‬،‫ وليس هذا فحسب‬،‫التصميمية‬ .‫من الفعاليات خارج اسوار اجلامعة يف أحناء دولة قطر‬

diversity, inclusiveness and relatability.” The conference, which will take place from March 13-15, 2019, aims to expand not only beyond the boundaries of design, but literally beyond the walls of VCUarts Qatar by utilizing various venues around Qatar. 07

06 The majlis space by MoB Studio 07 Tasmeem Doha 2019 co-chairs

Their leadership also heralds a more nuanced treatment of local content at the event. The co-chairs’ perspective as employees of VCUarts Qatar, recent graduates of the programs and their unique upbringing spanning Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Canada, Qatar and other countries, gives them a unique voice that speaks intimately to the future of contemporary art and design in the region.

‫ من معاجلة السياق المحيل بطريقة أكرث‬،‫ستتمكن هؤالء اخلرجيات ومن خالل هذا احلدث‬ ‫ باإلضافة‬،‫ إىل اخلرجيني اجلدد‬،‫ إن انتقال تنظيم هذا احلدث من األاستذة يف اجلامعة‬.‫دقة‬ ‫ فهم من مرص وفلسطني واألردن وكندا وقطر ودول أخرى يف‬،‫إىل تنوع ثقافة هؤالء اخلرجيات‬ ‫ مينح هؤالء الرؤاسء الماشركون اجلدد صوت ًا فريد ًا يتكلم بشكل وثيق مع‬،‫الرشق األوسط‬ .‫مستقبل الفن المعارص والتصميم يف المنطقة‬

Conference programs and activities

‫ إىل فريق من‬2019 ‫ عىل منح تصميم دوحة‬2018 ‫منذ أن متت الموافقة يف فرباير‬ ‫ بدأت هؤالء اخلرجيات بالتخطيط لهذا احلدث وتنظيم العديد من األنشطة‬،‫اخلرجيات‬ ‫ تم تنظيم فعالية للطالب لإلعالن عن‬،2018 ‫ يف مارس‬.‫المختلفة اليت ستدعم هذا المؤمتر‬ ‫ تبع ذلك اإلعالن عن برناجم “تصميم‬.”Stories - ‫ “حكايات‬:‫انطالق المؤمتر حتت عنوان‬ ‫يف الفصول الدراسية” حيث تم تشجيع أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية عىل تضمني موضوع‬ ‫ سيتم عرض نتاجئ‬.‫المؤمتر يف المناهج الدراسية والماشريع المختلفة خالل فصل اخلريف‬ .‫هذا الربناجم خالل فعاليات المؤمتر مما سيتيح أمام الطالب فرصة عرض أعمالهم دوليا‬

Since Tasmeem 2019 was awarded to the alumni team in February 2018, they have been consumed with the planning of the event, as well as the organization of various supporting activities. The theme “Hekayat” (or “Stories” in English) was introduced to the student body in a kick-off event in March 2018. This was followed by an introduction to the “Tasmeem in the Classroom” program where faculty were encouraged to embed the theme into their various projects and syllabi for the fall semester. The classroom projects outcomes will then be showcased at the event itself, giving students international exposure for their work. Over the summer the co-chairs launched a Tasmeem Internship Program resulting in seven VCUarts Qatar students engaging in the planning and branding of the conference. The team of co-chairs is also devising a framework for a program they are debuting at the

20 — Issue 6

‫برامج وأنشطة المؤتمر‬

‫ قام رؤاسء المؤمتر بإطالق برناجم تدرييب أمثر عن ماشركة سبعة من‬،‫وخالل فرتة الصيف‬ ‫ كما قاموا بوضع إطار لربناجم يتم طرحه‬.‫طلبة اجلامعة يف ختطيط وتصميم شعار المؤمتر‬ ‫ “ هتدف‬:‫ وعن ذلك قالت ياسمني سليمان‬.”‫ألول مرة خالل المؤمتر يسمى “اجليل القادم‬ ‫هذه المبادرة إىل إتاحة الفرصة للطالب ليكونوا سباقني يف إدارة ورش العمل بأنفهسم‬ ‫ “هذه فرصة لهم لتقييم وتطوير‬:‫وبالتايل تشجيعهم عىل القيادة بد ًال من التبعية” وأضافت‬ .”‫مهاراهتم وماشركهتا‬

Issue 6 — 21

I S L A M I C A RT SY M P O S I U M

In an interview with Style Magazine, Co-chairs Sheila Blair, Ph.D., and Jonathan Bloom, Ph.D., pointed out that, “Many Americans today have come to associate Islam with terrorism and war, but the Hamad bin Khalifa symposia are designed to showcase the long traditions of art and culture in the Muslim world. The 2017 event focuses on the artistic relationships between the past, the present and the future, bringing together museum curators, collectors, artists and academics. As always, the symposia will make the latest research accessible to the broadest possible audience, ranging from specialized students and scholars to the general public.”

I S L AM I C ART SYM P O S I U M

Islamic Art: Past, Present and Future?

01 02

Work by Hassan Hajjaj From left to right: Former VCUarts Dean Joe Seipel; Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums; VCUarts Dean Shawn Brixey; Rector Phoebe P. Hall 02

The 7th Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art titled “Islamic Art: Past, Present and Future?” took place in November 2017 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. The symposium is co-sponsored by VCUarts, VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation and has been held every two years since 2004. The symposia on Islamic art address significant themes and issues in understanding the visual arts of the Islamic lands. Symposium speakers in 2017 included Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute, and Reach Out to Asia; the contemporary artists Lalla Essaydi, Shahzia Sikander and Hassan Hajjaj, and some of the leading curators, collectors and leaders in the field of contemporary Islamic art.

The opening address was given by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, who told the attendees, “Contemporary Islamic art derives much of its power from its ability to give voice to a large section of the world population by being contemporary in form and Islamic in character.”

،‫ المايض‬:‫أقيم منتدى محد بن خليفة للفن اإلسالمي الاسبع حتت عنوان “الفن اإلسالمي‬ ،‫ يف متحف فرجينيا للفنون اجلميلة يف ريتشموند‬2017 ‫واحلارض والمستقبل؟” يف نوفمرب‬ VCUarts ‫وبرعاية كل من كلية الفنون يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬ ‫ ومؤسسة قطر‬VCUarts Qatar ‫وجامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ مواضيع وماسئل‬،2004 ‫ والذي يقام كل سنتني منذ انطالقه يف‬،‫ يتناول المنتدى‬.QF .‫هامة يف الفن اإلسالمي تاسعد عىل فهم الفنون البرصية يف األرايض اإلسالمية‬

She said, “Some of its practitioners draw their inspiration from the past, referencing great Islamic civilizations through contemporary narratives. Other artists choose to address their culture by using contemporary art idioms not pertinent to any specific region or artistic practice, but relevant to their experiences and expressing their worldview.” The keynote address titled “Gender, Power and Tradition” was given by Lalla Essaydi. Her work, which often combines Islamic calligraphy with representations of the female form, addresses the complex reality of the Arab female identity from a unique perspective of personal experience. In much of her work, she returns to her Moroccan girlhood, looking back on it as an adult woman caught somewhere between past and present, exploring the language in which to speak from this uncertain space.

22 — Issue 6

‫منتدى حمد بن خليفة للفن اإلسالمي‬

‫ رئيس‬،‫ سعادة الشيخة المياسة بنت محد بن خليفة آل ثاين‬،‫كان من بني المتحدثني‬ ‫جملس أمناء متاحف قطر ومؤسسة الدوحة لألفالم ورئيس جملس إدارة أيادي اخلري حنو‬ ‫ واشهزيا سكندر‬،‫ لال السعيدي‬:‫آسيا (روتا) باإلضافة إىل العديد من الفنانني المعارصين‬ ‫وحسن حجاج؛ وبعض من أمناء المعارض وجامعي التحف واألعمال الفنية من الرواد يف‬ .‫جمال الفن اإلسالمي المعارص‬ :‫ قائلة‬،‫ألقت الكلمة االفتتاحية سعادة الشيخة المياسة بنت محد بن خليفة آل ثاين‬ ‫“يستمد الفن اإلسالمي المعارص الكثري من قوته من قدرته عىل جذب رشحية كبرية من‬ .”‫سكان العالم كونه معارص ًا يف الشكل وإسالمي ًا يف الشخصية‬ ‫ مستهشدين باحلضارات اإلسالمية‬،‫“يستوحي بعض مماريس هذا الفن إلهامهم من المايض‬ ‫ بينما يقوم فنانون آخرون بتمثيل ثقافهتم باستخدام‬.‫العظيمة من خالل الروايات المعارصة‬ ‫ ولكهنا ذات صلة‬،‫مصطلحات فنية معارصة ال عالقة لها بأي منطقة أو ممارسة فنية معينة‬ .”‫بتجار هبم وتعرب عن رؤيهتم للعالم‬

Other speakers at the Symposium included Venetia Porter, assistant curator of Islamic and Contemporary Middle East Art at the British Museum; Pakistani-American artist Shahzia Sikander, who is best known for contemporizing the traditional Indo-Persian discipline of miniature painting; Linda Komaroff: curator of Islamic Art and Art of the Middle East department head at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Newsha Tavakolian, a photojournalist and documentary photographer from Iran who in 2015 was nominated to join the legendary photo agency Magnum Photos, and British-Moroccan photographer Hassan Hajjaj who hosted a conversation with Art Historian Alice Planel called “Hub Wahad: On Finding Inspiration in a Community of Nomads.”

‫ فقدمهتا الفنانة لال السعيدي بعنوان “اجلنس (ذكر‬،‫أما المحارضة الرئيسية للمؤمتر‬ ‫ واليت جتمع يف كثري من األحيان بني اخلط‬،‫ تتناول أعمالها‬.”‫ السلطة والتقاليد‬،)‫أم أنىث‬ ‫ الواقع المعقد للهوية الناسئية العربية من المنظور الفريد‬،‫اإلسالمي واألشكال األنثوية‬ ‫ تنظر إلهيا كإمرأة‬،‫ إىل طفولهتا المغربية‬،‫ تعود لال يف الكثري من أعمالها‬.‫للتجربة الشخصية‬ ‫ وتستكشف اللغة اليت “تتحدث هبا” من هذا المكان‬،‫بالغة تعيش بني المايض واحلارض‬ .‫غري المؤكد‬ ‫ أاشر رئياس المنتدى شيال بلري وجوناثان بلوم إىل أن “العديد‬،”‫يف مقابلة مع جملة “ستايل‬ ‫ لذلك تم تصميم هذا‬،‫من األمريكيني اليوم أصبحوا يربطون اإلسالم باإلرهاب واحلرب‬ ‫ ركز المنتدى‬.”‫المنتدى إلظهار التقاليد العريقة يف الفن والثقافة يف العالم اإلسالمي‬ ‫ ومجع‬،‫ عىل العالقة الفنية بني المايض واحلارض والمستقبل‬2017 ‫األخري والذي أقيم عام‬ .‫بني أرجائه العديد من أمناء المتاحف وجامعي األعمال الفنية والفنانني واأل كادمييني‬ ‫ سيتم توفري أحباث المنتدى جلمهور أوسع بدء ًا من الطالب إىل العلماء‬،‫وكما جرت العادة‬ .‫المتخصصني وصوال إىل عامة الناس‬

Issue 6 — 23

‫ ‪ I S L A M I C A RT SY M P O S I U M‬‬

‫‪ I S L A M I C A RT SY M P O S I U M‬‬

‫‪“Contemporary Islamic art derives much of its power‬‬ ‫‪from its ability to give voice to a large section of the‬‬ ‫‪world population by being contemporary in form and‬‬ ‫”‪Islamic in character.‬‬ ‫‪–Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani‬‬

‫من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‪ .‬ميثل الدور المركزي الذي تلعبه‬ ‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر يف ختطيط وتنظيم هذا المنتدى‬ ‫فرصة كبرية يف تسليط الضوء عىل الطالب وأعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‪.‬‬ ‫عىل مر السنني جذب المنتدى أكرث من ‪ 2200‬ماشرك من مجيع القارات واستضاف أكرث‬ ‫من ‪ 70‬متحدثًا‪ ،‬مبا يف ذلك كبار العلماء والقيمني وممارسني الفن اإلسالمي‪ .‬من خالل‬ ‫برناجم الزمالة الذي يقدمه المنتدى والذي يلزتم بتغطية كافة مصاريف السفر‪ ،‬متكن أكرث‬ ‫من ‪ 60‬من علماء الثقافة والفنون الناشئني وكبار الباحثني من خلفيات متنوعة من حضور‬ ‫هذا المنتدى‪.‬‬

‫ومنذ عام ‪ ،2009‬قام كل من د‪.‬بلري ود‪.‬بلوم بتوثيق وقائع كل منتدى ونرشها من خالل‬ ‫مطبعة جامعة ييل‪ ،‬مما نتج عنه نرش ستة كتب حىت اآلن‪.‬‬

‫‪Over the years the symposia have attracted over 2,200 attendees‬‬ ‫‪from every continent and hosted over 70 speakers, including lead‬‬‫‪ing scholars, curators and practitioners of Islamic art. Through the‬‬ ‫‪Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Fellowship Program offering paid‬‬ ‫‪travel expenses, over 60 Islamic art and culture emerging schol‬‬‫‪ars and senior scholars of diverse backgrounds were able to attend‬‬ ‫‪these conferences.‬‬ ‫‪Since 2009, the proceedings of each symposium have been edited by‬‬ ‫‪Professors Blair and Bloom and published by Yale University Press,‬‬ ‫‪resulting in the publication of six books.‬‬ ‫‪03‬‬ ‫‪05‬‬

‫‪03 Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art catalogs‬‬ ‫‪04 Photographer Newsha Tavakolian‬‬ ‫‪05 Keynote speaker Lalla Essaydi‬‬

‫كما حتدث يف المنتدى كل من فينيتيا بورتر‪ ،‬ماسعد أمني متاحف الفن اإلسالمي‬ ‫والمعارص يف الرشق األوسط يف المتحف الربيطاين‪ .‬الفنانة الباكستانية‪-‬األمريكية هشزيا‬ ‫سيكاندر‪ ،‬واليت اشهترت بتأملها يف التقاليد الهندية الفارسية لفن الرسم المصغر؛ وليندا‬ ‫كوماروف‪ :‬أمينة الفنون اإلسالمية والفن يف الرشق األوسط ورئيس متحف لوس أجنلوس‬ ‫للفنون‪ .‬ونيواش تافاكولينا‪ ،‬مصور صحفي ومصور وثائقي من إيران رشحت عام ‪2015‬‬ ‫لالنضمام إىل وكالة الصور األسطورية “‪ ،”Magnum Photos‬والمصور الربيطاين‪-‬المغريب‬ ‫حسن حجاج الذي استضاف حوار مع مؤرخ الفن أليس بالنل بعنوان “العثور عىل اإللهام‬ ‫يف جمتمع الرتحال”‪.‬‬ ‫متكن العديد من طالب جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر من حضور‬ ‫المؤمتر والذي صادف وجودهم يف ريتشموند مبناسبة اليوم القطري يف اجلامعة األم‪.‬‬ ‫ومتكنوا خالل المنتدى من االلتقاء بسعادة الشيخة المياسة بنت محد بن خليفة آل ثاين‪.‬‬ ‫حصل العديد من طلبة وخرجيي قسم تارخي الفن يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية‬ ‫فنون التصميم يف قطر عىل رشف تقديم المتحدثني للحضور‪ ،‬حسن حجاج‪ ،‬وفينيتيا‬ ‫بورتر‪ ،‬واشهزيا سيكاندر‪ ،‬وليندا كوماروف‪ ،‬وكذلك ستيفانو كاربوين ‪ -‬المدير والرئيس‬ ‫التنفيذي لمعرض الفنون يف أسرتاليا الغربية‪ .‬تسلط هذه الفرصة الضوء عىل هدف‬ ‫المؤمتر يف تدريب اجليل القادم من العلماء يف هذا المجال‪.‬‬ ‫قام بتنظيم المؤمتر ومنذ انطالقه يف عام ‪ 2004‬وحىت عام ‪ ،2017‬كل من د‪.‬شيال بلري‬ ‫ود‪.‬جوناثان بلوم‪ ،‬الرؤاسء الماشركني لمنتدى محد بن خليفة يف الفن اإلسالمي يف جامعة‬ ‫فرجينيا كومنولث يف ريتشموند‪ ،‬فرجينيا‪ .‬ستعقد النسخة التاسعة من هذا المنتدى‪،‬‬ ‫والذي يعقد كل عامني يف نوفمرب ‪ ،2019‬يف الدوحة‪ ،‬حيث جيري ختطيط وتنظيم هذا‬ ‫المنتتدى وألول مرة بالتعاون ما بني قسم تارخي الفن يف كل من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬ ‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر وكلية الفنون يف اجلامعة األم‪ .‬وتضم جلنة التخطيط كل من‬ ‫مارغريت لينداور من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‪ ،‬وشون روبرتس‪ ،‬ويوكني سوكويل‪ ،‬وردها دالل‬ ‫‪Issue 6 — 25‬‬

‫‪04‬‬

‫‪Students from VCUarts Qatar attended the symposium while in‬‬ ‫‪Richmond for the Qatar Day event on the home campus. While at‬‬ ‫‪the symposium, they met with Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa‬‬ ‫‪bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.‬‬ ‫‪Several VCUarts Qatar Art History students and alumni also had‬‬ ‫‪the honor of introducing symposium speakers such as Hajjaj, Porter,‬‬ ‫‪Sikander and Komaroff, as well as Stefano Carboni, the director‬‬ ‫‪and CEO of the Art Gallery of Western Australia. This opportunity‬‬ ‫‪highlights an aim of the conference to train the next generation of‬‬ ‫‪scholars in this field.‬‬ ‫‪The Symposium traces its roots to 2004, and until 2017, was orga‬‬‫‪nized by Blair and Bloom, the shared holders of the Hamad bin Khal‬‬‫‪ifa Endowed Chair in Islamic Art at VCU. The ninth biennial sym‬‬‫‪posium will be held in Doha in November of 2019, and for the first‬‬ ‫‪time, is being planned collaboratively between the VCUarts Qatar‬‬ ‫‪and VCUarts Departments of Art History. The planning committee‬‬ ‫‪includes Margaret Lindauer from VCU, and Sean Roberts, Jochen‬‬ ‫‪Sokoly and Radha Dalal from VCUarts Qatar. The central role that‬‬ ‫‪VCUarts Qatar is playing in the planning process represents a signif‬‬‫‪icant opportunity to increase the visibility of its students and faculty.‬‬

‫‪24 — Issue 6‬‬

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A RT CU R ATO R S Training Art Curators in the 21st Century Symposium

Attendees and panelists discussed subjects such as why art history matters, museum fellowships, becoming an art curator, engaging students with archaeological collections in museums and instructional design perspectives. NPRP-funded research

The symposium was the final outcome of a National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) grant to conduct a comprehensive multinational investigation of museums and their relationships with local colleges and universities to apply this information to develop new educational opportunities in Qatar. Two themes underlay this research; first, that Qatar’s museums emphasize interconnectedness to the world from the perspective of the Gulf region, and second, that Qatar’s museums are well-positioned to assume prominence in the broader disciplines of art history and museum studies. In order for this to happen, it would be optimal if the Qataris who will staff those institutions in the future are at the forefront of art historical inquiry and museum pedagogy. This NPRP project therefore focused on art history and museology to support the building of human capital in Qatar through the design and implementation of related educational resources. 02

NPRP ‫البحوث الممولة من برنامج األولويات الوطنية للبحث العلمي‬

‫جاءت الندوة كختام لمنحة برناجم األولويات الوطنية للبحث العلمي إلجراء حتقيق اشمل‬ ‫متعدد اجلنسيات عن المتاحف وعالقهتا بالكليات واجلامعات المحلية وتطبيق هذه‬ .‫المعلومات يف تطوير فرص تعليمية جديدة يف قطر‬ ‫ تأكيد المتاحف القطرية عىل الرتابط بني العالم من‬:ً‫طرح البحث موضوعني أاسسيني؛ أوال‬ ‫ حتتل متاحف قطر موقعا متمزي ًا ميكهنا من احتالل مكانة بارزة‬،‫ وثاني ًا‬،‫منظور منطقة اخلليج‬ ،‫ من أجل أن حيدث هذا‬.‫بني التخصصات المتعددة يف تارخي الفن ودرااست المتاحف‬ ‫سيكون من األفضل إذا كان القطريون الذين سيعملون يف هذه المؤساست يف المستقبل‬ ‫ عىل تارخي الفن‬NPRP ‫ لذلك ركز مرشوع‬.‫يف طليعة أحباث تارخي الفن وعلوم المتاحف‬ ‫وعلم المتاحف لدعم بناء رأس المال البرشي يف قطر من خالل تصميم وتنفيذ الموارد‬ .‫التعليمية ذات الصلة‬

01 02

Assistant Director of Art History, Dr. Radha Dalal Panel discussion at the “Training Art Curators in the 21st Century Symposium,” pictured from left to right: Dr. Jelena Trkulja; Sheikha Maryam Hassan Mohammed Al Thani; Laura Barlow; Dr. Shaika Nasir Al-Nassr; Aisha Nasser Al-Sowaidi; Dr. Serena Iervolino.

Training Art Curators in the 21st Century symposium

‫تدريب جيل جديد من أمناء الفنون في القرن الحادي والعشرين‬

In early April 2018, leading experts in art history, archaeology, curatorial studies and museum education converged on VCUarts Qatar for a symposium on “Training Art Curators in the 21st Century.” Participants discussed innovations in bridging the academic and the practical when preparing a new generation of art curators.

‫ اجتمع خرباء بارزون يف تارخي الفن وعلم اآلثار ودرااست‬،2018 ‫يف أوائل هشر إبريل عام‬ ‫تنظيم المعارض ودرااست المتاحف يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف‬ ‫ ناقش الماشركون‬.”‫قطر يف ندوة حول “تطوير القيمني واألمناء يف القرن احلادي والعرشين‬ ‫أحدث االبتكارات يف مد جسور التواصل األ كادميي والعميل يف إعداد جيل جديد من‬ .‫القيمني واألمناء‬

“Given its rapidly growing museum culture, Qatar’s institutions require professionals with a general knowledge of art, in terms of both historical content and methods, as well as cutting-edge skills in museum practice,” said Assistant Professor Radha Dalal, Ph.D., from VCUarts Qatar’s Art History program.

:‫ردها دالل – أستاذ ماسعد يف قسم تارخي الفن يف اجلامعة قائلة‬.‫وعن ذلك حتدثت د‬ ‫ تتطلب المؤساست القطرية المهنيني ذوي‬،‫“بالنظر إىل ثقافة المتحف اليت تنمو برسعة‬ ‫ باإلضافة إىل المهارات‬،‫ من حيث المحتوى واألاسليب التارخيية‬،‫المعرفة العامة بالفن‬ .”‫المتطورة يف المماراست الفنية للمتاحف‬

Speakers included Charlotte Klonk, Ph.D., professor of Art History and New Media at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Shaika Nasir Al-Nassr, deputy director of Curatorial Affairs at the Museum of Islamic Arts for Qatar Museums; Margaret A. Lindauer, Ph.D., chair of Art History at VCU; Craig Barker, Ph.D., manager of Education and Public Programs at Sydney Museums; Priya Maholay-Jaradi, Ph.D., convenor of Art History at the National University of Singapore; Helen Wickstead, Ph.D., course director of M.A. in Museum and Gallery Studies at Kingston College; Dr. Jelena Trkulja, director of Education at Qatar Museums; and Aisha Al-Sowaidi, MFA in Design 2013, curatorial assistant at the Fire Station, amongst others.

26 — Issue 6

‫ أستاذ تارخي الفن والواسئل اجلديدة يف جامعة‬،‫اشرلوت كلونك‬.‫وكان من بني المتحدثني د‬ ‫ نائب مدير الشؤون التنظيمية يف متحف الفنون‬،‫ شيخة نارص النرص‬.‫ برلني‬- ‫هومبولت‬ ‫ رئيس تارخي الفن يف جامعة فرجينيا‬- ‫مارغريت لنداوير‬.‫اإلسالمية يف متاحف قطر؛ د‬ ‫بريا ماهوالي‬.‫ د‬.‫ مدير التعليم والرباجم العامة يف متاحف سيدين‬،‫كرجي باركر‬.‫ د‬.‫كومنولث‬ ‫ مدير مناهج‬،‫هيلني ويكستيد‬.‫ منسق تارخي الفن يف جامعة سنغافورة الوطنية؛ د‬،‫جرادي‬ ،‫يلينا تريكوال‬.‫درجة الماجستري يف درااست المتاحف والمعارض يف كلية كينغستون؛ د‬ ،٢٠١٣ ‫ وخرجية ماجيستري الفنون اجلميلة يف التصميم‬.‫مدير التعليم يف متاحف قطر‬ .‫ وغريهم‬،‫ مطايفء مقر الفنانني‬،‫ ماسعد أمني متاحف‬،‫عائشة السويدي‬ ‫ناقش احلضور وأعضاء اللجنة العديد من المواضيع المختلفة مثل أسباب أهمية تارخي‬ ‫ إرشاك الطالب يف المجموعات األثرية يف‬،‫ كيف تصبح أمينا فنيا‬،‫ زمالة المتاحف‬،‫الفن‬ .‫المتاحف وجهات النظر العالمية يف التصميم‬

Issue 6 — 27

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Best practices and benchmarking research

The project began in 2015 under the leadership of then Director of Art History, Dina Bangdel, Ph.D., with a massive multinational study of the best practices in professional training and education, which was used as a basis for a benchmarking study. The study aimed to identify strategies for training in art history and museum studies that could build upon existing resources in Education City – VCUarts Qatar and University College London Qatar (UCL Qatar) – to enhance Qatar’s human capacity in the cultural sector. Open access learning platform

Informed by this benchmarking, the research team then moved into the development of open access learning resources for use in the continuing education of Qatar’s current museum professionals and art history students, interested members of the Qatar’s public, and

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‫أفضل الممارسات ومعايير البحث‬

‫ بدراسة‬.‫ دينا باندل‬.‫ د‬،‫ حتت قيادة مدير برناجم تارخي الفن آنذاك‬2015 ‫بدأ المرشوع عام‬ ،‫ضخمة متعددة اجلنسيات عن أفضل المماراست يف جمال التدريب والتعليم المهين‬ ‫ هدفت الدراسة إىل حتديد اسرتاتيجيات‬.‫واليت كانت تستخدم كأاسس لدراسة المعايري‬ ‫التدريب يف تارخي الفن ودرااست المتاحف اليت ميكن أن تبين عىل الموارد الموجودة يف‬ ‫المدينة التعليمية – وجامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر وكلية لندن‬ .‫اجلامعية يف قطر لتعزيز القدرات البرشية يف دولة قطر يف القطاع الثقايف‬ ‫برنامج التعليم المفتوح‬

‫ انتقل فريق البحث إىل تطوير مصادر لربناجم التعليم‬،‫وبإطالعهم عىل هذه المعايري‬ ‫المفتوح للوصول إىل التعليم المستمر للمتخصصني احلاليني يف متاحف قطر وطالب تارخي‬ ‫ وقد أدى‬.‫ وبالتايل إىل مجهور عالمي أكرب‬،‫الفن وغريهم من المهتمني يف المجتمع القطري‬ ‫ يرشح بالتفصيل التوصيات اخلاصة بإناشء مركز‬،2016 ‫البحث إىل إصدار كتاب يف عام‬ .‫إقليمي لدرااست المتاحف وتدريب مؤرخي الفن يف قطر‬

by extension, to a larger global forum. The research led to a white paper in 2016, detailing recommendations for the development of a regional hub for museum studies and art history training in Qatar.

‫ يف ظل هذه‬.‫ أصيبت دينا باندل بالمرض وتوفيت يف ذلك الصيف‬،2017 ‫يف أوائل عام‬ ‫ قيادة المرشوع‬،‫ من برناجم تارخي الفن يف اجلامعة‬،‫ ردها دالل‬.‫ قبلت د‬،‫الظروف المؤسفة‬ .2018 ‫كبريا يف ربيع عام‬ ‫والذي هشد‬ ً ً ‫جناحا‬

In early 2017, Bangdel fell ill and passed away that summer. Under those unfortunate circumstances, Radha Dalal, Ph.D, also of the VCUarts Qatar art history program, accepted the leadership of the project and saw it through to its successful conclusion in the spring of 2018.

‫ كان أحد األهداف هو تطوير واختبار موقع‬،NPRP ‫ضمن السياق األوسع لمرشوع‬ ‫إلكرتوين جديد ميكن أن يوفر معلومات مالمئة واشملة للطالب يف تارخي الفن ويف علم‬ ‫ ردها دالل يف استكمال وتشغيل هذا الموقع األلكرتوين وأصبح‬.‫ جنحت د‬.‫المتاحف‬ .‫جاهز ًا الختبار بيتا مع جمموعة من الطالب‬

03 Dr. Shaika Nasir Al-Nassr and Aisha Nasser Al-Sowaidi 04 Dr. Charlotte Klonk

‫ بإدارة جمموعة‬،‫ مدير الفنون والعلوم العامة باإلنابة‬،‫ قام بايراد ييالند‬2018 ‫يف ربيع عام‬ ‫طالبا من تارخي الفن اشركوا أفكارهم وتصوراهتم فيما يتعلق بنقاط القوة‬ ‫تضم سبعة عرش‬ ً ‫ ناقش‬.‫والضعف يف الموقع اإللكرتوين اجلديد وقدموا اقرتاحات لتطويره يف المستقبل‬ ‫ كما تم تشجيع‬،‫الطالب خيارات وجودة وعدد الصور وشكل النص وحمتواه وهسولة التنقل‬ ‫الماشركني عىل التعبري عن أفكار أخرى تتبادر إىل أذهاهنم أثناء تصفحهم للموقع اإللكرتوين‬ ‫ تم عرض نتاجئ الربناجم خالل منتدى‬.‫وماشركهتم أفكارهم سوية من خالل المجموعة‬ .2018 ‫مؤسسة قطر ألعضاء هيئة التدريس يف خريف‬

Within the larger context of the NPRP project, one of the goals was to develop and test a new website that could provide relevant and comprehensive information for students in art history and in museology. Dalal was successful in bringing the website set in motion by her predecessor to a state of completion ready for beta testing with a group of students. In the spring of 2018, Byrad Yyelland, Ed.D., interim director of Liberal Arts & Sciences, conducted a focus group with 17 art history students who shared their thoughts and perceptions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the new website and offered suggestions for enhancements for future versions. Key areas of discussion included choices and the quality of images and amount and look of text and ease of navigation, but the participants were encouraged to voice other ideas that came to mind as they navigated the website and shared their thoughts within the synergistic context of the focus group.The findings were presented at the Qatar Foundation Faculty Forum in the fall of 2018.

Issue 6 — 29

‫ ‪ R E S E A RC H I N C O N T E X T‬‬

‫‪R E S E A RC H I N C O N T E X T‬‬ ‫‪Maja Kinnemark‬‬

‫‪01‬‬

‫‪01 Better Shelter schematic‬‬ ‫‪Overleaf‬‬ ‫‪02 “Reporting from The Field” exhibition space‬‬

‫إغاثة الالجئين السوريين‬

‫قام أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والطالب واخلرجيني يف برناجم التصميم الداخيل يف اجلامعة‬ ‫باستخدام مهاراهتم ومعرفهتم يف ماسعدة الالجئني السوريني يف خميمات جزيرة ليسبوس‬ ‫يف اليونان‪.‬‬

‫‪Faculty, students and alumni from VCUarts Qatar’s interior design‬‬ ‫‪program used their skills and knowledge to help Syrian refugees at‬‬ ‫‪camps on the island of Lesvos in Greece.‬‬

‫بدأ المرشوع عام ‪ 2016‬عندما قامت األستاذ الماسعد مايا كينيمارك بأخذ طالب‬ ‫التصميم الداخيل إىل ستوكهولم يف السويد لاللتقاء بالمصممني الذين يقفون وراء سكن‬ ‫الالجئني “ملجأ أفضل” واحلائز عىل العديد من اجلوائز والذي تم تطويره بدعم من مؤسسة‬ ‫ايكيا‪ ،‬والذي جيري استخدامه اآلن يف مجيع أحناء العالم يف مناطق األزمات‪.‬‬

‫‪The project began in 2016 when Assistant Professor Maja Kinne‬‬‫‪mark took her interior design students to Stockholm in Sweden to‬‬ ‫‪meet with the designers behind the award-winning refugee housing‬‬ ‫‪called Better Shelter that has been developed with the support of‬‬ ‫‪the IKEA Foundation, and is now being used all over the world in‬‬ ‫‪areas of crisis.‬‬

‫تقول مايا‪“ :‬ملجأ أفضل‪ ،‬هو بناء فعال من حيث التكلفة يوفر سكن أكرث كرامة من جمرد‬ ‫خيمة”‪ ،‬هو ليس رائع ًا‪ ،‬ال يوجد يشء رائع يف وضع الالجئني‪ ،‬ولكنه عىل األقل أفضل من‬ ‫خيمة وأرخص وأكرث استدامة من المقصورة‪ .‬هناك عىل سبيل المثال‪ ،‬باب ميكنك إغالقه‬ ‫خلفك إلعطاء إحاسس باخلصوصية يف معسكر مزدحم‪ ،‬وجدران متينة جيدة توفر القليل‬ ‫من األمان”‪.‬‬ ‫بدأ الطالب وأعضاء هيئة التدريس العمل مع ممثلني من “ملجأ أفضل” وفريق من علماء‬ ‫السلوك ومهنديس المواد والمهندسني المعماريني المحليني الذين كانوا بالفعل يف‬ ‫الموقع يف خميم كارا تييب لالجئني يف ليسبوس‪ ،‬اليونان‪ ،‬الستخدام أفكار مبتكرة وتقنيات‬ ‫جديدة لتحسني أوضاع السكن بالنسبة جلميع الناس الذين هاجروا يف رحلة إىل أوروبا من‬ ‫أجزاء سوريا اليت مزقهتا احلرب‪ .‬وكانت جزيرة ليسبوس قد استقبلت يف تلك المرحلة أكرث‬ ‫من ‪ 750‬ألف شخص حياولون العبور وعلق كثري مهنم يف اجلزيرة‪.‬‬ ‫بعد دراسة ميدانية متأنية عن الطريقة األفضل يف استخدام الماسحة يف خميم الالجئني‪،‬‬ ‫علم الفريق (الذي ضم أعضاء من الهيئة التدريسية والموظفني من اجلامعة) عن معاناة‬ ‫الناس من نقص اخلصوصية واألماكن المظللة‪ ،‬واليت هي من الرضورات اإلناسنية‬ ‫األاسسية‪ ،‬مما أجرب الناس عىل بناء المظالت ورسم حدودهم اخلاصة‪ ،‬واليت أدت يف الهناية‬ ‫إىل إشعال احلرائق‪ .‬حيث وقع حريق مأاسوي أودى حبياة العديد من الضحايا يف خميم‬ ‫مويرا قبل أيام قليلة من وصول فريق جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف‬ ‫قطر إىل اجلزيرة‪.‬‬ ‫صمم الفريق برسعة طريقة جديدة لتحسني وظائف المخيم من خالل تصميم جهاز صغري‪،‬‬ ‫عبارة عن خطاف دائري مثبت بربغي يلتصق بشدة بالماسمري الموجودة يف مباين “ملجأ‬ ‫أفضل”‪ ،‬ويسمح برتكيب المظالت بهسولة‪ ،‬سواء يف الداخل أو من اخلارج‪ .‬وقد اسعد‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 31‬‬

‫‪“Better Shelter is a cost-effective structure that provides more dig‬‬‫‪nified housing than a tent,” Kinnemark explained. “It’s not great‬‬ ‫‪because nothing is great about the situation for refugees, but at least‬‬ ‫‪it’s better than a tent and it’s cheaper and more sustainable than a‬‬ ‫‪cabin. There is, for example, a proper door which you can close be‬‬‫‪hind you to give a sense of privacy in a busy camp, and good sturdy‬‬ ‫”‪walls that provide a bit of safety.‬‬ ‫‪The students and faculty began working with representatives from‬‬ ‫‪Better Shelter and a team of behavioral scientists, material engi‬‬‫‪neers and local architects who were already onsite at the Kara Tepe‬‬ ‫‪refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece, to use innovative design ideas and‬‬ ‫‪new technologies to improve the housing situation for all those who‬‬ ‫‪were caught in limbo on their journey to Europe from war-torn parts‬‬ ‫‪of Syria. The island of Lesvos had at that point received more than‬‬ ‫‪750,000 people in transit and many of them were stuck on the island.‬‬ ‫‪After a careful field study on the use of space in the refugee camp,‬‬ ‫‪the team (which included faculty, staff and students from VCUarts‬‬ ‫‪Qatar) learned that there was a lack of privacy and shade for the‬‬ ‫‪people living there, and those fundamental human necessities were‬‬ ‫‪forcing people to build their own ad hoc shading and demarcation‬‬

‫ ‪ R E S E A RC H I N C O N T E X T‬‬

‫تقول مايا‪“ :‬ال يوجد أي تصميم عىل اإلطالق سيجعل احلياة حمتملة إذا ما اضطروا للبقاء‬ ‫يف المخيم‪ ،‬لكن قد ياسعد التصميم يف جعل احلياة أفضل قليالً يف خميم مؤقت لفرتة‬ ‫حمدودة من الزمن‪ .‬المشكلة اليوم هي أن المخيمات المؤقتة أصبحت دامئة‪ .‬ال جيب أن‬ ‫يعيش الناس هناك‪ .‬الجيب أن يكون المخيم مكانا ينمو فيه األطفال”‪.‬‬ ‫عملت ثيكاشين برييرا‪ ،‬التصميم الداخيل ‪ ،2016‬مع الفريق‪ .‬وتقول‪“ :‬كمصممني‪ ،‬فإن أهم‬ ‫درس تعلمناه من هذه التجربة هو أن تصميم حل لمشكلة صغرية ميكن أن حيدث فرق ًا‬ ‫كبري ًا يف المجتمع ويف منط حياة الفرد”‪.‬‬ ‫وتضيف “يتطلب األمر عدم النظر إىل الصورة الكبرية فقط‪ ،‬واليت عادة ما تكون سطح‬ ‫المشكلة‪ ،‬ولكن النظر إىل التفاصيل الصغرية‪ .‬وهذا ما فعلناه يف خميمات الالجئني‪ .‬قررنا‬ ‫الرتكزي عىل العنارص اليت تبدو صغرية للتوصل إىل حلول كبرية”‪.‬‬ ‫تم عرض نتاجئ البحث المستمر لتطوير حلول تصميمية يف خميمات الالجئني يف معرض‬ ‫بعنوان “تقرير من الميدان”‪ .‬أقيم المعرض يف معرض اجلامعة وتعاون يف تنظيمه كل‬

‫من أريس بابادوبولوس من الترا‪ ،‬ومايا كينمارك‪ ،‬األستاذ الماسعد‪ ،‬يف قسم التصميم‬ ‫الداخيل يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر و استمر للفرتة من ‪19‬‬ ‫يناير حىت ‪ 24‬فرباير‪ .2018 ،‬تم تصميم المعرض بالكامل وتنفيذه من قبل جمموعة من‬ ‫الطلبة المتطوعني‪ .‬يعكس المعرض الطريقة اليت يعمل هبا خمترب الترا لالبتكار يف المخيم‪،‬‬ ‫حيث تُستخدم طرق التصنيع الرقمي يف توسيع وظيفة األشياء القليلة المتوفرة‪ .‬قام‬ ‫الطالب بطباعة مجيع القطع يف المعرض يف خمترب التصنيع الرقمي يف اجلامعة‪ .‬استخدمت‬ ‫اخلرجية مريم عيونه تقنية ‪ CNC‬إلنتاج منوذج كبري ثاليث األبعاد جلزيرة ليسبوس‪ ،‬وقام طلبة‬ ‫برناجم الماجستري سلطانة جاسمني و جمدولني نرصالله بتصميم تركيب تفاعيل تم فيه جتميع‬ ‫‪ 200‬مشبك من ماشبك احلبل الرسي يف الموقع‪ .‬تصنيع هذه الماشبك مثال قوي عن‬ ‫العنارص اليت ميكن تصنيعها وإنتاجها بطريقة مثالية باستخدام الطباعة ثالثية األبعاد واليت‬ ‫تعمل عىل إنقاذ األرواح يف المخيم‪.‬‬

‫‪04‬‬

‫‪of an extension of the refugee camp. Their proposal provided a safe,‬‬ ‫‪private environment for the extended family in the center, with a‬‬ ‫‪place for children to play and learn and for women to rest.‬‬ ‫‪While the team has shown that even something as innocuous as a‬‬ ‫‪tiny, 3D-printed hook can make a significant difference to the lives‬‬ ‫‪of refugees who have experienced the trauma of war, having to leave‬‬ ‫‪home and embark on a dangerous journey in search of asylum, they‬‬ ‫‪admit that life in a refugee camp is tough.‬‬ ‫‪One of the biggest challenges for a humanitarian project such as this,‬‬ ‫‪according to Kinnemark, was overcoming the “feeling of lethargic‬‬ ‫‪dread and hopelessness” that permeated throughout the camp.‬‬ ‫‪“No design solution will ever make life bearable for them if they have‬‬ ‫‪to stay in the camp,” Kinnemark says, “But design can really help‬‬ ‫‪make life a bit better in a transit camp for a limited amount of time.‬‬ ‫‪The problem now is that the temporary camps are becoming per‬‬‫‪manent. People shouldn’t have to live like that. Kids shouldn’t grow‬‬ ‫”‪up there.‬‬ ‫‪Theekshani Perera, who graduated with a degree in Interior Design‬‬ ‫‪at VCUarts Qatar in 2016 also worked with the team. She says, “As a‬‬ ‫‪designer, the most important lesson that I’ve learned from this expe‬‬‫‪rience is that designing a solution for the smallest problem can make‬‬ ‫‪a huge difference to a community and/or an individual’s lifestyle.‬‬ ‫‪03 Works on display at the exhibition‬‬ ‫‪04 3D-printed umbilical cord clamp installation‬‬

‫‪03‬‬

‫ذلك عىل احلد من خطر احلريق ومع استخدام مواد معينة (مثل قطع القماش المشمع أو‬ ‫احلواجز اخلشبية)‪ ،‬متكنوا من خلق أجواء من اخلصوصية‪ ،‬واليت تعد من االعتبارات المهمة‬ ‫لدى العائالت‪.‬‬

‫‪devices, which eventually turned into fire hazards. There was a trag‬‬‫‪ic fire with casualties in a nearby camp called Moria just a few days‬‬ ‫‪before the team from VCUarts Qatar arrived on the island.‬‬

‫قد يبدو أمرا بسيطا للوهلة األوىل‪ ،‬لكن أرص الفريق عىل أن شكل اجلهاز يصنع فرقا‪.‬‬ ‫كان جيب أن يتالءم وبدون جهد مع ماسمري البناء احلالية ويف نفس الوقت‪ ،‬مينع اآلخرين‬ ‫من أخذهم‪.‬‬

‫‪The team quickly designed a new way to improve the functionality of‬‬ ‫‪the layout of the camp by designing a small device, in effect a screw‬‬‫‪mounted circular hook that fits firmly onto the existing bolts of the‬‬ ‫‪Better Shelter buildings and allows shading awnings and partitions‬‬ ‫‪to be mounted easily, both inside and outside. It helped to reduce‬‬ ‫‪the fire risk and with the use of certain materials (like tarpaulins‬‬ ‫‪or timber partitions), could create areas of privacy, an important‬‬ ‫‪consideration for families.‬‬

‫لتحسني الظروف المعيشية للعائالت (اليت قد تشمل عدة أجيال يف األرسة الواحدة)‪،‬‬ ‫أدرج الفريق يف اقرتاحهم فكرة المنازل التقليدية يف الفناء القطري للتخطيط لبناء‬ ‫امتداد لمخيم الالجئني‪ .‬ووفر اقرتاحهم بيئة آمنة وخاصة لألرس الموجودة يف الوسط‪،‬‬ ‫مع توفري مكان لألطفال للعب والتعلم ومكان لراحة الناسء‪.‬‬ ‫كما أظهر الفريق أنه ميكن ليشء ضئيل مثل خطاف صغري تم إنتاجه باستخدام تقنية‬ ‫الطباعة ثالثية األبعاد‪ ،‬إحداث فرق كبري يف حياة الالجئني الذين عانوا من صدمة احلرب‪،‬‬ ‫واضطروا إىل مغادرة منازلهم والرشوع يف رحلة خطرة حبث ًا عن المأوى ليعرتفوا بأن احلياة يف‬ ‫خميم لالجئني صعبة وقاسية‪.‬‬ ‫كان أحد أكرب التحديات اليت تواجه مرشوع ًا إناسني ًا مثل هذا‪ ،‬ووفق ًا لـمايا‪ ،‬هو التغلب‬ ‫عىل “الشعور باخلوف والرعب وفقدان األمل” يف مجيع أحناء المخيم‪.‬‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 35‬‬

‫‪It may appear insignificant at first glance, but the team insists that‬‬ ‫‪the form of the device makes all the difference. It had to fit effort‬‬‫‪lessly over the existing building construction bolts and at the same‬‬ ‫‪time, discourage other people from borrowing it.‬‬ ‫‪To improve living conditions for families (which can include several‬‬ ‫‪generations in extended families), the team incorporated the idea of‬‬ ‫‪traditional Qatari courtyard houses in their proposal for the layout‬‬

‫‪34 — Issue 6‬‬

R E S E A RC H I N C O N T E X T

“It takes a passionate and committed team or individual to not only look at the big picture, which is usually the surface of the problem, but to regard the minor details. That’s how we went about designing solutions at the refugee camps. We decided to focus on the ‘insignificant’ elements which lead to a quite significant solution.” The outcomes of the ongoing research to develop design solutions for refugee camps were showcased at a collaboratively curated exhibition at the Gallery at the VCUarts Qatar titled, “Reporting from the Field.” The exhibition was curated by Aris Papadopoulos from LATRA and Kinnemark and ran from Jan. 19 until Feb. 24, 2018. The exhibition was completely designed and executed by a group of student volunteers. The theme for the exhibition mirrors the way LATRA’s innovation lab works in the camp, where digital fabrication methods are used to extend the function of the few objects available. All of the pieces in the exhibition were 3D-printed by the students in the digital fabrication lab at VCUarts Qatar. Alumna Meriem Aiouna used the CNC mill to produce a large 3D model of the island of Lesvos, and MFA in Design students Majdulin Nasrallah and Sultana Jesmine designed an interactive installation in which 200 umbilical cord clips were fabricated on site. The clips are powerful examples of items that can save lives at a camp, and for which the 3D printer is a perfect production method.

R E S E A RC H I N C O N T E X T

‫سبق افتتاح المعرض حلقة نقاش حول االبتكار اإلناسين واالجتماعي ومتكني‬ ‫ وحبضور ممثلني عن المنظمات اإلناسنية المحلية واإلقليمية والدولية مهنم‬،‫الالجئني‬ ‫ مديرالرباجم وتنمية المجتمع يف مؤمتر القمة العالمي لالبتكار يف التعليم؛‬،‫أمينة حسني‬ ‫ من قطاع االتصاالت والمعلومات يف المكتب اإلقليمي لليونسكو‬،‫ماريون ديسمورجر‬ ‫ وحممود السييس من‬.‫يف الدوحة وممثل اليونسكو يف الدول العربية يف اخلليج واليمن‬ ‫ مدير تكنولوجيا المعلومات واالتصاالت يف التعليم‬،‫الهالل األمحر القطري وأنور عبد البايق‬ ،‫ وقام بإدارة النقاش المبتكر اإلناسين أريس بابادوبولوس‬.‫يف مؤسسة أيادي اخلري حنو آسيا‬ ‫ منظمة اإلغاثة احلائزة عىل العديد من اجلوائز يف ماشريع المسؤولية‬،‫مؤسس الترا‬ .‫االجتماعية اليت تعزز االبتكار والتكنولوجيا وريادة األعمال يف القطاع اإلناسين‬ ‫وتقول مايا باهنا تشعر باالمتنان لدعم اجلامعة لهذا العمل “دعمت اجلامعة ماشركتنا‬ ‫ بعرض الزنوح والملجأ يف معرض اجلامعة وعملنا عىل جتسيد‬2017 ‫ قمنا يف‬.‫يف اليونان‬ ‫” عمل هذا المعرض وحلقة النقاش‬.‫الملجأ ليتمكن طالبنا من الدراسة والتعلم منه‬ ‫عىل تعزيز موقع جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر كمركز إقليمي‬ .‫للحوار والبحث عن حلول تصميمية يف القطاع اإلناسين‬ ‫ يرجى زيارة‬،‫لمعرفة المزيد عن هذا المرشوع اإلناسين المبتكر وأهدافه‬ .corerelief.org ‫ و‬latra.gr

The opening reception was preceded by a panel discussion on humanitarian, social innovation and the empowerment of refugees with panelists Ameena A. Hussain, director of Programs and Community Development at the World Innovation Summit for Education; Marion Desmurger, the senior program assistant, Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO’s Regional Office in Doha and the UNESCO representative in the Arab States of the Gulf and Yemen; Mahmoud Elsisi from Qatar Red Crescent and Anwar Abdulbaki, ICT for Education manager at Reach Out To Asia. The panel was moderated by Papadopoulos, a humanitarian innovator and the founder of LATRA. Kinnemark is grateful for the support for this work from VCUarts Qatar, saying “VCUarts Qatar has been very supportive of our engagement in Greece. In 2018, we exhibited at the Gallery at VCUarts Qatar on the theme of displacement and shelter in which we brought a Better Shelter structure to Doha for our students to study and learn from.” This latest exhibit and panel discussion built on the earlier work and cemented the position of VCUarts Qatar as a regional hub for dialogue and research on humanitarian design solutions.

To learn more about this innovative humanitarian project and its goals, please visit latra.gr and corerelief.org. 05 Designs at the exhibition 06 Panel discussion preceding the “Reporting from the Field” exhibition, moderated by Aris Papadopoulos from LATRA

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Nathan Davis

Associate Professor Nathan Ross Davis first moved to Doha to teach surface research at VCUarts Qatar’s Art Foundation Department in 2013. As a graphic designer by trade, Davis found himself in an unfamiliar environment with a different language, culture and traditions. He immediately noticed the differences between Doha’s design culture, and the one in which he was trained, and he spotted opportunities for new creative directions. “Coming from the States, with a particular West Coast American design background and being confronted with a very different design ideology and a different frame of reference, I noticed right away that there’s an immediacy with the way design happens here.” In response to his new surroundings, Davis decided to address the differences he saw between cultural contexts by finding ways to enmesh his West Coast American design ideology into the local visual culture. “I was interested in exploring print publications as a way of cultivating graphic culture. I’m looking around, and there are some things that I want to see, and I don’t see, and so I decided that I should go ahead and try to make some of it,” he says. Davis began his ongoing project ‘water with water’ (w/w/w) in 2016 as an experimental publishing project with support from VCUarts Qatar. By exploring a range of speculative visual forms, Davis’s work sits at the intersections of Gulf culture and contemporary art and design. The name “water with water” comes from the Arabic phrase ‫فس الماء بالماء‬, ّ which means “explaining water with water.” An Arabic colloquialism, the phrase is sometimes used when a person attempts to explain something with itself. The name implies that the project is both self-referential and acts as its own explanation.

Closeup of ha ha ha poster

‫التقاليد في مرحلة انتقالية‬

‫كان األستاذ الماسعد ناينث روس ديفيس يبحث عن يشء جديد عندما قرر احلضور ألول‬ ‫ لالنضمام إىل برناجم الفن التأسييس يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬2013 ‫مرة إىل الدوحة عام‬ ‫ ناينث‬،‫مصمم الغرافيك‬ ‫ وجد‬.‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر وتدريس مقرر أحباث السطح‬ ّ ‫ والحظ عىل الفور‬.‫ مع لغة وثقافة وتقاليد خمتلفة‬.‫ نفسه يف بيئة غري مألوفة‬،‫ديفيس‬ ‫فرصا‬ ‫ ووجد‬،‫ والثقافة اليت تدرب علهيا‬،‫االختالفات بني ثقافة التصميم يف الدوحة‬ ً .‫الجتاهات إبداعية جديدة‬ ‫ خبلفية أمريكية يف التصميم مستوحاه من‬،‫“احلضور من الواليات المتحدة األمريكية‬ ‫ مكنين‬،‫ ومواجهة أيديولوجية تصميم خمتلفة للغاية وإطار مرجعي خمتلف‬،‫الاسحل الغريب‬ ‫” استجابة منه عىل حميطه‬.‫مبارشة من مالحظة الطريقة اليت حيدث هبا التصميم هنا‬ ‫ قرر ديفيس معاجلة االختالفات اليت الحظها بني السياقات الثقافية من خالل‬،‫اجلديد‬

‫إجياد طرق لدجم إيديولوجيته التصميمية األمريكية من الاسحل الغريب يف الثقافة العربية‬ ‫مهتما باستكاشف المطبوعات كطريقة لتعزيز ثقافة‬ ‫ “كنت‬:‫ يقول ديفيس‬.‫المحلية‬ ً ‫ عندها اختذت قراري بالميض‬،‫ وال أراه‬،‫ احبث عن يش أريد أن أراه‬،‫ أنظر حويل‬.‫الغرافيك‬ .”‫قدما وحماولة صنع بعضا منه‬ ‫ كمرشوع جترييب للنرش وبدعم‬201٦ ‫“فس الماء بالماء” عام‬ ‫بدأ ديفيس مرشوعه اجلاري‬ ّ ‫ من خالل استكاشف جمموعة‬.‫من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ كانت أعمال ديفيس تقع عند ملتقى الطرق بني الثقافة‬،‫من األشكال البرصية التأملية‬ ‫“فس الماء بالماء” من العبارة العربية واليت‬ ‫ يأيت‬.‫اخلليجية والفن والتصميم المعارصين‬ ّ ‫تستخدم بالعامية العربية أحيان ًا عندما حياول الشخص رشح يشء ما وال يستطيع التعبري‬ .‫عن معناه فيعود الستخدام نفس االسم‬ ‫ تم متويلها من قبل كل من جامعة‬w/w/w ‫عىل الرغم من أن منشورات هذا المرشوع‬ ‫ إال أن ديفيس ينظر إليه‬،‫فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر ومؤسسة قطر‬ ‫ جيب أن‬،‫ ويعتقد بأن هذا المرشوع ولكي يعمل عىل النحو المنشود‬،‫كمرشوع مستقل‬ ‫ لتوفري ماسحة لتصميم أعمال غري جتارية وغري‬w/w/w ‫ تم تصميم‬.‫يظل عىل هذا النحو‬ .‫ وذلك للماسهمة يف خلق ثقافة إبداعية مستقلة يف الدوحة‬،‫مدفوعة من العميل‬

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“[The work] is not necessarily about assessing the state of the literature and adding to the literature; it is about the state of the culture, specifically adding to the culture, and expanding the possibilities in cultural spaces that exist here in Doha.”

02 Ha ha ha poster 03 Prince Horse Drunkard 03

Although w/w/w publications have been grant-funded by VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation, Davis states that it is independent from any particular institution. For it to work as intended, it must remain that way. “w/w/w was designed to make a space for noncommercial, non-client driven design work that can contribute to an independent creative culture in Doha.” Davis goes on to say that his work is “non-academic, in a traditional sense. It’s not necessarily about assessing the state of the literature and adding to the literature; it is about the state of the culture, specifically adding to the culture, and expanding the possibilities in cultural spaces that exist here in Doha.” Seated on one of his first projects at VCUarts Qatar, a funky, purplecolored majlis couch, Davis’ point could not be clearer. As a selfdescribed minimalist, his experiences in the Middle East, and expat life in Doha have clearly impacted his Western roots and neo-modern design ideology.

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‫ فهو ليس عن رضورة تقييم‬.‫ بالمعىن التقليدي‬،‫ويضيف ديفيس أن عمله “غري أكادميي‬ ،‫ وسيضيف وبشكل خاص للثقافة‬،‫ بل هو تقييم حلالة الثقافة‬،‫وضع األدب واإلضافة إليه‬ .‫وزيادة االحتماالت يف األماكن الثقافية الموجودة هنا يف الدوحة‬ ‫وبالنظر إىل ديفيس وهو عىل أريكته األرجوانية غري التقليدية – والموجودة يف مكتبه واليت‬ ‫ من‬.‫ نستطيع أن ندرك وبوضوح وجهة نظره‬،”‫كانت واحدة من أول ماشريعه “المجلس‬ ‫الواضح أن جتربته يف الرشق األوسط واحلياة اليومية الوافدة يف الدوحة قد أثرت وبشكل‬ ‫ كان المجلس أول جتربة له يف‬.‫واضح عىل جذوره الغربية وإيديولوجيته احلديثة يف التصميم‬ .‫استكاشف قواعد “التصميم اجليد” الذي درسه يف الغرب‬

Moving from the United States to Qatar has undoubtedly had an impact on Davis’ design ideology and the way he goes about making. Like many of the expat designers who work at VCUarts Qatar, working in a new context has influenced how he teaches, thinks and creates. However, making just for the sake of making is not the aim of this project. At its heart, w/w/w is a more personal, experiential view of a particular time and place in an evolving visual culture, with the goal of sharing that with others outside of the region.

‫أ ّثر االنتقال من الواليات المتحدة إىل الدوحة ودون شك عىل أيديولوجية التصميم لدى‬ ‫ مثل العديد من المصممني المغرتبني والذين يعملون‬.‫ديفيس والطريقة اليت يستخدمها‬ ‫ فإن العمل يف سياق جديد قد‬،‫يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ فإن الصنع فقط من أجل الصنع هو‬،‫ ومع ذلك‬.‫أثرعىل كيفية تعليمه وتفكريه وابتكاره‬ ‫ هو وجهة نظر شخصية أكرث وجتريبية‬w/w/w ‫ فهذا المرشوع‬.‫ليس هدف هذا المرشوع‬ ‫ هبدف تقاسم ذلك مع اآلخرين‬،‫لوقت حمدد ومكان معني يف ثقافة برصية متطورة‬ .‫خارج المنطقة‬

Since its inception, Professor Davis and his student assistant, Sarah Elawad (a senior in the Graphic Design Department at VCUarts Qatar) have taken the w/w/w project to a number of curated book fairs around the world. Namely, the “I Never Read” artist book fair, during the Art Basel fair in Switzerland (2017), the “Artist Book in China” art book fair at the Minsheng 21st Century Art Museum in Shanghai (2017), the “Miss Read” Berlin art book fair in Berlin

‫ قام الربوفيسور ديفيس وماسعدته الطالبة اسرة العوض (طالبة يف‬،‫منذ بداية المرشوع‬ ‫ يف عدد من‬w/w/w ‫السنة الهنائية يف قسم تصميم الغرافيك يف اجلامعة” بعرض مرشوع‬ ”‫أبدا‬ ً ‫ تم عرضها يف كل من معرض “لم أقرأ‬٢٠١٧ ‫ يف‬.‫معارض الكتب المنظمة حول العالم‬ ‫ ومعرض الكتاب الفين “كتاب الفنان يف الصني” يف متحف‬،‫يف معرض آرت بازل يف سويرسا‬ ‫ فعرضت يف معرض‬٢٠١٨ ‫ أما يف‬.‫مينشنغ لفنون القرن احلادي والعرشين يف شنغهاي‬ ‫ كما تم إدراج ثالثة‬.”‫الكتاب يف برلني “ال نقرأ” ومعرض الكتاب يف نيويورك “المطبوعات‬ ‫أعمال يف معرض الفن المعارص قطر يف برلني والذي نظمته متاحف قطر و يعد أضخم‬ ‫ كما قام ناينث بإراسل أعماله إىل‬.‫معرض قطري دويل عىل اإلطالق ألعمال الفن المعارص‬ ‫معرض الكتاب يف دولة اإلمارات “حمجوز بالكامل” وسيتم عرض أعماله يف “فكره؛ تصميم‬ ‫ سيقوم ناينث ببيع أعماله يف العديد من متاجر الكتب‬.‫الغرافيك” والذي يقام كل سنتني‬ printedmatter.org ‫ وتتوفر حاليا عرب الموقع اإللكرتوين‬.‫يف برلني وباريس‬ ‫ إن التجربة‬،‫ يف تقييمها لهذه الفرصة والقدرة عىل السفر وتقديم العمل‬،‫تقول اسرة‬ ‫ فأنا أمتىن لو يتمكن مجيع الطالب من خوض هذه‬،‫ “لو ترك األمر يل‬:‫ وتقول‬.‫كانت رائعة‬ ‫ كان األهم هو كيف ُاستقبل‬،‫ بالنسبة لناينث‬.”‫التجربة ألهنا ستغري الكثري من شخصيهتم‬

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TR ADITION IN TR ANSITION

(2018), and The Printed Matter “NY Art Book Fair” in New York (2018). Three works were also included in the Contemporary Art Qatar exhibition in Berlin by Qatar Museums which was the largest international exposition of contemporary art from Qatar. Work was also sent to the “Fully Booked” art book fair in the UAE. Some of the work was on display at the Fikra Graphic Design Biennial event in 2018. The work is also available at various bookstores around the world in cities such as Berlin and Paris, and is also available to be bought online on the Printed Matter website (printedmatter.org). Elawad, commenting on the exposure and ability to travel and present the work, says the experience was amazing. “If it were up to me, I would make sure all the students had the experience because it changes so much of who you are as a person,” she says. For Davis, the most interesting thing was how well the project was received. Primarily, he thinks it’s because there is a limited audience for their work here in Doha, but, when they go abroad, it is seen as exotic and surprising. “To them that they love the work and want to talk about it, it raises many questions, and ultimately they take the work and ideas home with them. In China, for example, there were those at the bookfair that did not even recognize the Arabic; the concept was just so foreign to them.”

TR ADITION IN TR ANSITION

‫ ولكن عند عرضه‬،‫ كان ديفيس يعتقد أن السبب يف الدوحة هو حمدودية اجلمهور‬.‫المرشوع‬ ‫ “لقد أحبوا العمل وأرادوا‬.‫ كان ينظر للمرشوع عىل أنه غريب ومثري للدهشة‬،‫يف اخلارج‬ ‫ ويف الهناية فهم حيملون فكرة المرشوع معهم‬،‫ فهو يثري الكثري من التاسؤالت‬،‫التحدث عنه‬ ‫ لم يدرك بعضهم حىت أنه‬،‫ يف معرض الكتاب يف الصني‬،‫ عىل سبيل المثال‬.”‫إىل بالدهم‬ .‫جدا بالنسبة لهم‬ ‫باللغة العربية؛ كان المفهوم‬ ً ‫غريبا‬ ً ‫ يف العديد من األماكن األخرى للحفاظ‬w/w/w ‫ عرض مرشوع‬،‫يرغب ناينث يف المستقبل‬ ‫جدا وقادم من بعيد ميكن عرضه‬ ‫شيئا‬ ً ‫ “أحب فكرة أن‬.‫عىل استمرارية احلوار‬ ً ‫غريبا‬ ً ‫متاما وأكرث إجيابية‬ ‫خمتلفة‬ ‫صورة‬ ‫إظهار‬ ‫عىل‬ ‫يعمل‬ ‫ مما‬.‫يف أماكن خمتلفة بل بلدان خمتلفة‬ ً ‫عن الثقافة تتعارض مع الصور النمطية اليت يظهرها اإلعالم ؛ ال أعلم كيف ستكون‬ .”‫ردود أفعالهم‬ ‫ لكنه يف نفس الوقت عامل حمفز‬،‫ أن يكون مصدر إلهام‬.‫ فهذا هو الهدف‬،‫وفقا لديفيس‬ ‫ يعتقد ديفيس أن احلصول عىل االعرتاف الدويل‬.‫مصمم لتعزيز احلوار الدويل عن المنطقة‬ .‫من أوروبا والصني والواليات المتحدة يضفي رشعية عىل هذا المرشوع وأهدافه‬

04 Sadu scraps Opposite Page 05 Everything is going to be okay poster 06,07,08 Strawberry Zine by Nathan Davis and Hadeer Omar

In the future, Davis would like to bring the w/w/w project to more places to keep the dialogue going. “I like the idea that something so foreign and exotic and from far away can be brought to other places, including the States. It shows a totally different, more positive image of the culture that goes against the stereotypes in the media. I don’t know how they’ll react.” According to Davis, that’s exactly the point. It’s meant to be inspiring, but it’s also a catalyst, designed to further international dialogue about the region. He believes that getting recognition from Europe, China and the United States lends legitimacy to the project and its goals. 08

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Issue 6 — 43

R E S E A RC H

MFA course encourages research on art and the environment in region In fall 2016, second year MFA in Design students gathered for a newly offered seminar and studio course titled “ARTS 591: Eco-Arts in the MENASA Region.” Designed and taught by Fleming Jeffries, interim director of Painting + Printmaking (PAPR), the course explored environmental activism and discourse relevant to artists and designers living and working in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region. The course drew parallels from a concurrent exhibition at the Sursock Museum in Beirut, “Let’s Talk About the Weather: Art and Ecology in a Time of Crisis,” curated by Natasˇa Petresˇin-Bachelez and Nora Razian. This exhibition featured work by 17 local and international artists including Qatari artist Sophia Al-Maria and Kuwaiti artist Monira Al Qadiri, and provided a platform for artists to explore provocative environmental topics such as corruption, neoliberalism and resources, waste and pollution, extinction and the rights of nature. An accompanying collection of essays, “Elements for a World,” edited by Berlinbased artist, writer and curator Ashkan Sepahvand, provided a reader for the course. The course began with micro-assignments to introduce a range of Egypt’s urban calligraphic culture explored in new book

topics. “Shop Drop” invited participants to break up routine through

Associate Professor of Graphic Design Basma Hamdy’s new book

public interventions. Wajiha Pervez offered a free workshop on mak-

“Khatt: Egypt’s Calligraphic Landscape” (Saqi Books, 2018) delves into the public expressions of calligraphic script “khatt” ranging from

ing shoes from discarded packaging and trash at VCUarts Qatar’s Atrium, and Mona Makhlouf installed a chandelier of key tags in the

casual scrawls and scribbles to the elaborately-painted colorful murals

front entrance of the university, exploiting subtle wind-blown sounds

that are found in Egypt’s cities. Hamdy’s extensive visual documenta-

to recall memories of place and time. In another micro-assignment,

tion of these records of human expressions of hope, fears, dreams and

students re-framed an existing key word chart to include topics that

anxieties was made possible in part thanks to a faculty subvention

were regionally important.

grant received in 2017. Co-edited with Noha Zayed, this timely volume records the traditional craftsmanship of hand-painted calligraphy, in decline because of the digitization of the Arabic script.

In November, Sephavand visited Doha and led a two day Anthropocene workshop, “Post-Human Forays in the Neo-Desert.” MFA students, along with the PAPR junior class moved from the classroom to the

Hamdy’s previous book and research “Walls of Freedom: Street Art of

desert to create and perform acts of speculative fiction, in which the

the Egyptian Revolution” garnered additional praise. In 2017, Hamdy’s

desert emerged as a character.

essay on “The Arabic Language as Creative Resistance” appeared in the book “Street Art of Resistance,” edited by Sarah Awad and Brady Wagoner (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017). Her essay “Scarabs, Buraqs and Angels” from her book was used as part of the reading requirement for the course “The Politics of Modern Arab Art” taught by Sultan Al Qassemi at NYU in spring 2017. “Walls of Freedom” was also featured in the book “The Design of Dissent, Expanded Edition: Greed, Nationalism, Alternative Facts and the Resistance” (Rockport 2017) edited by Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic. Hamdy’s article “Reflections on a

The MFA students each produced a final project focusing on topics integral to their MFA theses, incorporating human, social, political and industrial ecologies. Pervez further developed her eco-footwear concept to incorporate recycled denim and paper pulp, aimed at reducing waste in the hospitality sector. Elizabeth Ju focused on the disruption of local rituals, re-imagining wedding rings to deconstruct into divorce rings, while Noora Melhim wrote and performed a speculative fiction piece, describing a post-apocalyptic Khaleeji wedding.

Revolution” was published in Issue 3 of the IWA Islamic World of Art magazine. Photographs and excerpts of her book “Walls of Freedom” were also featured as the ‘gallery’ section of the issue. She received a Recognition of Excellence in Research and Scholarship from the Design Incubation Communication Design Educator Awards in 2016, and the VCUarts Qatar Faculty Research Award in 2018 for her distinguished research accomplishments.

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R E S E A RC H

Qatar Foundation collaborations offer real world design projects

graphic translation

MFA in Design students design bespoke meeting stationery

dents Sara Al-Afifi, Latifa Al-Kuwari, Reham Ahmed and Sarah Elawad,

and dishware

received an undergraduate research grant from the Dean’s Office in

Undergraduate students get research grant to explore Art Foundation faculty member Nathan Ross Davis, along with stu-

In a pilot initiative between Qatar Foundation’s Headquarters and

2017–2018 for their project entitled “Graphic Speculation: One Thou-

the MFA in Design program, students were asked to create bespoke

sand and One Fantasy Pop Nights.” The proposed research is aimed

“meeting ware” to be used during Qatar Foundation Headquarters

at engaging student researchers in developing and applying graphic

board meetings and other high-profile business meetings. Meet-

translation skills while learning to define and apply independent and

ing ware included tea and coffee service dishware and coordinating

collaborative research methods. The research entails translating his-

stationery. Embedded in “Design Studio 2,” taught by MFA faculty

torical artifacts and collections into contemporary visual culture and

members Diane Derr and Marco Bruno, the work included the total

analyzing cultural values and presuppositions through the production

design of the individual service items including the shape, functional-

of visual work.

ity, color selections and imprint, as well as the overall design of the coordinating stationery items.

Education City Running Series Medal design The “Advanced Digital Visualization” course taught by Assistant Professor of Interior Design Li Han collaborated with Qatar Foundation Community Development to design unique running event medals. Students designed and produced three medals for the Education City Running Series. The designs are based on the three running routes that surround Qatar National Library, Al Shaqab, and Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Students received a certificate signed by the President of Community Development, Machaille Al-Naimi, in recognition of their contribution to the development and success of Qatar Foundation.

Qatar Foundation Research and Development seeks to

In addition to this research, Saoud published co-authored articles

commercialize 3D printing research

in the Journal of Porous Materials, 2017; the Journal of Material and

It is thought that 3D printing will revolutionize the manufacturing of

Environmental Sciences, Volume 9; BioResources Journal 2018; Renew-

every possible product in the near future. The race to discover materials which can be used for 3D printing that are also compatible with

able and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2018; and published a chapter “Nanocatalyst for Biofuel Production: A Review” in Biofuel Biorefinery

a variety of biomedical uses is currently being played out in research

Technologies, Vol. 5, edited by Neha Srivastava et al. In 2017, Saoud ob-

departments across the world. It may be right here in Doha, how-

tained a patent with Shaukat Saeed on “Methods of forming aerogels.”

ever, that a true breakthrough is accomplished. Assistant Professor of Physics, Khaled Saoud, Ph.D., was awarded a Technology Development

Saoud’s professional and community service also sets him apart. He

Fund grant from Qatar Foundation Research and Development for

has given several keynote speeches in Pakistan, Jordan and Qatar, and

his proposal entitled: “3D Printing of Polymer- Aerogel Composites for

serves as a judge on the 2018 National Scientific Research Competi-

Energy and Biomedical Applications.” Saoud received $118,131

tion and the Supreme Council Research Competition of Elementary

to provide gap funding for his early-stage, promising technology in

Schools in Qatar. He served as an expert and shared knowledge and

order to increase its commercialization potential. The materials he is

resources to validate the first place winner of the TV program “Stars of

developing have both medical applications such as for prosthetics,

Science” Season 9. His activities were noted by Qatar Foundation Vice

orthotics, dentistry, bone cement, surgical masks and hearing aids,

Chairperson and CEO, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad

and electronic applications such as energy storage and sensing.

Al Thani, who congratulated him for his service work.

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CU LT I VAT I N G New Labs open doors to new methods and materials

Creative Thinking

Virtual Reality Lab

Photography Darkroom

A new Virtual Reality Lab is now part of the Innovative Media Studio,

Painting + Printmaking (PAPR) faculty member George Awde has

allowing students, faculty, staff and artists-in-residence to explore one

designed, built and installed a new darkroom for the course with

of the world’s leading creative markets. Fully equipped with a virtual

five photographic enlargers. Based on the success of the course, the

environment setup, the lab opens up an array of creative directions to

department is seeking to expand the facility and make the Darkroom

VCUarts Qatar departments. Art History students will be able to step

class a permanent fixture in the curriculum. Using this new facility,

into old historical ruins, for example, while Painting + Printmaking stu-

PAPR is now offering Darkroom, a photography course that introduces

dents will be able to create virtual, airbrushed, 360-degree paintings.

students to analog photographic processes using 35mm, medium

Once fully established, this lab will become a platform to conduct

format and large format film processing and black and white

Education City-wide faculty and student workshops, tutorial sessions

photograph development.

and exhibitions.

Sound Booth The Innovative Media Studio acquired a sound booth. The addition of a sound booth allows faculty, staff and students to produce professional audio recordings, and is an important addition to the suite of audiobased resources already provided by the Innovative Media Studio. The sound booth is currently used for the Art Foundation Time Studio, where all freshmen are learning to record and edit audio. Embedding training on the use of the sound booth in that course will lay the foundation for advanced sound projects as students progress through their majors. Documentation through sound and video is an important The Masquerade Grand Prix

element in all of VCUarts Qatar’s departments, making the newest

Inspired by the Japanese game show “Kasou Taisho,” a live performance

equipment addition a valuable resource for the entire community.

competition using handmade props, costumes and sets, 70 Art Foundation students traveled to the Inland Sea to develop their own performance art. Under the guidance of assistant professors Rachel Cohn and Maysaa Al-Mumin, the students explored how to use their own unique talents and interests to tell their stories. The students spent a day in February 2017, interacting with their surroundings and working in groups to develop their interpretation of the experience. As first year students this was their first introduction to studio classes.

Virtual reality and fractals now part of Interior Design curriculum The Department of Interior Design, under the supervision of faculty

In addition, the department acquired a virtual reality platform. This

members Mohammad Suleiman and Haitham El-Hammali, continues

emergent technology was incorporated into the teaching and learning

encouraged the students to be as creative as possible, and to think

to inject modules of innovative emerging design trends into its curric-

experience of the Tech Studio, the result of a Scholarship of Teaching

outside the box in telling their chosen stories. The Art Foundation students

ulum. In the fall of 2017, junior students explored two trends in design:

and Learning (SoTL) experiment to explore the lessons learned from

spent the next six weeks in the studio designing and creating props and

fractal geometry and virtual reality. The Tech Studio (a combination

a collaborative pedagogic effort that exploited Building Information

choreographing their performance pieces.

of Advanced Interior Graphics II and Buildings Systems) held a fractals

Modeling using virtual reality. Virtual reality allows students to explore

workshop taught by Takbir Fatima, the principal of the award-winning

new tools of design authoring through environmental interaction

practice DesignAware, which is based in Hyderabad, India. This gen-

and exploration, which will better prepare them for dealing with the

Cohn and Al-Mumin designed the activity as a cohesive experience that

The students also focused on how to use non-verbal communication for the duration of their performance, collectively titled “The Masquerade Grand Prix,” which was performed in the VCUarts Qatar Art Foundation studios and recorded on video. During the show, each group of four students was given about 10-15 minutes to set up for their one-minute performance on stage. The hands-on learning activity encouraged student collaboration while

erative design workshop combined logic, geometry, natural systems

interdisciplinary nature of building systems, design and construction in

and structure and is an adaptation of the teaching methods practiced

actual scenarios.

at the Design Research Lab at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. The method is inspired by the organic growth of natural systems, parametric architecture, structural systems, mathematics, geometry and algorithms.

emphasizing learning through creative exploration of their environment.

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MFA in Design students exhibit new take on local design at Interdisciplinary collaboration brings artistic aesthetic to wearable solar devices Students from the MFA in Design program are collaborating with engineering students from Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) to produce solar-powered, interactive, wearable devices as part of Shams Generation, an initiative of Qatar Museums (QM) and Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec). This project places our design students on teams alongside engineering students and provides a structured context for working with cutting-edge solar technology. The objective of Shams Generation is to provide an education platform for solar energy, intersecting art, design, science and technology. Now in its third year, the program has expanded to include student participation at the university level. VCUarts Qatar and TAMUQ students participated in a series of three workshops conducted by US-

Design Days Dubai Eleven MFA in Design students exhibited their work at the international design festival Design Days Dubai in March 2017. The artifacts exhibited highlighted the results from a recent field study, and annual component of the MFA program where students and faculty travel together to engage in a shared, and immersive design experience. The year’s field study included a five-day workshop in Turin, Italy, where students designed ceramic incense burners using Grasshopper visual programming software and a Wasp 3D clay printer. By using forward-looking design and fabrication tools to re-examine the form and utility of the incense burner, the project sought to simultaneously celebrate cultural heritage and technological progress, which are interdependent and mutually supportive. The March exhibit was featured online in the international design journal Domus.

based solar artist Anthony Castronovo, and two workshops conducted by a QSTec intern, Seif Hashem. The workshops provided an overview of existing solar-powered interactive projects within urban environments and introduced a range of technical skills associated with designing armatures, programming and working with solar technology. Following the workshop series, students continued working in teams to produce solar-powered, interactive, wearable devices. The resulting projects were exhibited at the Fire Station in April 2017 at the QSTec Solar Art Festival and the Web Information Systems Engineering (WISE) conference in Russia in October 2017.

Faculty develop cross-university interdisciplinary course in

Graphic Design collaborations with other universities inspire

Education City

creative projects

Interim Director of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Byrad Yyelland, and Interim

In addition to their partnership with Vibrant and Katara, the Depart-

Chair of Graphic Design, Peter Martin, collaborated with colleagues

ment of Graphic Design created other partnerships to spark their

from Texas A&M University at Qatar and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar,

students’ creativity. During the spring 2018 semester, associate profes-

to develop the first cross-university interdisciplinary course in Educa-

sors Denielle Emans and Levi Hammett led a six-week collaboration

tion City called “Wellbeing and Happiness for Self and Society.” The

between junior Graphic Design students at VCUarts Qatar and the

course considers various determinants and definitions of wellbeing and

University of Michigan. Working in collaboration with partners studying

Student projects on display included Sidra Zubairi, (MFA ’18) “Alarm!”;

happiness and aims to encourage students to develop interdisciplinary

Interaction Design, seven cross-cultural teams responded to a prompt

Hazem Asif (MFA ’18) and Noora Melhim (MFA ’19), “Mi-Bag”; Norah

collaborative projects aimed at promoting wellness. This course was

to reimagine public spaces in order to foster dialogue, encourage play

Al-Shammari (MFA ’18), “Bedouin Diabetic Kit” and Nourbanu Hijazi

initiated by Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice

between strangers, promote cultural awareness or celebrate cultural

(MFA ‘18), “The Handy Shed.”

Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation. The team designed the

diversity in a positive atmosphere.

course throughout the fall of 2017. Yyelland and Martin collaboratively taught the course to graphic and fashion design students in the spring of 2018 as a prototype of the course as it is currently being taught to students from VCUarts Qatar, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. This course is expected to be offered again in the fall of 2019 to all Education City students.

During the fall 2017 semester, four junior students in the Print 1 course engaged in a collaboration with an engineering team from Texas A&M at Qatar. The team’s goal was to design and fabricate a car to enter in the Shell Eco-Marathon Challenge, an international student engineering competition. The team of VCUarts Qatar students were tasked with designing the body for the car and worked closely with the engineering team to ensure that the design constraints were met. The VCUarts Qatar students were Sarah Elawad, Faheem Khan, Yeon Hwang and Reham Mohammed Fadl Hossain Ahmed. The class was led by professors Levi Hammett and Leland Hill.

Sophomore student work shown in Richmond and Doha In a cross-continental classroom collaboration, sophomore students in Doha joined VCU students in the production of an exhibition titled “Strong Line+Studio News” in January 2018. Students from Print Media I classes in Doha under the mentorship and leadership of Painting + Printmaking Interim Director Fleming Jeffries, along with Print Media I students in Richmond, under the supervision of Richmond faculty members Jill Zevenbergen and Brooke Inman, submitted work for the show. The parameter for each print was a line running across the page, but otherwise, students were free to choose the theme, media and format. The result is a unique collection of hand-pulled prints (using intaglio, screen-printing and lithography), that explore continuity, place, scale and movements, variably arranged along a strong line. The resulting body of work from 33 students and faculty was exhibited at both the Saffron Hall in Doha and the Anderson Gallery in the home campus.

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International Interior Design Association Student Competition shortlists student proposals Students from the Department of Interior Design participated in the International Interior Design Association’s Student Design Competition. The competition celebrates the talent and fresh design ideas of interior design students who are currently enrolled in an interior design program or institution and provides emerging professionals with the opportunity to showcase their work and gain exposure in the interior design industry. The competition challenge was to design a new marketing and sales support office at OFS Brands headquarters in Huntingburg, Indiana. Three groups from the Senior Design Studio, under the supervision of faculty members Johan Granberg and Haithem El-Hammali, were shortlisted to submit their proposals.

Collaborative cross-disciplinary studio course drives applied learning, wins teaching scholarship awards For the second consecutive year, the Department of Interior Design combined Introductory Interior Design Studio II with the theory-based course “Interior Materials and Textiles” and a computer graphics course “Interior Graphics II” to enable learning from one course to better inform solutions in another course. The intra-disciplinary work is supported by the Writing Center, the Materials Library and the Fabrication Lab and Woodshop. The pedagogic experiment led to faculty research publications that were the recipients of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning awards.

Swedish Embassy collaboration In the fall semester of 2016, the Swedish Embassy and VCUarts Qatar’s Department of Interior Design collaborated on a project that combined the embassy and culture house. The project site is theoretically located in Doha’s Lusail area, the newly established cultural zone. The project aims to promote Sweden’s economic interests and the image of Sweden abroad, facilitate exports and imports and encourage trade with Qatar and the region. This collaboration lead to the successful exhibition “House of Sweden” which was held in conjunction with Swedish National Day celebrations at The St. Regis Hotel, Doha, on April 25, 2017. The event was well-attended, with over 1,500 visitors.

14 Exhibition at Art 29 gallery, W Doha Hotel A group exhibition featuring artworks by Painting + Printmaking junior and senior students from VCUarts Qatar was shown at the W Doha Hotel’s Art 29 gallery in November 2017. Students who exhibited their work included Aisha Al-Ziani, Amena Al-Yousef, Kaltham Al-Thani, LaRissa Rogers, Maryam Alameri, Maryam Al-Thani, MS Alkhayarin, Noof Al-Theyab, Noor Alshebani, Nour Elbasuni, Lolwa Alsulaiti, Roda Al-Khori, Sara Al-Fadaaq and Sonia Limberis. As junior and senior students from the Painting + Printmaking depart-

Kaltham Al-Kuwari wins Qatar Education Excellence Award Class of 2017 Interior Design graduate Kaltham Al-Kuwari was the recipient of “The Education Excellence Award” held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to honor Qataris who excel in science and several other fields to disseminate the culture of creativeness and excellence in the society of Qatar. The award was conferred on distinguished Qatari students in different fields and had eight categories. Winners were honored under

ment at VCUarts Qatar develop as artists, they learn and explore the

the auspices of the Amir in a widely publicized ceremony. The award is

different ways in which they can present their work as a part of their

organized annually by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

broad and versatile curriculum. The show was the outcome of an all-

Al-Kuwari graduated from VCUarts Qatar with a BA in Interior Design

student effort in realizing and putting together the students’ personal

in May 2017. She was the recipient of the gold medal in the 11th edition

investigations thus far.

of the Education Excellence Awards.

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Doha Film Institute collaboration In spring 2017, the VCUarts Qatar Interior Design Department engaged in a collaborative effort to bridge the gap between industry trends and academia guidelines. The partnership with Doha Film Institute (DFI) offered a design studio in film design. The course was structured in three different phases: workshops, production, and postproduction. After the class, four students secured jobs with DFI productions. The objective of the elective course was to meet the Council for Interior Design Accreditation standards, which require programs to pave the way for students before graduation to collaborate with allied disciplines. Likewise, the intent was to support a budding Qatari film industry as well as utilize filmmaking tools to explore space. The course contained elements of theory and analysis, as well as real life experiences where the students worked to execute projects together with professionals from the film industry. The course outcome helped the students to

Design charrette encourages faculty and student participation in cultural event in Doha The Graphic Design program spring 2018 semester began with a two-

a chance for sophomores, juniors, seniors and faculty to work and

and-a-half-day design charrette in which nine teams of faculty and

play creatively with each other as an invigorating and inspiring start

students collaborated with the organizers of the “Light Me Doha 2018”

to the semester. The installation of winning student work was shown

festival and the lighting design firm Vibrant, to design concept pro-

at Doha’s first light festival, “Light Me Doha 2018,” which was held at

posals for light-based installations in Katara. This charrette provided

Katara in November 2018.

1) Gain a deeper understanding of interior design concepts through the camera perspective 2) Develop a portfolio to pursue careers within filmmaking, and garner process-based, hands-on learning experiences, from ideation to full execution.

MFA in Design students win Arab Innovation Academy award to develop their innovative idea Rabab Abdulla and Mariam Rafehi (MFA ’19) participated in the Arab

their doctors, won fast track acceptance into Qatar Science & Technol-

Innovation Academy, a global event that guides students through the

ogy Park’s XLR8 program in 2018. Their win means they were able to

process of turning an idea to a tech startup in 10 days. Their project

benefit from a three-month mentorship to help bring their idea to life.

“Sukkari,” which empowers diabetics by remotely connecting them to

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G LO B A L E X P E R I E N C E

G LO B A L Experience

Thailand service-learning trips

Cross-campus interdisciplinary fashion

Every December, students have a chance to participate

trip to Morocco

in a transformative service-learning trip to Thailand to

The Departments of Fashion Design from

live and work with the Karen people of Muan Paem. The

Richmond and Qatar led an interdisciplin-

trip is offered in collaboration with the Interior Design and

ary design program in May 2017 with a

Student Affairs departments and youth experiential ser-

group of nine undergraduate students and

vice-learning company, Into the Wild. Every year students

alumni. The program explored the rich textile,

learn weaving and looming, cooking, wood and bamboo

leather and craft industries in Morocco, and

carving, farming and living off the land. In exchange, the

afforded participants the opportunity to

students offer a project. In 2015, students helped to build

spend time at the prestigious École National

a house for the village school teacher. In 2016, nine stu-

d’Architecture in Rabat. The participants

dents participated, with a trip goal of developing ethnog-

explored topics on sustainability and ethical

raphies for the village to help it attract tourism as a living

design, Moroccan culture, calligraphy, henna

museum. In 2017, six students and three faculty members

painting and more. The 10-day spring trip

aimed to create a display case, website and cookbook for

was led by Richmond Department Chair,

the village. Student participant Eman Makki’s design and

Patricia Brown, and faculty member Hawa

model was used to build the display case in the village. On

Stowdah along with former VCUarts Qatar

their return, the students presented their experiences to

Department Chair Sandra Wilkins.

faculty and staff. One student commented, “It was one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had. Every year, I would say to myself that I should experience more, but never do. This year, however, I challenged myself by doing this service trip and I have learned a lot during a short period.”

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Modern felted prayer rugs: MFA-On-The-Go Field Study trip to The Netherlands Collaborating with fiber artists Harm Harms and Saar Snoek, MFA

By the end of the workshop each participant had produced a tangible

in Design students and faculty participated in a five-day immersive

outcome, which was then exhibited in the project space gallery at

workshop at the Hawar Textile Institute in Oldeberkoop, the Nether-

VCUarts Qatar and in the group exhibition “Pray: Modern Prayer Rugs

lands. The workshop was part of a longer trip that included a visit to

Felted in the Netherlands,” at The Anderson gallery in Richmond. The

Amsterdam, and three days in Eindhoven during Dutch Design Week.

exhibition was collaboratively curated with Chase Westfall, gallery

During the Hawar Textile Institute workshop, students and faculty each made a unique full-size prayer rug. Reinventing this ancient archetype, each student and faculty member explored a uniquely expressive idea that began with the craft of felting natural fibers, and then added modern laser cut templates, laser cut polyether foam padding for comfort, foam resists for layering color and pattern, and integrating other fabrics to achieve design effects.

manager at The Anderson. Participants in the field study and gallery shows included: Nourbanu Hijazi (’18), Norah Al-Shammari (’18), Hazem Asif (18), Sidra Zubairi (’18), Rabab Abdulla (’19), Aisha Daniels (’19), Mohamad Jawad Jaffari (’19), Se Hee Jang (’19), Rabeya Khatoon (’19), Majdulin Nasr Allah (’19), Mariam Rafehi (’19) and Alisha Saiyed (’19). The faculty trip leaders who also produced rugs displayed in the exhibitions were Richard Blackwell, Marco Bruno, Diane Derr, Rab McClure, Thomas Modeen and Yasmeen Suleiman.

VCU Globe trip to Greece 2017–18 In partnership with the VCU Global Education Office and VCUarts Qatar International Education division of Student Affairs, a unique opportunity for service learning was offered to 22 VCU GLOBE and four VCUarts Qatar students to travel to Athens, Greece, to learn about Greek culture, the refugee crisis in Greece and serve the refugee populations within Athens. Students had the opportunity to serve about 30 hours at two different service providers and meet with NGOs in Athens on the ground. The program provided students with a hands-on view of the refugee crisis and the local community’s response to refugees. The hope for this collaborative project was for student participants to share their knowledge and experiences from this trip with the VCU Richmond and VCUarts Qatar communities to throw light on the refugee crisis.

Annual fashion field study to Istanbul, Turkey On Oct. 19, 2017, 25 VCUarts Qatar faculty members and students traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, for the annual field study trip. This is an annual trip designed to introduce various international fashion centers to students. Students attended Premiere Vision 2017, the world’s most important textile exhibit, and had a chance to tour the Grand Bazaar and The International Fashion Academy where they engaged with students and checked out the curriculum and facilities.

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To further extend the opportunity to her students, Emans organized a five-day field study to Abu Dhabi with six students to learn about community outreach from a professional and regional standpoint. The trip was co-chaperoned with Assistant Professor Maryam Al-Homaid and involved attending the Riwak al Fikr event, visiting Amirates Palace, Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Alserkal Avenue in Dubai.

Graphic Design program field study in Iceland 2016–17 For seven days in May 2017, 13 graphic design students traveled around

their reflections and discoveries, everyone traveling participated in

Iceland, engaged in a diverse set of activities ranging from visiting the

a postcard project that involved sending self-made postcards from

studios of Icelandic designers and artists and the Iceland Academy of

Qatar to Iceland, and while in Iceland, sending their daily experiences

the Arts, to exploring the geography and natural wonders of the volca-

and observations back to Qatar. These postcards were displayed in the

nic island. Under the guidance of Graphic Design Interim Chair, Peter

VCUarts Qatar’s hallways to share some comparative insights from

Martin, and faculty member Michael Hersrud, the students engaged

the trip with the students and faculty who did not travel.

in various reflective and creative activities. To help capture some of

Abu Dhabi Festival 2017 In March 2017, graphic design Assistant Professor Denielle Emans was invited by the assistant dean of the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises at Zayed University to take part in the “Abu Dhabi Festival 2017: Culture and Tolerance,” entitled Riwaq Al Fikr. As an invited panel member, Emans was asked to engage in an educational debate

Senior theses shown at the Qatar Pavilion of

about how to utilize design to bring about positive change to our soci-

IDF Oman Exhibition

eties with keynote guest speaker, Jessica Walsh, partner at Sagmeister

Three interior design alumnae from the Class of 2017, Bashayer

our own businesses and projects. Many architects, interior designers

Al-Naimi, Sahar Al-Ansari and Kaltham Al-Kuwari, secured an exhibi-

and businessmen encouraged us to keep moving forward towards the

tion of their senior project outcomes at the IDF Oman exhibition that

completion of our projects and to make our goals possible.” Another

was held in Oman on Feb. 27, 2017. This effort was sponsored by Qatar

added that “it was a great opportunity for us to network and find

Development Bank (QDB) for commitment to community service

people interested in investing in our projects or even people willing to

through supporting and motivating recent graduates. The exhibition

work with us and combine our skills to create something spectacular.

was oriented towards interior design and furniture, paving the way for

It also allowed us to take on freelance clients for future projects.”

young talents to flourish. About the experience, one alumna com-

& Walsh, New York. Emans took the opportunity to invite junior graphic design student and the president of the Chit Chat Chai Club, Amira Natsheh, to join her on the panel. The debate portion of the event was moderated by Ahmed Alanzi, manager of Dubai Design and Fashion Council. The event was sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and held at Zayed University (Abu Dhabi).

mented, “The exhibition gave us a lot of encouragement to start

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VC UA RT S Richmond

01 Photograph by Allen Jones; courtesy of University Relations

Inside the Anderson The Anderson building might be the same, but inside the historic gallery, a new space has taken shape—one that’s a vibrant platform

Introducing Dean Shawn Brixey

for student programming, experimentation and leadership.

In July 2017, VCUarts welcomed a new dean to replace Joe Seipel who

miles with unerring accuracy. On top of that, if you understand the

retired in 2016. Interim Dean James Frazier, Ed.D. returned to his role

compass is interacting with the Earth’s field, it’s a field that in a con-

as tenured professor in the Department of Dance and Choreography.

crete sense, never really is, because it’s always becoming. So, it was

Ahead of fall classes, Dean Shawn Brixey was interviewed by Style

also a perfect moment.”

Weekly’s Brent Baldwin, who asked the new dean about his artistic philosophy and vision for VCUarts. Brixey was born in Springfield, Missouri, to a pair of classically trained

This revelation would prove to be the genesis of Dean Brixey’s entire philosophy as an artist, one that he pursued further as a graduate student at MIT. Over the next 30 years, he blurred the lines between

In the last year alone, Chase Westfall, curator of student exhibitions and programs, organized exhibitions of undergraduate and graduate student work, live music shows and performances and installations by a number of visiting artists. At the 2018 MFA Thesis Exhibition, graduate students took over every corner of the Anderson with pieces extending deep into the basement.

artists – his father, a Broadway actor and his mother, a symphony

science experiments and art exhibitions with mind-boggling sensory

cellist who had transitioned to the film and TV industry. As the dean

experiences. His project “Altamira” used the Haystack Observatory

mistic intellectual life that is grounded in the practical demands

puts it, he was raised on a soundstage. “My parents encoded people’s

radio telescope to send recordings of dying stars straight to people’s

of the historical and political.”

dreams, their mysteries, their imaginations, their voices, their agency,”

brains – creating an experimental work of art in the mind’s eye of

he recalls, “into some sort of electromagnetic force that was decoded

the viewer.

or reconstructed somewhere else. That really stuck with me.”

“These projects,” Westfall says, “reflect a rich, ambitious and even opti-

collaborators into the Anderson, and strengthen the relationships

At VCUarts, Brixey wants to inspire students to think and act with

he’s built with local artists and the school’s departments. A special

Inspired by the hybridization of art and science that fueled film and TV,

his same degree of creative daring. He plans to do that by fostering

Open Call invites VCUarts alumni working in all disciplines and

Brixey decided to pursue an interdisciplinary and unorthodox educa-

an environment where students’ dreams aren’t just possible to be

media to submit proposals for two-week installations, performances,

tion. In his undergraduate years, the Kansas City Art Institute bussed

achieved, but likely.

screenings or events. Submissions are open until Feb. 13, 2019, at

him and his classmates out to Western Kansas and told them they had 10-12 hours to create a “perfect line” or a “perfect moment.” Moments before the deadline, Brixey hastily made a pond out of a hole in the ground and magnetized a piece of wheat chaff with a darning needle – a rudimentary compass. “When they came back, everyone stared silently at the hole and didn’t say anything. But the professors knew that by building a compass, I had drawn an invisible line that circumscribed the globe by 24,000

“One thing we’re really sensitive about at VCUarts is thinking about

This year, Westfall wants to refine the processes that bring student

arts.vcu.edu/theanderson.

students and their first big investment in themselves. Not just a degree, but a preparation for a world of dynamic change, a crucible of every kind of creative option. You want your students to become the world’s leading experts in their own area of practice.”

From top to bottom 01 A Polished Pile of Dirt, Jenna Marie Alderiso (MFA ‘18), Craft /Material Studies 02 Detail from Quotations like the Sharpest Claws, Johanna Robinson (MFA ‘18), Painting + Printmaking 03 [You are with] Kin and [You can be at] Ease, Azim Al Ghussein (MFA ‘18), Painting + Printmaking 03

62 — Issue 5

Issue 5 — 63

VCUA RT S R I C H M O N D

Free hot coffee When John Freyer went to his first recovery meeting five

A performance of MK Abadoo’s immersive, site-expansive dance work Octavia’s Brood: Riding the Ox Home.

years ago, all he could think about was how terrible the

Catalysts for creative collaboration

coffee tasted. So, he came to the next meeting with an expensive bag of his favorite coffee—that everyone hated.

Two years later, Freyer tried again—but with a different approach. He partnered with Richmond’s Lamplighter Roasting Company and invited people in recovery to sample different roasts and develop a community flavor profile. “The idea was, instead of telling them what’s good, why don’t we let them tell us what they like?” Freyer says.

When artist and musician Paul Rucker was 18, he joined the South

Now that her fellowship year is over and Abadoo has been hired as an

Carolina Philharmonic as a double bassist. He was one of two black

assistant professor in the dance department, she’s translating the per-

musicians, but the other moved away the following year. That’s when

formance into a series of site-specific works, titled “LOCS Unchained.”

Rucker noticed something. Not only was he the only black person in

The three-part performance will follow the journey that people of

the orchestra, but when he looked out into the audience of several

African descent took in the process of enslavement—departing from

thousand people, he realized he was the only black person in the

Accra, Ghana, arriving in the Tidewater area, and disbursing from

entire building.

Richmond. Abadoo’s performances will follow that path in reverse,

“If you look at any symphony in the country right now—even in a

Freyer’s coffee mission has since evolved into a multifaceted social art

chocolate city like Richmond—black people are not proportionately

practice, Fifty/Fifty, aimed at changing the conversation around ad-

represented in that orchestra,” he says. “If you look at art museums

diction and recovery. He built a custom cherry-red bike, equipped with

and art institutions, the directors and leadership staff are overwhelm-

a pour-over coffee maker. Every week, Freyer and students from VCU’s

ingly white.”

collegiate recovery program take the bike out to serve free coffee and

Rucker is hoping to change that. He’s part of a VCU initiative, iCubed,

talk about their experiences with addiction. In Free Ice Water, pairs of

that prioritizes hiring faculty from diverse backgrounds and catalyzing

individuals have a one-hour conversation about significant turning points in their lives. Free Hot Supper brings residents together for a community dinner. In 2017, Freyer, a professor in the Department of Photography + Film,

sociate in a new experiment for the museum that aims to change the understanding of what art can be and do. During a weeklong residency at the Tate, he hosted a cupping event

with the museum’s staff coffee roaster, took his coffee bike around London, and held Free Ice Water and Free Hot Supper events. He also partnered with a residential recovery center to help establish collegiate recovery programs and launch a coffee bike in the UK.

From top to bottom 01 “We were making on-the-spot decisions that created a unique roast profile—much akin to the wider project,” says Head of Coffee Tom Haigh about the Tate’s Recovery Roast. 02 The coffee bike outside the Tate Modern 03 A cupping event with Rounton Coffee and Recovery Connections, a residential center in Middlesbrough, UK. “John’s approach offers opportunity to message recovery, challenge stigma and advocate for the needs of people in addiction,” says Recovery Connections CEO Dot Turton.

“LOCS is guided by the community,” she says. “That’s really a result of me deepening partnerships with folks here, both in the dance community and in the larger community justice groups.” She’ll also be teaching her students how to incorporate social justice

specifically focuses on racial equity in arts and culture, as an artist-in-

and community engagement in their own creative work, particularly

residence at the ICA, Institute for Contemporary Art.

through a spring 2019 course that will challenge students to explore

gural exhibition. “Storm in the Time of Shelter” featured rows of man-

U.S.-based Tate Exchange partner and Freyer is the school’s first as-

team, and bring in community organizers for collaboration and conversation.

collaborations to explore solutions to societal problems. Rucker’s role

Rucker’s work was a provocative component of the institute’s inau-

took his social enterprise to London’s Tate Modern. VCUarts is the first

beginning with a performance in Richmond in 2019. To incorporate local context, she’ll work with a Richmond-based artist and production

what it means to make art in a community practice. And back in the ICA, as an assistant professor, Paul Rucker will extend

nequins donning Ku Klux Klan robes made of kente cloth, camouflage,

his own creative experiences to empower other artists with career-ori-

satin and more. The work was accompanied by objects from Rucker’s

ented workshops. He’ll also spend the coming year writing a book and

own collection of KKK memorabilia, pro-slavery books, artifacts re-

leading a series of workshops aimed at nurturing artistic authenticity

lated to slavery, and a 20-page newspaper offering historical context.

and dealing with psychological barriers that many creatives face.

At the same time Rucker’s work was going up in the ICA, another

Rucker hopes participants will learn how to celebrate small victories,

iCubed fellow, MK Abadoo, was embedded in the VCUarts Depart-

rather than focus on the negatives. “We all have voices in our head that

ment of Dance + Choreography. She explores race and racism in her

tell us that we’re good or we’re bad, or we’re worthless or we’re brilliant,”

own work LOCS. In the performance, Abadoo dances with 25 feet of

he says. “We can easily paralyze ourselves with the negative voices.”

hair that has been braided into her own. “LOCS is an experiential place for folks to really investigate and uncover the system of racial oppression,” she says. “Because we’ve all been

“Nurturing that aspect of risk-taking is a really important part of being a creative. Because there are no real failures—just a documentation of attempts.”

racialized. How does that show up in us in the ways that we relate to each other? And how do we actually create a space of wellness, a space of compassion, so we can address it?”

64 — Issue 5

Issue 5 — 65

E XC H A N G E

The aim of this exchange is to strengthen the relationship between the Richmond and Qatar campuses while also providing Richmond students, faculty and staff the opportunity to learn more about the VCUarts Qatar campus, and vice versa. The visits are part of VCU’s Qatar Leadership Exchange Program, and the students tour the host campuses and meet with various student groups and faculty, while learning about the surrounding city and culture. In fall 2017, a preview event called “Majlis Day” was held on the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus the day before the Qatar Day celebration. Majlis is an Arabic word that means “lounge,” and the event was held to allow students from the medical program at MCV to meet with students from VCUarts Qatar and find out more about student life in Qatar, including the Qatar Leadership Exchange Program. Students from VCUarts Qatar have worked on a number of exhibitions that featured art and medicine in recent years. The 2017–18 Qatar Day was hosted by 17 students from VCUarts Qatar. During their trip they visited the African American Museum, were given tours of School of the Arts campus, VCU’s medical campus, the Anderson Gallery, met with Student Government Association members, Qatar Day Food, fashion, falcons and fun – that’s just a brief summary

visited the Da Vinci Center at VCU and had lunch with VCU’s provost and associate provosts.

of the amazing time to be had at the annual VCUarts

They also attended the 7th Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium

Qatar Day on the home campus in Richmond.

on Islamic Art, titled “Islamic Art: Past, Present and Future?” which

VCUarts Qatar Day is a yearly event that brings our faculty and students to the home campus in Richmond. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff from VCU attend the event, which features art and design projects from VCUarts Qatar, as well as traditional aspects of Qatari

took place from November 2-4, 2017, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. While attending the conference, they met with Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute and Reach Out to Asia, who gave the opening address at the symposium.

and Arab culture such as henna, Arabic calligraphy and

While at the symposium, several of the Art History students had

traditional Qatari clothing.

the honor of introducing the symposium speakers who included

The event also features a fashion show by the previous year’s recipient of the W Designer of the Future award,

Hassan Hajjaj, Venetia Porter, Shahzia Sikander, Stefano Carboni and Linda Komaroff.

which is often new graduates’ first solo fashion shows. In

Hayak (Welcome) vinyl mural installation at the

2017–18, the fashion show featured Ghalya Al-Neemah,

VCUarts Qatar House

and in 2016–17, Saadia Khabab. Khabab’s designs for the

Qatar Day also saw the launch of an exhibit of a student-designed

fashion show comprised seven pieces from her collection,

mural at the public gallery at the VCUarts Qatar House in Richmond.

from which she took inspiration from the W Doha Hotel

The mural explored aspects of life in Qatar, juxtaposing both tradi-

and used colors according to its theme, alongside seven

tional and contemporary themes to form large-scale patterns that

pieces from her senior collection. “The W Doha Hotel has adopted her for a whole year and they promote her as a young emerging designer throughout their chain of hotels and internationally,” said Sandra Bell Wilkins, former chair of the fashion department at VCUarts Qatar. “It was an amazing experience.”

were applied to the windows to filter sunlight, mimicking the effects of traditional mashrabia screens. The project was a collaboration orchestrated at VCUarts Qatar by Isabelle St-Louis, manager of Exhibitions and Lectures, and at VCU by Matthew Charboneau, Design Technology and Program coordinator and GoLab manager. First-year MFA in Design students designed and prototyped the murals in the “Digital Design and Fabrication” course taught by Department of Painting +

The collaborative student developed event is an important

Printmaking faculty member and Digital Fabrication Lab and Wood-

cultural exchange for both campuses, and students from

shop Coordinator, Ric Blackwell.

the home campus also travel to Qatar for a similar event.

66 — Issue 5

Issue 5 — 67

THE YEAR In Numbers

2016–2017

19 T H AC A D E M I C Y E A R

2017–2018

2 0 T H AC A D E M I C Y E A R

26 0 B FA / 5 6 B A / 12 M FA S T U D E N T S E N R O L L E D

26 0 B FA / 65 B A / 14 M FA S T U D E N T S E N R O L L E D

I N T H E I N C O M I N G FA L L C L A S S E S

16T H G R A D UAT I N G C L A S S

17 T H G R A D UAT I N G C L A S S

5 8 B FA / 8 B A / 4 M FA S T U D E N T S G R A D UAT E D

47 B FA / 5 B A / 6 M FA S T U D E N T S G R A D UAT E D

I N D E C 2 016 – AU G 2 017

I N D E C 2 017 – N OV 2 018

584 ALUMNI*

6 42 A L U M N I *

* B A S E D O N M O S T R E C E N T C A LC U L AT I O N S

STUDENTS ENROLLED 32 8 S T U D E N T S

BREAKDOWN BY MAJOR

STUDENTS ENROLLED 3 39 S T U D E N T S

BREAKDOWN BY MAJOR

B FA

A RT F O U N DAT I O N 87

A RT F O U N DAT I O N 8 0

FA S H I O N 27

FA S H I O N 2 4

GR APHIC 60

GR APHIC 71

I N T E R I O R 62

I N T E R I O R 61

PA I N T I N G + P R I N T M A K I N G 2 4

S T U D E N T S & FA C U L T Y/ S TA F F

S T U D E N T P O P U L AT I O N

(N U M B E R S R E F L E C T 2 017 –2 018 AC A D E M I C Y E A R )

ALBANIA

LEBANON

ALGERIA

MAL AYSIA

AUSTR ALIA

MORO CCO

AFGHANISTAN

NEW ZE AL AND

BAHR AIN

NIGERIA

BANGL ADESH

OMAN

BR A ZIL

PAKISTAN

BELGIUM

PERU

C ANADA

PHILIPPINE S

CYPRUS

Q ATAR

DENMARK

SAUDI AR ABIA

ECUAD OR

SOUTH AFRIC A

EGYP T

SINGAP ORE

FR ANCE

SOUTH KORE A

FINL AND

SRI L ANK A

GERMANY

SUDAN

GREECE

SWEDEN

HUNGARY

SYRIA

INDIA

TUNISIA

IND ONE SIA

TURKE Y

IR AN

UNITED AR AB AMIR ATES

IR AQ

UNITED KINGD OM

ITALY

UNITED STATE S

JORDAN

VENE ZUEL A

Q ATA R I

N O N - Q ATA R I

61.95%

3 8.0 5%

E N R O L L M E N T B Y D E PA R T M E N T (N U M B E R S R E F L E C T 2 017 –2 018 AC A D E M I C Y E A R )

GR APHIC DESIGN A RT F O U N DAT I O N

2 0.94%

2 3.6 0%

INTERIOR DESIGN

A RT H I S T O RY

17.9 9 %

19.17 %

PA I N T I N G + P R I N T M A K I N G FA S H I O N D E S I G N

7.0 8%

M FA D E S I G N 4.13%

JAMAIC A

WE ST BANK / PALE STINE

A RT H I S T O RY 5 6

A RT H I S T O RY 65

KENYA

YEMEN

M FA

KUWAIT

12 S T U D E N T S

14 S T U D E N T S

2 3 5 C O M P L E T E D A P P L I C AT I O N S

PA I N T I N G + P R I N T M A K I N G 17

13 5 AC C E P T E D S T U D E N T S

1 0 6 AC C E P T E D S T U D E N T S

A RT H I S T O RY 13

91 ENROLLED STUDENTS

88 ENROLLED STUDENTS

M FA 1 0

278

2 59

3 39

3 31

1 59

292

314 12 2

2 07 C O M P L E T E D A P P L I C AT I O N S

2 0 02

GR APHIC 28

117

RECRUITMENT FA L L 2 0 17

2 0 01

FA S H I O N 19

RECRUITMENT FA L L 2 0 1 6

141

B Y M A J O R 2016 –2018

244

6 4 Q ATA R I , 6 4 N O N - Q ATA R I 119 F E M A L E , 9 M A L E (S TA RT I N G 2 011)

2 31

S P R I NG S E M E ST E R 2018 E D U C AT I O N C I T Y U N I V E R S I T I E S: 13

BA M FA

181

S P R I N G S E M E S T E R 2 0 17 E D U C AT I O N C I T Y U N I V E R S I T I E S: 9

B FA

2 19

E D U C AT I O N C I T Y U N I V E R S I T I E S: 18

12 8 G R A D UAT E S

208

E D U C AT I O N C I T Y U N I V E R S I T I E S: 32

A LU M N I 2016 –2018

193

FA L L S E M E S T E R 2 0 17

2 0 07

FA L L S E M E S T E R 2 0 1 6

19 2

C R O S S R E G I S T R AT I O N

2006

C R O S S R E G I S T R AT I O N

32 3

T O TA L E N R O L L M E N T

2 018

2 017

2 016

2 01 5

2 014

2 013

2 012

2 011

2 01 0

2009

2008

2005

2004

2 0 03

I N T E R I O R 41

A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

Othman Khunji

You’ve have traveled quite a circuitous path to becoming a successful established artist while holding a full-time job as a student recruitment and admissions counselor at VCUarts Qatar. Describe your transition from computer programming and interior design to the interdisciplinary artist you are today.

S T U D E N T R E C RU I T M E N T & A D M I S S I O N S C O U N S E LO R , VCUA RT S Q ATA R M FA I N D E S I G N ’15

I always knew that I liked creative fields—art, design and interactive installations—but I didn’t have the necessary parental support to pursue those fields of study, so I went into computer programming. At that time, the creative sector was not perceived as a field where you could gain a steady income in the Gulf region. It actually wasn’t until the rise of the wedding planning industry and customized event parties that people began to see that there were entrepreneurial business opportunities in developing beautiful, creative spaces. After working for years in fields such as marketing and banking, I decided it was time to do something creative. The only avenue available to me at the time was a degree in interior design, and it was quite difficult to convince my parents to allow me to pursue it. They, and society in general, seemed to trivially equate interior design with interior decorating. The career options for interior designers at that time were quite limited, as it was considered an exclusive domain for architects. While I did work at a few interior design firms, I still felt a lack of stimulation, so I moved to Dubai, United Arab Amirates, and then to Bogota, Columbia, to gain some international experience, both personally and professionally. A few years later, a friend of mine who was a student at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar suggested that I check out the educational opportunities at Qatar Foundation, particularly the VCUarts Qatar master’s program. I applied and was awarded a full scholarship and was soon on my way.

“The MFA program was a revelation, an odyssey of sorts, in which I learned to find my creative voice —telling a story, expressing a message or designing a simulation— using art to discuss social justice issues we live in, and through, today.” ‫من دبلوم في علوم الكمبيوتر إلى بكالوريوس في التصميم الداخلي من‬

‫ وأخيرا الحصول على درجة ماجستير الفنون الجميلة في التصميم من‬،‫البحرين‬

‫ وشغل منصب مستشار‬،‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر‬ ‫ هل تستطيع أن‬.‫قبول الطالب في الجامعة إضافة إلى ممارسة حياتك كفنان‬

‫تصف لنا كيف انتقلت في حياتك من برمجة الكمبيوتر والتصميم الداخلي لهذا‬ ‫الفنان متعدد التخصصات الذي أنت عليه اليوم؟‬

‫ ولكنين‬- ‫ الفن والتصميم والرتاكيب التفاعلية‬- ‫دامئا حبيب للمجاالت اإلبداعية‬ ً ‫شعرت‬ ‫ ولذلك درست‬،‫لم أحصل عىل الدعم الالزم من والدي لمتابعة هذا المجال أكادمييا‬ ‫ لم يكن قطاع الفن ميكنك من احلصول عىل دخل‬،‫ يف ذلك الوقت‬.‫برجمة الكمبيوتر‬ ‫ يف الواقع لم يسطع هذا المجال إال مع انتاشر صناعة التخطيط‬.‫ثابت يف منطقة اخلليج‬ ‫حلفالت الزفاف والمناسبات اخلاصة واليت بدأ الناس يروهنا كفرص جتارية ريادية يف تطوير‬ .‫الماسحات بطريقة مجيلة وإبداعية‬

01 Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at the BFA + MFA exhibition in 2015

The MFA program was a revelation, an odyssey of sorts, in which I learned to find my creative voice—telling a story, expressing a message or designing a simulation – using art to discuss social justice issues we live in, and through, today. My MFA thesis explored my experience with religion, finding a way to embrace it with the competing demands on my time and remembering all the work that my mother put into bringing me up as an educated, humble Muslim. Othman Khunji is a Bahraini artist who graduated in 2015 from the MFA in Design program. His master thesis artwork collection, “The Five Pillars of Islam,” caught the immediate attention of Qatar Foundation’s art director, who wanted to procure one of the five interactive pieces as a permanent installation in the Education City Mosque building. However, when Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, viewed the collection, she acquired it immediately, thereby launching Khunji’s career. Currently, he is the student recruitment and admissions counselor at VCUarts Qatar, and continues to pursue his career as an artist, engaging in independent, interdisciplinary design projects and exhibitions. In this interview, Khunji talks about his path to becoming an artist and reflects on the development of the art and design community in Qatar.

‫عثمان خنجي‬

2015 ،‫ماجستير الفنون الجميلة في التصميم‬

2015 ‫فنان حبريين خترج من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر عام‬ ‫ حظيت جمموعته للتخرج‬.‫وحصل عىل درجة الماجستري يف الفنون اجلميلة يف التصميم‬ ‫ والذي‬،‫ باالهتمام الفوري من المدير الفين لمؤسسة قطر‬،”‫“أركان اإلسالم اخلمسة‬ ‫أراد احلصول عىل واحدة من القطع اخلمس كقطعة فنية دامئة يف مبىن مسجد المدينة‬ ‫ رئيس‬،‫ وعندما اشهدت سعادة الشيخة المياسة بنت محد بن خليفة آل ثاين‬.‫التعليمية‬ ‫ مما مهد الطريق لعثمان لالنطالق‬،‫ اشرتهتا عىل الفور‬،‫ المجموعة‬،‫جملس أمناء متاحف قطر‬ ‫ يف حني‬،‫ يشغل عثمان حاليا منصب مستاشر قبول الطالب يف اجلامعة‬.‫يف حياته المهنية‬ ‫ واالخنراط يف ماشريع ومعارض مستقلة ومتعددة‬،‫ال يزال يسعى إىل حتقيق سمعته كفنان‬ ‫ يتحدث عثمان عن مشواره الفين وانعكاسه عىل تطوير‬،‫ يف هذه المقابلة‬.‫التخصصات‬ .‫جمتمع الفن والتصميم يف قطر‬

I lost my mother at 21, and I was able to really connect with her memory in creating the Prayary, a mechanical and interactive prayer rug that records your acts of devotion. My thesis was dedicated to her. In the dedication I wrote that the thesis is “a sentiment validating her voice that lives within me.” But more than that, the thesis expressed how doing certain acts reconnects you to your essential best self. I guess my path to where I am now brought me to the point of finding my creative voice and having the confidence to speak my truth. What do you like about being a student recruitment and admissions counselor?

This role really brings me around in a full circle. I see myself in most of the prospective applicants; I was also once a lost prospective student trying to find a path to express myself through education. I didn’t have anyone to believe in my dreams and talent, or even any 01

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A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

creative adult role models to aspire to be. It can be quite anxious to take a step towards art and design, hence, I want to alleviate those feelings of trepidation for our future students, to be that voice of support and encouragement, to be that someone who believes in them. I recently went recruiting at an all-boys school in Qatar. Many boys lacked the understanding of where an arts or design degree can take them in life, and expressed that these fields aren’t masculine enough or financially worth investing in to secure a prosperous professional career. I strongly disagree and hence was passionately explaining all the career options available to them by sharing my experience and the endless alumni success stories that shine locally and internationally because of VCUarts Qatar’s programs. As I was describing our programs, I distinctively remember one boy standing off to the side, listening to the discussion, yet hesitant to approach and take a closer look at our booth. When the rest of the boys left, he hurried straight towards me and desperately asked if I could brief him about our fashion program, before any of his classmates could overhear what he felt would be an embarrassing situation for him. That incident broke my heart, yet it’s those kinds of experiences that validate my role as a counselor and propel me to work towards ensuring every aspiring young person can be supported in finding their vocation as a student of art and design. How did the MFA prepare you for your professional life?

Other than literally having a second chance at exploring, experimenting, and learning new tools and techniques such as 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC engraving, vacuum forming and Arduino technology, the most useful thing I learned was how to accept and benefit from a critique session. I came to see constructive criticism as an essential process to any creative journey, and that helps me in my day job as a counselor, too. In 2015, I was accepted into Qatar Museum’s Fire Station Artist in Residence Program, and it was there that I saw how VCUarts Qatar prepares its graduates to really benefit from critiques. VCUarts Qatar’s students kept seeking endless critique sessions with the current mentor, Mr. Mahmoud Al Obaidi, a famous working artist, to gain his constructive feedback, as opposed to other artists who avoided his harsh critiques. He helped to inform and develop my series “The Selfless Holy Ground,” which explored the derived relationship between a Muslim’s vanity and the divine. On the exhibit’s opening night, everyone praised my series of five installations, but one curious teenage girl asked me, “Why are all the praying figures of men only?” Of course, I had my justifications, yet that potent question inspired me to create a whole series of other artworks empowering women – my “Her” series. If I didn’t have that discipline of welcoming and accepting feedback without getting offended, I would not be where I am today as an artist or a counselor. What is your creative process?

I draw my inspiration from talking to people and the ideas I encounter in my daily life and surroundings, with a special focus on giving

A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

‫ شعرت بأن الوقت قد حان‬،‫بعد العمل لسنوات يف جماالت التسويق واألعمال المرصفية‬ ‫ كان السبيل الوحيد المتاح يل يف ذلك الوقت هو احلصول عىل هشادة‬.‫للقيام بيشء مبدع‬ ‫ خاصة‬،‫ كان من الصعب حقا إقناع والدي مبتابعة هذا المجال‬،‫يف التصميم الداخيل‬ ‫ كانت اخليارات المهنية يف هذا المجال حمدودة‬.‫الرتباطه وبشكل عام بالديكور الداخيل‬ .‫ وكان مقترص ًا أكرث عىل الهندسة المعمارية‬،‫للغاية‬ ،‫ كنت أشعر بأن هناك ما ينقصين‬،‫عملت يف عدد قليل من رشكات التصميم الداخيل‬ ‫انتقلت إىل ديب ومن ثم إىل بوغوتا يف كولومبيا للحصول عىل بعض اخلربة العالمية عىل‬ ‫ وكان طالب ًا يف كلية‬،‫ اقرتح صديق يل‬،‫ بعد بضع سنوات‬.‫الصعيدين الشخيص والمهين‬ ‫ وخاصة برناجم‬،‫ أن أحبث يف الفرص التعليمية يف مؤسسة قطر‬،‫وايل كورنيل يف قطر‬ ‫ وفعال تقدمت‬.‫الماجستري يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ .‫ بدعم من عائليت‬،‫ وبدأت يف شق طريقي وهذه المرة‬.‫بطلب االلتحاق وتم قبويل‬ ‫ تعلمت فهيا ماشركة‬،‫ حمرية وغريبة نوعا ما‬،‫شكل برناجم الماجستري رحلة استكاشف‬ ‫ والتعبري عن آرايئ بقصة أو راسلة أو تصميم حماكاة واستخدام الفن لمناقشة‬،‫إبداعي‬ ‫ عربت راسليت يف الماجستريعن جتربيت مع‬.‫قضايا العدالة االجتماعية اليت نعيهشا اليوم‬ ‫ وإجياد طريقة الحتضان هذه التجربة وتذكر كل ما قامت به والديت لرتبييت كمسلم‬،‫الدين‬ .‫متواضع ومتعلم‬

‫ واستطعت أن أتواصل مع ذكرياهتا يف ابتكار‬،‫ عاما‬21‫فقدت والديت وأنا بعمر الـ‬ ‫ كتبت‬.‫ كانت موضوع راسليت‬.‫ وهي سجادة صالة تسجل أعمالك يف العبادة‬،Prayary ،‫ وأكرث من ذلك‬.”‫يف صفحة اإلهداء أن هذه الراسلة “تعكس صوهتا الذي يعيش يف داخيل‬ .‫فقد عربت الراسلة عن كيف ميكن لبعض األفعال إعادة ربطك بأفضل ما يف داخلك‬ .‫أعتقد أنين اليوم متكنت من إجياد صويت اإلبداعي وامتالك الثقة للتعبري عن حقيقيت‬ ‫ما أكثر ما يعجبك في عملك الحالي كمستشار القبول في الجامعة؟‬

‫ كنت يوما طالب ًا‬.‫ أرى نفيس يف معظم المتقدمني‬.‫ لقد أكمل هذا الدور دائريت‬،‫يف الواقع‬ ‫ لم أجد أحدا يؤمن‬.‫ضائع ًا أحاول أن أجد طريق ًا للتعبري عن نفيس من خالل التعليم‬ ‫ خيطو المتقدمون حبرص يف اختاذ خطوة حنو‬.‫ أو حىت أي منوذج يلهمين‬،‫بأحالمي وموهبيت‬ ‫ وأن أضع حمله‬،‫ أريد أن أخفف ماشعر اخلوف لدى طالبنا المستقبليني‬،‫الفن والتصميم‬ .‫ أريد أن أكون ذلك الشخص الذي يؤمن بأحالمهم ومبوهبهتم‬،‫صوت الدعم والتشجيع‬ ‫ افتقر العديد من الطالب إىل فهم أين ميكن لدرجة‬.‫زرت مؤخر ًا مجيع مدارس البنني يف قطر‬ ‫ وأعربوا بأن هذا المجال ال يناسب الذكور بشكل‬،‫الفن أو التصميم أن تأخذهم يف احلياة‬ ‫أوضحت‬.‫كاف وال يستحق االستثمار فيه من الناحية المالية لضمان مستقبل مهين مزدهر‬ ‫لهم وحبماس كل اخليارات الوظيفية المتاحة لهم من خالل ماشركة جتربيت وقصص جناح‬ ‫اخلرجيني الالحمدودة والمتألقة حالي ًا حملي ًا ودولي ًا بسبب براجم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية‬ .‫فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ 02 Her II Opposite page 03 Rawa

voice to taboo issues in the Gulf region. Every project is a learning experience in new techniques and sourcing new materials. This summer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Italy, in collaboration with their prestigious Triennale Design Museum, commissioned me to work on a piece for their traveling exhibition, “Shape of Water”. The exhibition features water vessels that speak to the traditions of various countries. They asked for a proposal, and I had only three weeks to come up with a proposal, and then had only two weeks to produce the artwork to meet the deadline for installation. My proposal was a one-of-a-kind, bespoke handcrafted product, capturing the essence of the Arabian Gulf’s history, culture and religion. I blended the cultural elements of pottery and natural Arabian camel skin to serve the product aesthetically and functionally as they both were traditional methods of water regulation and cooling. I wanted to decorate the vessel with a quote from the Holy Quran that embodies the importance of water in our lives which complemented the product: ‫شءٍ َح ٍّي‬ َ ‫ َو َج َع ْلنَ ا مِ َن ا ْل َماءِ كُ َّل‬to be 3D-printed in metal, along with a handle in the shape of a camel’s silhouette, just to add a contemporary twist to my work. Mind you, I had never 3D-printed in metal before or worked with natural skin of any kind. Fortunately, it was Eid, so I was able to go home and work with the pottery artisans to produce a traditional clay vessel made with unique Bahraini clay. Then, I had to figure out how to source actual camel skin, only to discover trade barriers exist for the product. I went to Souq Waqif and basically stalked a taxidermist there, trying to get him to listen to me, convincing him that I am an artist and I desperately need camel skin. Finally, he gave me a lead on where I could source the skin – the official camel butcher in the Industrial Area. Picture this: It’s four in the morning and here I am dragging two huge, heavy bags of camel skin, dripping with blood and crawling with bugs, back to my car. But, I had to clean them and choose which pieces I would use before handing them over to the taxidermist, as the parasites would contaminate the other hides, and he wasn’t too keen to tan two whole hides.

‫كيف عمل برنامج الماجستير على إعدادك لحياتك المهنية؟‬

‫خبالف احلصول عىل فرصة ثانية يف االستكاشف والتجربة وتعلم أدوات وتقنيات جديدة‬ ‫ تشكيل الفراغ‬،‫ النقش باستخدام احلاسب اآليل‬،‫ القطع باللزير‬،‫ طباعة ثالثية األبعاد‬‫ أدركت‬.‫ كان أكرث ما اسعدين هو كيفية تقبل النقد واالستفادة منه‬- Arduino ‫وتقنية‬ ‫ وهذا ياسعدين يف عميل اليومي‬،‫بأن النقد البناء عملية أاسسية يف أي رحلة إبداعية‬ .‫كمستاشر أيضا‬ ،‫ تم قبويل يف برناجم اإلقامة اخلاص مبتاحف قطر يف مطايفء مقر الفنانني‬،2015 ‫يف عام‬ ‫وهناك أدركت كيف تعمل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر عىل‬ ‫ استمريت أنا‬،‫ فنان مهشور‬،‫ حممود عبيدي‬.‫إعداد خرجيهيا لالستفادة من االنتقادات‬ ‫ اسعدين يف تطوير سلسليت‬.‫وغريي من اخلرجيني بالبحث عنه مرار ًا وتكرار ًا‬

‫ واليت تستكشف العالقة المشتقة بني غرور المسلم‬The Selfless Holy Ground .‫والذات اإللهية‬

،‫ أاشد اجلميع بسلسلة أعمايل والمكونه من مخس قطع فنية‬،‫يف ليلة افتتاح المعرض‬ ‫وأسلتين فتاة اشبة يف عمر المراهقة “لماذا كانت كل الصور للرجال فقط؟” بالطبع‬ ‫ لكن هذا السؤال القوي ألهمين عىل إناشء سلسلة من األعمال الفنية‬،‫لدي مربرايت‬ ‫كان‬ ّ ‫ لم‬،‫ لو لم يكن لدي هذا التقبل للتعليقات والنقد‬.”‫األخرى اخلاصة بالمرأة؛ سلسلة “هي‬ .‫أكن أل كون حيث أنا اليوم كفنان أو حىت كمستاشر‬ ‫ما هي الخطوات التي تقوم بها في العملية اإلبداعية؟‬

‫استمد إلهامي من التحدث إىل الناس واألفكار اليت تراودين يف حيايت اليومية وما حييط‬ ‫ كل مرشوع هو جتربة‬.‫ مع الرتكزي بشكل خاص عىل إعطاء صوت للمواضيع الصعبة‬،‫يب‬ .‫تعليمية بتقنيات ومواد جديدة‬ ‫ وبالتعاون مع متحف‬،‫قامت وزارة الشؤون اخلارجية يف إيطاليا هذا الصيف‬ ‫ بتكليفي للعمل‬،‫ المرموق‬Triennale Design ‫عىل قطعة يف معرض السفر اإليطايل “أشكال‬ ‫ يضم المعرض سفن مائية تشري إىل تقاليد‬.”‫الماء‬ ‫ ولم يكن لدي‬،‫ طلبوا مين اقرتاح ًا‬.‫خمتلف البلدان‬ ‫ ولم يكن‬،‫سوى ثالثة أاسبيع للتوصل إىل اقرتاح‬ ‫أمامي إال أسبوعني إلنتاج العمل الفين والوفاء‬ .‫بالموعد الهنايئ للعرض‬ ‫ وجيمع‬،‫قدمت منتج ًا فريد ًا من نوعه مصنوع يدوي ًا‬ .‫بني جوهر تارخي اخلليج العريب وثقافته ودينه وهويته‬ ‫لقد مزجت العنارص الثقافية من الفخار وجلد‬ ‫اجلمل العريب الطبيعي خلدمة المنتج مجاليا ووظيفيا‬ ‫حيث شكل كالهما طرقا تقليدية لتنظيم المياه‬ ‫ أردت أن أقوم بزتيني السفينة مبقتبس من‬.‫والتربيد‬ ‫القرآن الكريم جيسد أهمية الماء يف حياتنا ويكمل‬ ‫ بطباعة‬.‫شءٍ َح ٍّي‬ َ ‫ َو َج َع ْلنَ ا مِ َن ا ْل َماءِ كُ َّل‬:‫المنتج‬ ‫ مع مقبض عىل شكل‬،‫ثالثية األبعاد من المعدن‬ .‫ فقط إلضافة لمسة عرصية عىل عميل‬،‫مجل‬

So I desperately took them to a car wash. It was early, so I begged until they let me use their power washers to wash away the blood and bugs, and then I had to let them air dry right there so I could see their natural color. At last I brought a piece back to the taxidermist, where he told me the process, “Scrape the hide, give it a chemical bath for a week to tan it and then it would finally be ready.” With only two weeks to produce this piece, I managed to finish it and send it all the 03

72 — Issue 6

،‫ أتذكر وبشكل خاص صبي ًا كان يقف جانبا ويستمع إىل المناقشة‬،‫قمت بوصف براجمنا‬ ‫ اسرع‬،‫ وعندما غادر بقية األوالد‬.‫وكان مرتدد ًا يف االقرتاب منا وإلقاء نظرة عىل عروضنا‬ ،‫مبارشة باجتاهي وأسلين عما إذا كنت أستطيع أن أطلعه عىل برناجمنا يف تصميم األزياء‬ ،‫ ومع ذلك‬،‫ لقد حطم هذا احلدث قليب‬.‫قبل أن يسمعه أي من زمالئه لشعوره باإلحراج‬ ‫فإن هذه األنواع من التجارب هي اليت تثبت قيمة عميل ودوري كمستاشر وتدفعين لدعم‬ .‫كل اشب طموح يف العثور عىل فرصته كطالب يف الفن والتصميم‬

‫مع العلم بأنين لم أقم مسبقا باستخدام المعدن يف‬ ‫الطباعة ثالثية األبعاد ولم استخدم أي نوع من أنواع‬ ‫ متكنت‬،‫ كانت فرتة العيد‬،‫ حلسن احلظ‬.‫اجللود أبدا‬ ‫من العودة إىل دياري وعملت مع بعض حرفيي‬ ‫ وقمت بإنتاج سفينة تقليدية مصنوعة من‬،‫الفخار‬ .‫الطني البحريين الفريد‬ Issue 6 — 73

A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

“I draw my inspiration from talking to people and the ideas I encounter in my daily life and surroundings, with a special focus on giving voice to taboo issues in the Gulf region. Every project is a learning experience in new techniques and sourcing new materials… part of what I feel when my artwork receives recognition, or I sell a piece is, “I am good enough,” and my work matters. All these years of actualizing my passions and dreams are coming to fruition.”

04, 05, 06 Prayery Sequence

Issue 6 — 75

‫‪09‬‬

‫حاولت بعد ذلك‪ ،‬احلصول عىل جلد مجل حقيقي‪ ،‬حاولت اسكتاشف احلواجز‬ ‫التجارية للمنتج‪ .‬ذهبت إىل سوق واقف وطاردت أحد حمنطي احليوانات هناك‪،‬‬ ‫حماوال محله عىل االستماع إيل‪ ،‬وحاولت إقناعه بأنين فنان وأحتاج وبشدة إىل جلد‬ ‫أخريا‪ ،‬أعطاين فكرة عن أين ميكنين أن أجد اجللد‪ :‬جزار اإلبل الرسمي يف‬ ‫اجلمل‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫المنطقة الصناعية‪.‬‬

‫الفن والتصميم‪ .‬كما أصبح الغرب ينظرون‬ ‫إىل الفنانني العرب بطريقة أخرى‪ .‬عىل‬ ‫سبيل المثال‪ ،‬استطعت عرض أعمايل‬ ‫يف كل من باريس ولندن وبرلني واسنت‬ ‫بطرسبورغ وميالن ويف مجيع أحناء الرشق‬

‫تصوروا هذا‪ :‬إهنا الرابعة صباحا‪ ،‬وأنا أجر حقيبتني ثقيلتني من جلد اجلمل الذي‬ ‫يزنف دما وحتيطه احلرشات إىل سياريت‪ .‬كان عيل تنظيفها واختيار القطع اليت‬ ‫أسستخدمها قبل تسليمها إىل المحنط‪ ،‬حيث أن الطفيليات قد تلوث اجللود‬ ‫حريصا يف دبغ قطعتني كاملتني من اجللد‪.‬‬ ‫األخرى‪ ،‬ولم يكن المحنط‬ ‫ً‬

‫األوسط‪ .‬ياسعد خرجيونا يف إسماع صوت‬ ‫قطر وبطريقة استقاللية أكرث‪.‬‬

‫أخذهتم بيأس إىل غسيل السيارات‪ .‬كان الوقت باكر ًا‪ ،‬توسلت إلهىم حىت‬ ‫سمحوا يل باستخدام مغاسلهم لغسل الدم واحلرشات‪ ،‬ثم اضطررت إىل تركهم‬ ‫ليجفوا هناك حىت أمتكن من رؤية لوهنم الطبيعي‪ .‬يف الهناية أحرضت قطعة إىل المحنط‪،‬‬ ‫حيث أخربين خبطوات عملية التحنيط‪ :‬كشط اجللد‪ ،‬عمل محام كيماوي لمدة أسبوع‬ ‫لتسمريها‪ ،‬لتصبح جاهزة يف الهناية‪ .‬لم يكن لدي سوى أسبوعني إلنتاج هذه القطعة!‬ ‫ولكن‪ ،‬استطعت يف الهناية إهناهئا وأراسلها إىل ميالن‪ ،‬أتذكر بأنين ضحكت عندما تذكرت‬

‫هل تعتقد بأن وجود رجل يعمل في‬

‫قطاع الفن والتصميم في قطر نعمة‬

‫أو نقمة؟‬

‫يف بعض األحيان‪ ،‬قد يكون من الصعب‬ ‫عىل الرجال العثور عىل عمل ألن أقاسم‬ ‫التصميم متتيلء أكرث بالناسء‪ .‬ولكن نستطيع‬ ‫القول بأن األمور تتغري اآلن‪ ،‬هناك تفاعل‬ ‫وتواصل أكرث بني اجلنسني‪ ،‬وأصبح التحزي لنوع اجلنس يقل كلما اكتشف الناس وجود‬ ‫الكثري من الفنانني والمصممني الذكور والذين خيتلفون عن القالب النمطي الذي تم‬ ‫تصويره يف الثقافة الشعبية‪ .‬أعتقد بأن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬ ‫يف قطر أصبحت تشكل اليوم مالذا للذكور المبدعني لتطوير مهاراهتم دون حتزي‪ .‬هناك‪،‬‬ ‫العديد من الطلبة الذكور الذين يتعلمون اليوم مهنة تسمح لهم مبتابعة حياهتم كأعضاء‬ ‫منتجني يف المجتمع‪.‬‬ ‫هل تستطيع مشاركة أعز ذكرياتك معنا خالل دراستك في جامعة فرجينيا‬

‫كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر؟‬

‫أمجل ذكريايت‪ ،‬عندما قامت سعادة الشيخة المياسة برشاء جمموعيت‪ .‬وعندما سمعت‬ ‫بأن متاحف قطر ستعرضها يف متحف الفن اإلسالمي‪ ،‬كان سؤايل األول هو “إىل مىت؟” لم‬ ‫أستطع استيعاب فكرة ضم أعمايل إىل جمموعة المتحف الدامئة‪ .‬كما ذكرت اسبقا‪ ،‬كان‬ ‫شخصيا ومؤثرا للغاية‪ ،‬فقط كانت أعمايل إحياءا لذكرى أمي‪ .‬حقا كانت صدمة‬ ‫أمرا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫رائعة أن أدرك بأن جمموعيت ستعرض جنبا إىل جنب مع أعمال فنية أسطورية وإبداعية‬ ‫مثل أعمال بيكاسو ورينيه ودايل وفان غوخ وهريست وضياء عزاوي‪ .‬حلسن احلظ‪ ،‬متكنت‬ ‫من احلصول عىل مشورة وماسعدة مدير قسم الرسم والطباعة آنذاك ريس همزوورث‪،‬‬ ‫اسعدين ريس يف تسعري أعمايل‪ ،‬وعلمين خطوات عملية البيع واكتاسب العديد من‬ ‫المهارات اليت استخدمها اآلن يف كل مرة أبيع فهيا قطعة من أعمايل‪.‬‬

‫تم جمع أعمالك اآلن من قبل عدد من األشخاص المهمين بما في ذلك سعادة‬ ‫الشيخة المياسة بنت حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني ومعالي الشيخة إنتصار سالم‬

‫الصباح والشيخ خليفة آل خليفة ومتحف ترينالي ومتاحف قطر ومتاحف البحرين‬

‫وفندق شنغريال وفندق الهيلتون‪ .‬كيف تصف شعورك عندما يشتري شخص ما‬

‫عملك أو يضيفه إلى مجموعته؟‬

‫شعور بالصدق والصفاء‪ ،‬إهنا اسعات طويلة من العمل الاشق‪ .‬كل قطعة مهنا هي كثري‬ ‫من العمل الاشق! استغرقت وقتا طويال حىت عرثت عىل شغفي وواجهت الكثري من‬ ‫الرفض ومن الناصحني بإن هذه المهنة لن تكن جيدة مبا فيه الكفاية عىل طول الطريق‪.‬‬ ‫لذا‪ ،‬فإنه ومع كل اعرتاف احصل عليه وكل قطعة أبيعها أشعر بيشء داخيل خيربين بأنين‬ ‫“جيد مبا فيه الكفاية”‪ ،‬وأن “عميل مهم”‪ .‬واليوم كل هذه السنوات من التعب لتحقيق‬ ‫ماشعري وأحالمي تؤيت مثارها‪ .‬ال ميكنك مسح االبتاسمة عن وجهي!‬ ‫لالطالع عىل أحدث أعمال ومعارض عثمان‪ ،‬يرجى زيارة موقعه اإللكرتوين وحاسبات‬ ‫التواصل االجتماعي اخلاصة به‪:‬‬ ‫‪https://othmankhunji.com/@o.khunji‬‬

‫بأن المعرض األول الذي ستعرض فيه هذه القطعه سيكون هنا‪ ،‬يف مركز مشريب إلثراء‬ ‫المجتمع يف قطر!‬

‫ ‪Visitors at the opening of Khunji’s solo exhibition titled ‘Deconstructing‬‬ ‫ ‪the Sacred’ at Education City Mosque Gallery included Dr. Mohammed‬‬ ‫ ‪Rateb al-Nabulsi and Mrs. Machaille Al-Naimi, President of Community‬‬ ‫‪Development at Qatar Foundation.‬‬

‫ ‪09‬‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ ‬

‫هذه لمحة عن طريقة عميل‪ .‬تتطلب الكثري من حل المشكالت‪ ،‬والمجازفة‪ ،‬والعزم‪،‬‬ ‫والتفكري خارج الصندوق للحصول عىل ما أحتاجه ومنح احلياة ألفكاري من خالل الفن‪.‬‬ ‫أتعلم الكثري مع كل عمل فين جديد‪ ،‬وهذا ما جيعلين أحب ما أفعله‪.‬‬

‫‪07‬‬

‫من خالل خبرتك في العمل في مجال الفن والتصميم‪ ،‬أين كنت ستكون لو لم‬ ‫تجد كلية للفنون والتصميم هنا في قطر؟‬

‫‪that Qatar Museums was going to exhibit it at the Museum of Islamic‬‬ ‫‪Arts, my first question was, “For how long?” I just couldn’t wrap my‬‬ ‫‪brain around the fact that it was going into their permanent collec‬‬‫‪tion. As I said before, it was extremely personal to me given that‬‬ ‫‪I dedicated it to my mom. I was in shock in accepting and compre‬‬‫‪hending that my collection would be exhibited and stored alongside‬‬ ‫‪artworks by creative legends such as Picasso, René, Dali, Van Gogh,‬‬ ‫‪Hirst and Dia Azzawi. Fortunately, I was able to get advice from‬‬ ‫‪the then director of Painting + Printmaking, Rhys Himsworth, who‬‬ ‫‪sat me down, helped me price the work and walked me through the‬‬ ‫‪process of selling my artwork. He helped me gain the skills I now‬‬ ‫‪use every time I sell a piece.‬‬

‫متقدما كما أنا اآلن‪ .‬لدينا يف منطقة اخلليج تارخي يف النظر إىل الغرب‬ ‫بالتأكيد لن أكون‬ ‫ً‬ ‫للحصول عىل الماسعدة يف معظم األشياء‪ ،‬وعىل الرغم من أن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬ ‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر هي مدرسة غربية‪ /‬أجنبية‪ ،‬إال أهنا اسعدتنا أكرث عىل حتقيق‬ ‫اكتفاء ذاتيا‪ .‬يف الاسبق‪ ،‬كان عىل المتحف أو المعارض الفنية األخرى البحث خارج‬ ‫ً‬ ‫المنطقة عند احلاجة إىل فنان أو أمني معارض أو مصمم‪ ،‬وقد تغري هذا اآلن‪ .‬أصبح هناك‬ ‫عدد ًا كبري ًا من الفنانني المحليني مثيل لالعتماد عىل بصريهتم وخربهتم يف تنفيذ ماشريع‬

‫‪07 Perpetual Affirmation‬‬ ‫‪08 Inhumane‬‬

‫‪way to Milan, and then had a good laugh, because the first place this‬‬ ‫‪travelling exhibit will be shown is at Msheireb Enrichment Center’s‬‬ ‫!‪gallery here in Qatar‬‬ ‫‪So that is a glimpse into my creative process. It requires a lot of‬‬ ‫‪problem solving, risk taking, determination and thinking outside the‬‬ ‫‪box to get what I need to bring my idea to life through art. With ev‬‬‫‪ery new artwork I learn more, and that is part of why I love what I do.‬‬ ‫‪In your experience of working in Qatar’s art and design industry,‬‬ ‫?‪where would it be if there was no art and design school here‬‬

‫‪It certainly would not be as advanced as it is today. People from the‬‬ ‫‪Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region have a history of looking to‬‬ ‫‪the West for help for everything, and although VCUarts Qatar is a‬‬ ‫‪western school, it has enabled us to be tremendously self-sufficient.‬‬ ‫‪Before, when the museum or other art galleries needed an artist,‬‬ ‫‪curator or designer, they would have to look outside the region, and‬‬ ‫‪now that is changing. There are more local artists like myself to lean‬‬ ‫‪on for insight, expertise and execution of art and design projects.‬‬ ‫‪Also, the West is seeing Arab artists in a new light. My work, for‬‬ ‫‪instance, has been shown in Paris, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg,‬‬ ‫‪Milan, Richmond and all over the Middle East. VCUarts Qatar alum‬‬‫‪ni are giving Qatar a voice and independence, too.‬‬

‫‪Your work has caught the attention of a number of important‬‬ ‫‪people including Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad‬‬ ‫‪bin Khalifa Al Thani, Her Excellency Sheikha Intisar Salem Al Sabah,‬‬ ‫‪Sheikh Khalifa Al Khalifa, and places such as The Triennale Museum,‬‬ ‫‪Qatar Museums, Bahrain Museums, Shangri-La Hotel and the Hil‬‬‫‪ton Hotel. What does it feel like when your work is bought or added‬‬ ‫?‪to a collection‬‬

‫‪A sense of pure validation for the long hours of hard work. It really‬‬ ‫‪is a lot of work! It took me a long time to find my passion and I en‬‬‫‪countered a lot of naysayers who told me this profession wasn’t good‬‬ ‫‪enough all along the way. So part of what I feel when my artwork‬‬ ‫‪receives recognition, or I sell a piece is, “I am good enough,” and my‬‬ ‫‪work matters. All these years of actualizing my passions and dreams‬‬ ‫‪are coming to fruition.‬‬

‫?‪What is your fondest memory from your time at VCUarts Qatar‬‬

‫‪My fondest memory was when Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa‬‬ ‫‪bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani bought my collection. When I heard‬‬

‫‪Updates on Othman’s work and exhibitions can be found on his web‬‬‫‪site at othmankhunji.com/ and on instagram at @o.khunji‬‬ ‫‪08‬‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 77‬‬

‫‪76 — Issue 6‬‬

A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

Dhika Khaira

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R , I N C . T E C H N O LO G I E S B FA I N T E R I O R D E S I G N ' 15

tition being introduced to our high school back in 2011. My art teacher insisted that I apply to the competition and incorporate it into my ASLevel coursework. So, in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone, I submitted a component of my art coursework for the design competition. The next thing I knew, I was announced as one of the winners of the full scholarship, and without even thinking twice, I knew VCUarts Qatar was meant for me. What is your most memorable experience while at VCUarts Qatar and what makes it stand out?

At the end of freshman year, I had the opportunity to enroll in the Summer Program at the main campus in Richmond, Virginia. It was my first experience of being away from home and it was for a whole six weeks. At the beginning, I was extremely nervous about it. However, the chaperones and other participating students became a kind of family who helped make the trip so memorable. Having a taste of the main campus, which is ranked first among public art schools in the States, made me feel incredibly grateful to be a part of the VCUarts family.

.‫المدرسة الثانوية ألنين كنت دامئ ًا مقتنعة بالعودة إىل إندونيسيا من أجل دراسيت اجلامعية‬ ‫أتذكر بوضوح ماسبقة التصميم السنوية اليت تم تقدميها إىل مدرستنا الثانوية يف عام‬ ‫ أرصت مدرسة الفن آنذاك عىل ماشركيت يف هذه الماسبقة عىل أن يتم احتاسب‬.2011 )‫ يف النظام الربيطاين‬AS ‫أعمايل ومعادلهتا من ضمن متطلبات دراسيت الثانوية (مستوى‬ ‫ قمت بالماشركة بأعمايل الفنية خالل‬،‫ ويف حماولة مين لرضب عصفورين حبجر واحد‬،‫لذا‬ ،‫ وفجأة علمت بانين إحدى الفائزات مبنحة دراسية كاملة‬.‫العام يف ماسبقة التصميم‬ ‫ أدركت بأن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر هي‬،‫ودون أدىن شك‬ .‫ما كنت أصبو إليه‬ ‫ما هي أجمل ذكرياتك في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في‬ ‫قطر وما الذي يميزها؟‬

‫ أتيحت يل فرصة التسجيل يف الربناجم الصيفي يف احلرم‬،‫يف هناية السنة الدراسية األوىل‬ ‫ كانت جتربيت األوىل بعيد ًا عن المزنل واستمرت‬.‫ فرجينيا‬،‫اجلامعي األم يف ريتشموند‬

‫ أصبح المرافقون‬،‫ ولكن مع مرور الوقت‬،‫ يف البداية شعرت بالتوتر‬.‫لستة أاسبيع كاملة‬ ‫ أشعرتين جتربيت يف‬.‫والطالب الماشركون كعائليت مما جعل من هذه الرحلة جتربة ال تنىس‬ ،‫ والذي حيتل المرتبة األوىل بني كليات الفن العامة يف الواليات المتحدة‬،‫احلرم اجلامعي األم‬ .‫باالمتنان بشكل ال يصدق النتمايئ لكلية الفنون يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف ريتشموند‬

What sort of things did you do while in the summer program and would you recommend it to those after you?

We did an incredible amount of activities besides taking the elective class. We attended museums, galleries and a Renaissance festival besides going on a two-day 40km canoe trip and taking a Segway tour of Washington DC, among others.

Dhika Khaira (IDES, ’15) is an interior designer who currently works with INC. Technologies in Qatar as a CAD coordinator. Her most recent projects have included working on the design for Northwestern University in Qatar’s Media Majlis Museum. Her work was on display at the “20/20/20” Exhibition at the Gallery at VCUarts Qatar in 2017. In the spring of 2018, Khaira sat down to discuss the impact of VCUarts Qatar on her career trajectory and her memories of the VCU Summer Program in Richmond. What made you choose VCUarts Qatar?

VCUarts Qatar was not quite my first choice when I was in high school because I always had the mentality of going back to Indonesia for my undergraduate studies. I vividly remember the Annual Design Compe-

78 — Issue 5

‫ديكا خيرا‬

2015 ،‫بكالوريوس الفنون الجميلة في التصميم الداخلي‬

‫ للتكنولوجيا يف قطر كمنسق للتصميم مباسعدة‬INC ‫تعمل ديكا حاليا يف مع رشكة‬ ‫ شملت أحدث ماشريعها العمل عىل تصميم المجلس اإلعالمي (متحف‬.‫احلاسوب‬ ‫ ُعرضت أعمالها‬،2017 ‫داخيل) جامعة نورث ويسرتن للصحافة واإلعالم يف قطر يف عام‬ ‫” والذي أقيم احتفاال بالذكرى السنوية العرشين يف معرض‬20/20/20“ ‫يف معرض‬ ‫ ناقشت ديكا تأثري‬،2018 ‫ يف ربيع‬.‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫اجلامعة عىل ماسرها الوظيفي وذكرياهتا عن الربناجم الصيفي جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف‬ .‫ريتشموند‬ ‫ما الذي جعلك تختارين جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر ؟‬

‫ لم تكن‬.‫عيل ان اعرتف بان افضل األشياء يف احلياة هي األشياء اليت ال نتوقع حدوهثا‬ ‫ عندما كنت يف‬.‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر خياري األول‬

Two things have stayed with me over the years. We were tasked to create an exhibition as our final project in the pottery class. As a freshman back then, it was a challenging task, because not only did we have to present our work verbally, we also had to exhibit our pieces the way a gallery would display them. The other really powerful experience was when we spent a day cooking for the homeless. I have never cooked that much before. At the end of the day, we went to a park and handed the food to a large number of homeless people. It was unbelievable to see how the food that we cooked could feed so many people. Looking back, the biggest takeaway was that being away from my comfort zone and being exposed to numerous new

Issue 5 — 79

‫‪A LU M N I‬‬ ‫‪P RO F I L E S‬‬

‫ ‪ A LU M N I P RO F I L E S‬‬

‫‪Bouthayna Al-Muftah‬‬ ‫‪A RT I S T‬‬

‫‪B FA G R A P H I C D E S I G N ' 09‬‬

‫ما نوع األشياء التي قمت بها في البرنامج الصيفي‪ ،‬وهل توصين بهذه التجربة‬ ‫بثينة المفتاح‬

‫بكالوريوس الفنون الجميلة في تصميم الغرافيك‪200٩ ،‬‬

‫فنانة قطرية‪ ،‬قامت مؤخر ًا بعرض أعمالها خالل الصيف‪ ،‬من يوليو إىل سبتمرب ‪،2018‬‬

‫يف متحف‪ :‬المتحف العريب للفن احلديث حتت عنوان “أصداء”‪ .‬كما عرضت أعمالها يف‬ ‫معرض “الفن المعارص قطر” يف برلني (‪ ،)2018 – 2017‬ويف معرض “‪ ”20/20/20‬الذي‬ ‫أقيم يف معرض جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر يف ‪ ،2017‬ويف معرض‬ ‫‪ ،EMERGEAST‬أول معرض إلكرتوين يف ‪ 2017‬حتت عنوان “‪ .”Currents‬ضمت‬ ‫أعمالها قصص ًا ومماراست من الرتاث الثقايف القطري من خالل أرشفة الذكريات اجلماعية‬ ‫واللقاءات الشخصية باستخدام الواسئل الفنية المختلفة مبا يف ذلك الرسم‪ ،‬والطباعة‪،‬‬ ‫والرتكيب‪ .‬تتحدث هنا بثينة عن جتربهتا يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬ ‫يف قطر‪.‬‬ ‫في البداية‪ ،‬نود أن نسألك ماذا تعمل بثينة اليوم؟‬

‫أنا فنان بدوام كامل أمارس الفن من مزنيل‪ ،‬سمحت يل حرية التعبري عن أفكاري والتمكن‬ ‫من ترمجهتا بالنمو بطرق عديدة‪ .‬فبالنسبة يل‪ ،‬االستوديو هو‪ ،‬وسيظل دامئا‪ ،‬المكان الذي‬ ‫أجد نفيس فيه‪.‬‬ ‫ما الذي جعلك تختارين جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر؟‬

‫جاء قراري بشكل طبيعي‪ .‬كنت دامئا مهتمة بالفن والتصميم‪ ،‬وشعرت بأن جامعة‬ ‫فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر هي البيئة المثالية يل للتطور وتعلم طرق‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 81‬‬

‫‪Bouthayna Al-Muftah, (GDES ’09) is a Qatari artist whose most re‬‬‫‪cent exhibition “Echoes” was shown at Mathaf: Arab Museum of‬‬ ‫‪Modern Art, Doha from July to September 2018. Al-Muftah’s work‬‬ ‫‪has also been shown at the “Contemporary Art Qatar” exhibition‬‬ ‫‪in Berlin (2017–18), “20/20/20” at the Gallery at VCUarts Qatar‬‬ ‫‪(2017), and “Currents” at EMERGEAST Gallery (2017). Her work‬‬ ‫‪interrogates stories and practices from Qatari cultural heritage by‬‬ ‫‪archiving collective memories and personal encounters using vari‬‬‫‪ous artistic media including drawing, printmaking and installation.‬‬ ‫‪Here she talks about how her time at VCUarts Qatar informs her‬‬ ‫‪practice today.‬‬ ‫?‪What are you doing now‬‬

‫للطلبة من بعدك؟‬

‫إىل جانب التسجيل يف مقرر اختياري قمنا بعدد ال يصدق من األنشطة‪ .‬ذهبنا للمتاحف‬ ‫وصاالت العرض ومهرجان الهنضة‪ ،‬كما قمنا برحلة حبرية يف زورق استمرت يومني قطعنا‬ ‫فهيا ماسفة ‪ 40‬كيلومرت ًا‪ ،‬وركبنا الدراجات يف جولة يف العاصمة واشنطن والعديد من‬ ‫األنشطة األخرى‪.‬‬ ‫هناك شيئان استمرا معي عىل مر السنني‪ ،‬طلب منا تنظيم معرض كختام لمقرر صناعة‬ ‫الفخار‪ .‬كانت مهمة صعبة لطالبة مستجدة يف ذلك الوقت‪ ،‬فلم يكن علينا فقط تقديم‬ ‫أعمالنا شفهي ًا‪ ،‬بل كان علينا عرضها بالطريقة اليت يعرضها المعرض‪ .‬أما جتربيت القوية‬ ‫األخرى فكانت قضاء يوم يف الطهي للمرشدين‪ .‬لم أقم أبدا بطهي هذا القدر من الطعام‬ ‫من قبل‪ .‬يف هناية اليوم‪ ،‬ذهبنا إىل حديقة وقدمنا الطعام إىل عدد كبري من األشخاص‬ ‫المرشدين‪ .‬لم أصدق كيف ميكن للطعام الذي نطبخه أن يطعم هذا العدد الكبري‬ ‫من األشخاص‪.‬‬

‫‪I am currently a full time artist and I am working from my own‬‬ ‫‪space at home. The freedom of being able to express and translate‬‬ ‫‪my thoughts on a plain surface has allowed me to grow in many ways.‬‬ ‫‪The studio is, and always will be, a place where I can be myself.‬‬

‫وبالنظر إىل الوراء‪ ،‬كانت أصعب اللحظات‪ ،‬هي أن أكون بعيدة عن حيايت وأن أتعرض‬ ‫للعديد من األشياء اجلديدة اليت تتطلب مزجيا من الصرب والتحمل والقبول‪ .‬بصفيت طالبة‬ ‫مستجدة‪ ،‬كنت أعترب نفيس شخص ًا خجوالً‪ ،‬ولكن يف هناية الرحلة‪ ،‬أصبحت شخصية‬ ‫مستقلة وشجاعة تسعى إىل المزيد من االستكاشفات‪ .‬أنا أنصح مجيع الطالب خبوض‬ ‫هذه التجربة‪ ،‬ليكتشفوا بأنفهسم ما يتطلبه أن تكون ‪ RAM‬حقيقيا!‬

‫‪The decision to attend VCUarts Qatar happened naturally. I had been‬‬ ‫‪interested in the field of art and design, and I felt as though VCUarts‬‬ ‫‪Qatar was the perfect environment for me to develop and learn in ways‬‬

‫ما هي نصيحتك للطلبة الحاليين والمقبلين ؟‬

‫?‪What made you choose VCUarts Qatar‬‬

‫‪things required that I develop a combination of patience, endurance and‬‬ ‫‪acceptance. As a freshman, I considered myself a shy person, but at the‬‬ ‫‪end of the trip, I became a much more independent and courageous indi‬‬‫‪vidual. I highly recommend this program to current and future students‬‬ ‫!‪to give them a complete experience of what it takes to be a true RAM‬‬ ‫‪What advice would you give to current and future students of‬‬ ‫?‪VCUarts Qatar‬‬

‫‪For the current and future students of VCUarts Qatar, the rule is‬‬ ‫‪so simple. Always go the extra mile, and seek out every opportunity‬‬ ‫‪that will nourish you into becoming a better person. If you feel that‬‬ ‫‪there’s no opportunity, then be the reason for that opportunity to come‬‬ ‫‪to you.‬‬

‫القاعدة بسيطة للغاية‪ .‬احبث عن الفرص وتطلع دامئا إىل األمام‪ ،‬اغتنم كل فرصة تاسعدك‬ ‫عىل أن تصبح شخصا أفضل‪ .‬إذا لم جتد الفرصة‪ ،‬فاعمل جاهدا لتأيت لك الفرصة‪.‬‬

‫‪80 — Issue 6‬‬

A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

that best fit my cultural context and surroundings. At art school, mistakes were regarded as a good thing. I learned through trial and error. I found that at VCUarts Qatar, the doors were open to experimentation, which I enjoyed the most. I experienced not what to think, but how to think, which allowed me to take risks and imagine creatively. While a student, I felt that this was the place I needed to be; this was the environment that wouls allow me to thrive and give me the freedom to express myself. What is your most memorable experience while at VCUarts Qatar?

During my sophomore year I worked on a typography project that was quite challenging for me. When this project was introduced, I honestly did not believe I would be able to complete it as per the expected standard. I had difficulty digesting the concept and understanding the technical parts of it. I kept starting over and over again until I was able to finally produce work I believed to be going in the right direction. Surprisingly at the end of it, I was informed that it would be one of the pieces chosen to be exhibited at the student show held at VCUarts’ Anderson gallery. The experience was quite memorable, as it taught me that knowledge is best learned through experience. Experimentation, research and exploration are big parts of my projects. This is precisely why I feel that it is vital to reveal my thinking process as my work evolves. It shows the depth in the thought process as well as the roots from which my work grows. ‫ تعترب األخطاء أمر ًا‬،‫ يف كلية الفنون‬.‫تتناسب مع السياق الثقايف والبيئة اليت أعيش فهيا‬ ‫ وجدت أن األبواب يف هذه اجلامعة مفتوحة دامئا‬.‫ تعلمت من التجربة واخلطأ‬.‫جيد ًا‬ ‫ لم أخترب مباذا أفكر ولكن تعلمت كيف‬.‫ وكانت قمة المتعة بالنسبة يل‬،‫إلجراء التجارب‬ ‫ وبينما كنت‬.‫ األمر الذي فتح امامي أبوابا من المجازفة والتخيل بشكل خالق‬،‫أفكر‬ ‫ هذه هي البيئة اليت ستمكنين من االزدهار‬،‫ شعرت بأن هذا المكان هو ما احتاجه‬،‫طالبة‬ .‫وإعطايئ حرية التعبري عن نفيس‬ ‫ما هي أجمل ذكرياتك في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في‬

‫قطر وما الذي يميزها؟‬

،‫ عندما تم تقديم المرشوع‬.‫خالل سنيت الثانية عملت عىل مرشوع يف الطباعة كان صعب ًا‬ ‫ واجهت صعوبة يف استيعاب‬.‫لم أختيل أنين أسمتكن من إمتامه وفق ًا للمعايري المتوقعة‬ ‫ ظللت ابدأ وأعيد مرار ًا وتكرار ًا إىل أن متكنت أخري ًا من‬.‫المفهوم وفهم األجزاء الفنية منه‬ .‫إنتاج عمل أعتقدت أنه يسري يف االجتاه الصحيح‬ ‫ أن مرشوعي كان واحدا من األعمال اليت تم اختيارها لعرضها يف‬،‫تفاجأت يف الهناية‬ ‫ كانت‬.‫معرض الطالب الذي أقيم يف جالريي أندرسون يف جامعة فرجينيا يف ريتشموند‬ ‫ يعترب التجريب والبحث‬.‫ علمتين أن أفضل طريقة للتعلم هي التجربة‬،‫جتربة ال تنىس‬ ‫ ولهذا السبب بالتحديد أشعر أنه من الرضوري‬.‫واالستكاشف جزء ًا كبري ًا من مرشوعايت‬ ‫ فهذا ُيظهر العمق يف تسلسل أفكاري وكذلك اجلذور‬.‫الكشف عن أفكاري مع تطور عميل‬ .‫اليت استند إلهيا عميل‬ ‫هل تشعري بأن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر قد أعدتك‬ ‫جيدا للحياة بعد التخرج؟‬

‫ وكيف أجتاهل المعايري‬.‫علمتين هذه التجربة كيف أنظر إىل كل يشء من وجهة نظر خمتلفة‬ ‫ قد تؤدي الطرق‬،‫ يف بعض األحيان‬.‫ ويف الوقت نفسه شجعتين عىل االبتكار‬،‫التقليدية‬ ‫ “أحبث باستمرار‬:‫ كتب رود جودكزن ذات مرة‬.‫المنطقية للتفكري إىل فقدان الثقة اإلبداعية‬ ‫ ال تفعل األشياء بالطريقة‬.‫عن طرق جديدة لفعل نفس األشياء وال تكرر ما تعرفه بالفعل‬

82 — Issue 6

How do you feel that VCUarts Qatar prepared you for life after graduation?

It taught me how to look at everything from a different point of view. To ignore conventional criteria, while at the same time encouraging innovation. Sometimes logical ways of thinking can result in a loss of creative confidence – a mental block. Rod Judkins once wrote, “Constantly search for new ways of doing the same things and do not repeat what you already know. Don’t do things in the usual way; do them the unusual way.” I feel that VCUarts Qatar has really taught me to think in this manner. As I matured, I was able to embark upon a new chapter of my life feeling confident and prepared to use my skills, knowledge and understanding of my own artistic aesthetic. What advice would you give to current and future students of VCUarts Qatar?

‫ أشعر أن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر‬.”‫المعتادة؛ استخدم دامئا طرق غري عادية‬ ‫ متكنت من البدء بفصل جديد يف‬،‫ مع نضوجي‬.‫علمتين حق ًا كيف أفكر هبذه الطريقة‬ .‫حيايت أشعر بالثقة واالستعداد الستخدام مهاريت ومعرفيت وفهم اجلمال اخلاص بفين‬ ‫ما هي نصيحتك للطلبة الحاليين والمقبلين ؟‬

‫ لكن‬،‫ وقد تشعر وكأنك تريد االستسالم‬،‫قد يكون األمر صعب ًا يف بعض األحيان‬ .‫ال تستسلم واستمر يف الضغط عىل نفسك‬

It may be tough at times, and you may feel like you want to give up, but keep pushing yourself.

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Hana Al-Saadi

D E S I G N E R , M I N I S T RY O F D E V E LO P M E N T P L A N N I N G & S TAT I S T I C S B FA PA I N T I N G + P R I N T M A K I N G ' 15

Qatari alumna Hana Al-Saadi is a humble graphic designer at the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics by day and prolific sculptor by night. Al-Saadi’s work has received a lot of international attention. Aside from winning the Damien Hirst Challenge in 2014, she also won residencies at the Doha Fire Station in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, her work was shown at the “Contemporary Art Qatar” exhibition and the “2018 New York Times Art Leaders Network Conference” in Berlin. Additionally, she had a solo show at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha. Qatar Museums has acquired her iconic “Hmmm” sculpture of a ballerina in a niqab to install on the Corniche. The sculpture has also been made into a keepsake keychain. What made you choose VCUarts Qatar?

I always wanted to go to art school and I made the decision when I was in elementary school. Qatar University had a fine art major and VCUarts Qatar only had design majors. I didn’t want to go to Qatar University and my art teachers explained that it would not suit my ambitions. Since my family preferred I study in Doha, I made up my mind to enroll in a design major. VCUarts Qatar added a Painting + Printmaking fine arts major before I enrolled there. Fortunately in freshman year, when I tried a bit of everything, I knew a design major was not for me and a fine arts major better suited my abilities. What is your most memorable experience while at VCUarts Qatar?

Winning the Damien Hirst Challenge is definitely one of my most memorable experiences. It helped me a lot after graduation. Winning a competition as big as that while I was still studying at the university opened a lot of doors for me. How do you feel VCUarts Qatar prepared you for life after graduation?

VCUarts Qatar helped me a lot with multitasking, managing work with different projects at the same time and setting deadlines for myself. But there is still so much more I want to learn, and I keep learning about art and my chosen career every single day. What advice would you would give to current and future students of VCUarts Qatar?

Respect your teachers and don’t cut relationships with them after graduation. They care about your future more than your friends do and you will definitely need their help even after graduation.

84 — Issue 5

‫هناء السعدي‬

2015 ،‫بكالوريوس الفنون الجميلة في الرسم والطباعة‬

‫ ﻣﺼﻤﻢ غرافيك يف وزارة اﻟﺘﺨﻄﻴﻂ واﻹﺣﺼﺎء اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻮي‬،‫اخلرجية اﻟﻘﻄﺮﻳﺔ هنا اﻟﺴﻌﺪي‬ ‫ تلقت أعمال هناء السعدي خالل العام المايض الكثري‬.‫ ومتارس فن النحت ليال‬،‫هنارا‬ ‫ حصلت‬،2014 ‫ فإىل جانب فوزها يف ماسبقة داميان هريست عام‬.‫من االهتمام الدويل‬ ‫هنا السعدي عىل فرصة االنضمام إىل برناجم الفنان المقيم الذي تطرحه مطايفء مقر‬ ‫ اشركت بأعمالها يف‬،2018 ‫ ويف عام‬.2017 ‫ و‬2016 ‫الفنانني سنويا ولعامني متتاليني‬ ‫ يف‬.”‫ والذي تنظمه نيويورك تاميز‬2018 ‫معرض “الفن المعارص قطر” و “مؤمتر رواد الفن‬ ‫ المتحف العريب للفن‬:‫ أقامت عرضا منفردا ألعمالها يف متحف‬،‫ باإلضافة إىل ذلك‬.‫برلني‬ ‫” لراقصة باليه ترتدي‬Hmmm“ ‫ وقررت متاحف قطر اقتناء منحوتهتا الهشرية‬.‫احلديث‬ ‫ كما تم نسخ هذه المنحونة‬. ‫النقاب هبدف وضعها يف اشرع الكورنيش يف مدينة الدوحة‬ .‫عىل هيئة سلسلة مفاتيح كهدايا تذكارية‬ ‫ما الذي جعلك تختارين جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر؟‬

‫ توفر جامعة‬.‫لطالما رغبت يف دراسة الفن وقررت ذلك منذ كنت يف المدرسة االبتدائية‬ ‫قطر ختصص الفن وتوفر جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر ختصصات‬ ‫ وقد أوضحت يل مدرسة الفن بأهنا‬،‫ لم أكن أرغب يف االلتحاق جبامعة قطر‬.‫التصميم‬ ‫ قررت اختيار‬،‫ وحيث كانت عائليت تفضل دراسيت يف الدوحة‬.‫قد ال تناسب طموحايت‬ ‫ يف نفس العام أضافت جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬.‫ختصص التصميم‬ ‫ وحلسن حظي متكنت يف السنة األوىل من جتربة القليل من‬.‫يف قطر ختصص الرسم والطباعة‬ ‫ كنت عىل يقني من أن ختصص التصميم ال يناسبين وأن الفنون اجلميلة أنسب‬،‫كل ختصص‬ .‫لقدرايت‬ ‫ما هي أجمل ذكرياتك في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في‬ ‫قطر وما الذي يميزها؟‬

‫ كان فوزا‬.‫كان الفوز يف ماسبقة داميان هريست بالتأكيد أحد أهم جتاريب اليت ال تنىس‬ ‫ إن الفوز مبنافسة‬.‫ وقد اسعدين هذا الفوز كثري ًا بعد التخرج‬،‫جدا‬ ً ‫عظيما وخربا سعيدا‬ .‫هبذا احلجم وأنا ال أزال طالبة يف اجلامعة فتح أمامي الكثري من الفرص‬ ‫هل تشعرين بأن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر قد‬ ‫أعدتك جيدا للحياة بعد التخرج؟‬

‫ القدرة عىل العمل عىل عدة‬،‫اسعدتين اجلامعة كثري ًا يف اكتاسب العديد من المهارات‬ ‫ وال يزال هناك الكثري أرغب‬.‫ماشريع خمتلفة يف نفس الوقت وحتديد مواعيد هنائية لنفيس‬ ،‫ أحب ما أقوم به‬.‫ وأن استمر يف تعلم الفن والتخصص الذي اخرتته كل يوم‬،‫يف تعلمه‬ ‫ حىت أنين قد‬،‫وعندما أعود إىل المزنل ال أستطيع االنتظار للعمل يف االستوديو اخلاص يب‬ .‫أستيقظ أحيانا يف منتصف الليل ألواصل أعمايل‬ ‫ما هي نصيحتك للطلبة الحاليين والمقبلين ؟‬

‫ فهم هيتمون‬.‫أنصحهم بأن حيرتموا معلمهيم وأن يبقوا عىل تواصل معهم بعد التخرج‬ .‫ وسنحتاج بالتأكيد إىل ماسعدهتم حىت بعد التخرج‬،‫مبستقبلنا أكرث مما هيتم أصدقاؤنا‬

Issue 5 — 85

A LU M N I P RO F I L E S

Sumam Ismail Azzam

M FA S T U D E N T, S AVA N N A H C O L L E G E O F A RT & D E S I G N B FA PA I N T I N G + P R I N T M A K I N G ' 15

“Absorb all the benefits from your professors, and use that knowledge to improve in any major or path you choose to take.”

What is your most memorable experience while at VCUarts Qatar?

My most memorable experience was working with such talented and hardworking professors. Their guidance and support made my VCUarts Qatar experience unforgettable, and most importantly, enjoyable. I looked forward to working each day at the university because I never knew what to expect. Every day was a surprise. How do you feel that VCUarts Qatar prepared you for life after graduation?

After graduating, it was difficult finding a job, so I worked as a freelance illustrator for various companies, and then eventually I managed to work at VCUarts Qatar. The university prepared me to be patient with my goals, and to continue to pursue my ambitions regardless of the circumstances. This gave me confidence in my abilities and skills as a young emerging artist in this community. What are you doing now? ‫سمام اسماعيل عزام‬

Sumam Azzam is a 2015 graduate of the Painting + Printmaking program. Originally from Iraq, he now lives in Savannah, Georgia, where he is currently enrolled in the MFA program in Illustration at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). He also works as a freelance illustrator at Akkadia Publishing. His work consists of figures and forms inspired by the fictional worlds of novels, films and comics.

.‫ بالواليات المتحدة األمريكية‬،‫ جورجيا‬،‫ يعيش يف اسفانا‬،‫فنان عرايق األصل‬ .‫حيث التحق حاليا بربناجم ماجستري الفنون اجلميلة يف جامعة اسفانا للفن والتصميم‬ ‫ يتكون عمله من شخصيات‬.‫وال يزال يعمل كراسم ومصور حر يف موقع أكاديا للنرش‬ .‫وأشكال وهمية يستلهم معظمها من اخليال‬

What made you choose VCUarts Qatar?

‫ما الذي جعلك تختار جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر؟‬

VCUarts Qatar was the only choice available for me to pursue my visual art studies. After graduating from Qatar Academy, I was planning to travel and continue my art studies in either France, the U.S. or Canada. However, I had some issues and wasn’t able to travel, which is why I stayed in Doha, and completed my BFA at VCUarts Qatar.

86 — Issue 6

2015 ،‫بكالوريوس الفنون الجميلة في الرسم والطباعة‬

‫كانت جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر اخليار الوحيد أمامي‬ ،‫ بعد خترجي من المدرسة الثانوية بأكادميية قطر‬.‫لمتابعة دراسيت الفنية البرصية‬ ‫كنت أخطط للسفر ومواصلة دراسيت الفنية يف فرناس أو الواليات المتحدة أو‬ ،‫ فبقيت يف الدوحة‬،‫ وعندها واجهت بعض الماشكل ولم أمتكن من السفر‬.‫كندا‬ ‫والتحقت يف برناجم بكالوريوس الفنون اجلميلة يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ .‫التصميم يف قطر‬

I am currently studying at Savannah College of Art and Design, and I am also still doing freelance work in illustration. Whenever I have the opportunity, I continue working on my art, developing my skills and concept development as a painter and illustrator. What projects are you looking forward to be working on?

I am looking forward to having my work featured in upcoming exhibitions, both locally and internationally. The project I’m currently working on is a series of paintings that are still in their early stages. What advice would you give to current and future students of VCUarts Qatar?

The only advice I have for current and future students is to listen, more than talk. Absorb all the benefits from your professors, and use that knowledge to improve in any major or path you choose to take.

‫ما هي أجمل ذكرياتك في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في‬ ‫قطر وما الذي يميزها؟‬

‫ جعلت توجهياهتم‬.‫كان العمل مع مثل هؤالء األاستذة الموهوبني والمتمزيين جترب ًة ال تنىس‬ ‫ كنت أتطلع إىل قضاء كل يوم يف اجلامعة ألنين لم أكن‬.‫ودعمهم من هذه التجربة متعة‬ .‫ محل كل يوم يف طياته مفاجأة جديدة‬،‫أعرف ما أتوقع‬ ‫هل تشعر بأن جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر قد أعدتك‬

‫جيدا للحياة بعد التخرج؟‬

‫ لذلك عملت كراسم مستقل‬،‫كان من الصعب العثور عىل وظيفة مناسبة بعد التخرج‬ ‫ علمتين جتربيت أن أكون صبور ًا يف‬.‫ متكنت يعدها من العمل يف اجلامعة‬،‫لعدة رشكات‬ ‫ مما أعطاين الثقة‬.‫ وأن استمر يف متابعة طموحي بغض النظر عن الظروف‬،‫حتقيق أهدايف‬ .‫يف قدرايت ومهارايت كفنان اشب ناشئ يف هذا المجتمع‬ ً ‫ ماذا تعمل؟‬،‫وحاليا‬

‫ وأقوم بعدد من األعمال احلرة يف الرسوم‬،‫أدرس حالي ًا يف جامعة اسفانا للفن والتصميم‬ ‫ وتطوير مهارايت‬،‫ أستمر يف العمل عىل فين‬،‫ وكلما أتيحت يل الفرصة‬.‫التوضيحية‬ .‫ومفاهيمي كراسم ومصور‬ ‫ما هي المشاريع التي تتطلع إلى العمل عليها؟‬

‫حاليا عىل‬ ‫ أعمل‬.‫وعالميا‬ ‫حمليا‬ ً ً ً ،‫أتطلع إىل عرض أعمايل يف العديد من المعارض القادمة‬ .‫مرشوع عبارة عن سلسلة من اللوحات اليت ما زلت أقوم بتطويرها يف مراحلها المبكرة‬ ‫ما هي نصيحتك للطلبة الحاليين والمقبلين؟‬

،‫ استفيدوا من مزايا أاستذتكم‬.‫نصيحيت الوحيدة لهم هي االنصات أكرث من التحدث‬ .‫واستخدموا هذه المعرفة يف تطوير أنفسكم يف أي ماسر ختتاروا أن تسلكوه‬

Issue 6 — 87

A LU M N I N E W S

ALUMNI News

Fatima Taleb Alsalat (GDES ’14) has been

Aamina Karim Malik (MFA ’14) is

at a consulting company, and then as an art

Aisha Nasser Al-Sowaidi (Communication

Sali Nabil Qubrosi (IDES ’09) received

working as a graphic designer for Doha In-

married and lives in Qatar where she runs a

director/interior designer with Porsche,

Arts and Design ‘05, MFA ’13) had her work

his MA in Interior and Product Design from

stitute for Graduate Studies for the past two

jewelry business, House of AKM (Instagram:

Al Fardan, Katara etc. Ataalla also is a mem-

featured at the London Design Biennale in

Academia Italiana in Firenze, Italy, in 2010. He

ion Illustration” at the HEYA Arabic Fashion

years. Prior to that she worked as a freelancer

@houseofakm). She also presented a paper

ber of the Qatar Rugby Team, which won the

September 2018. Her work was selected by

currently works as a senior interior designer at

Exhibition, Doha Exhibition and Convention

gold medal at the 2018 West Asian Games.

Qatar Museums to represent Qatar at the

Artline R+M Associates in Qatar.

for several years while she took additional

on “Generative Design” at the 2016 Confer-

courses in calligraphy and art. A memorable

ence on Generative Art in Milan, which was

post graduate experience was a course she

published in the conference proceedings.

took on Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy with Lari Cherkaoui at the Maison de L’Art Contempora in Asilah in Morocco. “I was honored because I stayed in this camp with well-known artists and professors from China, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. I learned a lot from the artists who I took the course with, and the other artists who were there as residence artists for one week.” Nada M. Yaser Hamad (IDES ’09). Since her graduation in 2009, Hamad worked first as a project manager for AECOM Middle East managing fit out work for The Gate Mall and office towers, and the City Center Hotel expansion project which included five hotels – the two Marriott towers, the Shangri-La, the Rotana and the Merweb. Following that she joined Salam Bounaian, a Qatari company

a long and storied career at VCUarts Qatar.

tions department at VCUarts Qatar. She is

In 2006, Rohani started as a design research-

Melina Gama De Moura (FDES ’09) works

married and had her first baby in mid 2015. In

er and then became the facilities assistant in

as an art educator at the Museum of Islamic

2018, she won the Graphis Award Honor-

2008. She continually improved her skills and

Art. Since graduation, she has earned a

able Mention for her design of the VCUarts

was promoted to her current role. In 2017, she

certificate in Museum Studies from Harvard

Hissa Mohammed Al Muhannadi (IDES ’11)

the theme of collaboration in textile design

Qatar “20/20/20” exhibition branding, and in

became an IFMA Certified Facilities Manager.

Extension School. De Moura also runs a free-

works as the facilities and general services

research. In 2018, her work was exhibited in

2017 she won the Graphis Award Silver for her design of the “Strange Wonders” exhibition branding for Msheireb Museums.

working as a program coordinator at Texas A&M University at Qatar. She was recently accepted into Savannah College of Art and

Cynthia Batir (IDES ’09) went on to get

Design’s MFA in Graphic Design and Visual

her M.A. in Interior and Product Design from

Experience class of 2020.

Accademia Italiana in 2010. She then successfully took the LEED AP exam, and now works as an interior designer for the Civil Aviation Authority in Qatar.

she decided to start her own interior design

Strategic Business Unity Management from

company, Nada’s Interiors. For the past

HEC in 2016. She is currently the director of

three years she has been designing private

brand for beIN Media Group having worked

residences and beauty salons and is currently

her way up from animator, to head of section,

working on designing a yacht. But that is not

and then to manager.

and Blogger.

Sahar Mari (GDES/FDES ’10) is currently

After graduating in 2009 from VCUarts Qatar,

Lubna Mohamed Al Essa (Communication

and Nada’s Sketchbook on Facebook

Wajiha Pervez (MFA ’17) had her work

as a graphic designer in the Communica-

Arts and Design ’05) received her MA in

@nadasinteriors on Instagram and Snapchat,

exhibition in Berlin, and in 2016, she won an

Hissa Yousuf Fakhroo (GDES ’17) works as a graphic designer at the Ministry of Foreign

She is married with two children and has had

Mall. After five years as a project manager,

with two children. You can find her work at

was shown at the “Contemporary Art Qatar”

Center in 2017. Ju is currently an adjunct professor in the Fashion Design department.

Moza Khalifa Al-Suwaidi (GDES ’13) works

that was also working on fitting out The Gate

all Nada has accomplished. She is married

Dana Seros Rohani (IDES ’06, MFA ’15) is deputy director of facilities at VCUarts Qatar.

prestigious event. In early 2018, her work

Yang Soon “Elizabeth” Ju (FDES ‘12, MFA ’17) gave a presentation on “A History of Fash-

artist residency at the Doha Fire Station.

Affairs and runs a gift making business (Hadeya.qa). Fatma Elzahara Marei Sayed (PAPR ’16) works as a graphic designer at Qatar University.

in 2017. The show was part of the Textile Research Group conference and was composed of an international selection of responses to

lance writing and artist business

acting manager at the Ministry of Public

Russia as part of the Russia-Qatar Year of

Health. In 2018, she received a Master of

Culture.

include speaking at the Definitely Able

Science in Urban Design and Architecture

Conference at Qatar University, which was

in Muslim Societies from Hamad Bin Khalifa

aimed at training master-level art educators

University (HBKU).

on teaching art to children with mental challenges. She also had her work exhibited at

Tasmeem co-chair Hadeer Omar (GDES ’10, MFA ’16), exhibited her work, “3arabizi Keyboard,” at the Ars Electronica festival in

Chalifa Chandra Anindita (IDES ’17) is cur-

2017. She also won a Starts Prize Honorary

rently working in Qatar at Bluu Architects.

mention for her submission. Fellow co-chair

Katara in the Algarabia Exhibition by G7 Latin

attending Rhode Island School of Art and

American Artists in Qatar, and published a

Nagiya P. Moideen (PAPR ‘17) is an intern at

Design (RISD) where she is enrolled in the

paper on academia.com about the Natural

the Qatar National Museum, which will open

MDes in Interior Design Adaptive Reuse

History Museum of Qatar.

in March 2019.

Noha Fouad (MFA ’16) is Innovative Media studio coordinator at VCUarts Qatar while fellow co-chair Yasmeen Suleiman (IDES ’11, MFA ’16) is the curator of the Materials

Eman Abdulla Abdulla (FDES ’09) works as

Maryam Al-Homaid (GDES ‘10, MFA ’14) is

Sultana Jesmine Moulana (GDES/FDES ’13,

a school program specialist for the forthcom-

an assistant professor at VCUarts Qatar. In

MFA in Design Department. Pervez was also

MFA ’17) is working as an adjunct professor

ing Qatar Children’s Museum. Abdulla was

2018, four of her handmade carpets, “Pat-

selected to co-chair the 2019 Tasmeem Doha

at VCUarts Qatar. In 2017, Moulana’s work

given the honor of being selected to partici-

terns of Human Behaviors,” were exhibited

Conference. Together, they are planning a

was showcased at London Modest Fashion

pate in the Qatar Museums (QM) intensive

at Bangkok Design Week along with her new

culturally relevant, engaging Tasmeem on the

Week. Her team’s prayer rug design was a

museum leadership program “Qreation

work, “Population,” a hand-made Mashrabiya

theme “Hekayat.”

finalist in the Modern Prayer Rug competition,

Generation” which gave her a certificate

that is crafted with four types of hardwood

Gihad Walid Ataalla (IDES ’17) is a teaching

and one of her designs was exhibited at the

from QM as well as one from the Center for

in a motif of abstracted human figures

assistant at the Art Foundation depart-

4th International Calligraphies in Conversa-

Creative Leadership in Brussels. She also runs

representing the different cultures and socio-

ment at VCUarts Qatar. She was an interior

tion at the San Francisco Public Library in

an online handmade jewelry business.

economic groups living in Doha.

designer and art director at Elegant Technical

September 2017.

You can see her work on Instagram at

Solutions and Services. Before that,

tions” exhibition at Loughborough University

Melimoura. Her recent accomplishments

Meriem Aiouna (IDES ’15) is currently

program, Class of 2020.

“Denim-Abaca,” exhibited at the “Intersec-

Library and teaches a studio class in the

@khazeena_by_eba.

Ataalla worked first as an interior designer

88 — Issue 6

Issue 6 — 89

FACU LT Y & STA F F AC H I E V E M E N T S

FAC U LT Y & S TA F F Achievements

Adjunct Professor of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Assistant Professor and Woodshop and Digital

Award for her dedicated service to faculty and

produced by researchers at NASA, the Univer-

book chapter “The Arabic Language as Cre-

Rola Al-Soubaihi won second prize in the

Lab Coordinator Richard Blackwell’s work on

student researchers.

sity of California, Berkeley, and the University of

ative Resistance,” was published in “Street Art

Innovative Materials Poster Competition in the

developing the University’s makers’ labs and

Leicester. Derr’s ability to offer reframing of the

of Resistance.” The book, edited by Sarah Awad

Materials Science and Engineering

training students on how to use the equipment

known world was also shown in her work “Four

and Brady Wagoner, was published by Palgrave

Symposium 2018 at Qatar University, and she

was recognized with the 2018 Faculty Award

Camels” which was exhibited at the Czong

Macmillan in 2017. In 2018, Hamdy won the

also presented a poster at their 2018 Annual

for Distinguished Service.

Research Conference. Her work on nano sheets for medicine delivery with Khaled Saoud was published.

ing as a visual artist in Doha, at Art 29 gallery

Fire Station in Doha, which he used to prepare

was moderated by Fahad Al Obaidly.

chair of Interior Design, presented at several

ADA Gallery in March 2018 and the Residents

conferences in Doha, reviewed the University

Exhibition in the Fire Station Garage Gallery in

Al-Mumin was invited to co-moderate the

of Florida’s Interior Design program for CIDA

the summer of 2018.

“Nuqat on Tour Exploration Sessions: Design

accreditation, and reviewed manuscripts for sociation and Interior Design Educators confer-

her film “Muneera” at the 2017 Ajyal Film Fes-

ences. In collaboration with Moustafa Abulness,

tival in Doha. Al-Mumin appeared in local films

Haitham El-Hammali, Ph.D., and Mohammad

by Amal Al Muftah, Maha Essid and Aljowhara

Suleiman, Amor received a QAR 20,000 grant

Al Thani and participated in a Doha Film

from Modeling for Design Co., Qatar, for his

Institute Series Lab in collaboration with US-

research proposal “The Use of Faro Focus Laser

based Independent Filmmaker Project.

Scanner and Virtual Reality Simulations: Pres-

Associate Professor of Graphic Design Law Alsobrook’s artwork was featured in a

In 2016–17, Amor’s collaborative research with Michael O’Boyle and Debajyoti Pati of Texas

six-page spread in The New Engagement Literature and Art Journal, and, in 2017, published “The Title of This Paper Is

ervation of Qatar Traditional Heritage Project.”

: On

Asemic Writing and the Absence of Meaning in the IAFOR Journal of Arts & Humanities.” Visuals produced by Alsobrook were featured in Georgetown University in Qatar Professor Max

Tech University was presented at the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture Conference in California, and his research with Hessam Ghamari of Appalachian State University was published in the Journal of Sociology and Anthropology.

Oidtmann’s book “Forging the Golden Urn:

Summer Bateiha, Ph.D., was promoted from

Qing Empire and the Politics of Reincarnation

assistant to associate professor of mathemat-

in Tibet, 1792–1911” (Columbia University Press, 2017). The work of Associate Professor of Painting + Printmaking George Awde was highlighted as one of the most significant works of the year in Frieze Magazine. The article, written by artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan, singled out Awde’s work “Public Shadows” for particular praise. Awde was also invited to exhibit at the show Odarodle at the Schwules Museum in Berlin from July to October 2017. Additionally, he received a Faculty Research Grant for the project “In Hidden Sight.” The outcome of the project

about the inspirations and challenges of workat the W Doha Hotel with Zach Stensen, which

works for a solo show in Richmond at the

at the Msheireb Museums. She also screened

City” panel discussion, public conversation

Browning won the 2017–18 residency at the

In 2017–18, Cherif Amor, Ph.D., professor and

the 2018 Environmental Design Research As-

Cohn participated in the 2018 “Art and The

Associate Professor of Art Foundation Ryan

Art Foundation Assistant Professor Maysaa

and Education in Doha” with Thomas Modeen

Assistant Professor of Art Foundation Rachel

At the Interior Design Educators Council Conference in Chicago, the innovative work of the joint design studios at VCUarts Qatar and Richmond was the subject of Assistant

MFA in Design Associate Professor Marco

Professors Liam Colquhoun and Maysaa

Bruno showed his work “Letters to the Mayor:

Al-Mumin’s research presentation “Face

Seoul/Pyongyang” at an invited group exhibi-

to Face: Conducting a Cross Continental

tion for the cities’ exhibition at the Seoul Bien-

Design Studio.”

nale of Architecture and Urbanism. He and his collaborator, Simone Carena, also showed their work “Narrow City” at the same exhibition. Bruno was awarded first prize in the “On The Ground” competition in Seoul, South Korea in 2017. His winning design, which opened in July 2018, at the HAP Pavilion (Hangang Art Project), is the main facility of the newly opened Art Park on the banks of the Han River in Seoul. In the same month, Bruno’s public lecture, exhibition and workshop “Dubbing Space” were presented during the Playtime, Public Space Festival, Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam, in July 2018. In 2016–17, Bruno and Carena, developed a proposal on Museums of the Future called

Assistant Director of Art History Radha Dalal,

Distinguished Achievement in Research Award

in Gyeonggi-do, Korea.

while Emans won the Distinguished Achieve-

Assistant Professor of History Jörg Matthias Determann, Ph.D., published his third book titled “Space Science and the Arab World: Astronauts, Observatories and Nationalism in the Middle East” (I.B. Taurus 2018). Determann was invited to speak at a workshop on Science Education in the Muslim World organized by Hamad Bin Khalifa University and McGill University in December 2018. This was followed by an invitation to lead a roundtable session on

Liberal Arts & Sciences Assistant Professor

2016–17 academic year in authors Jonathan

Ph.D., assumed the leadership of the NPRP

February 2018. He was interviewed about his research for Oxford Islamic Studies while his sec-

Dee and Susan Perabo’s workshops, which form

Global Art History: Building Knowledge Base

ond book, “Researching Biology and Evolution

part of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at

through Online Resources in Qatar” which

in the Gulf States,” received positive reviews in

Queens University of Charlotte. She also served

started October 2017, and shepherded the

the Journal of Arabian Studies, the Middle East

as a peer reviewer in the monthly workshops.

project to its conclusion in 2018. She also serves

Journal, and Middle East Media.

on the Diversity Committee of the College Art Association. Dalal won the 2017 Faculty Award for Distinguished Service. Dalal and Associate Professor Jochen Sokoly, D. Phil, co-chaired a panel, “Syria Now: Architectural, Artistic, and Cultural Heritage in Peril,” at the 2017 CAA conference.

Assistant Professor of Fashion Donald Earley had two solo shows in West Virginia and an

Professor of Mathematics Ryad Ghanam, Ph.D., was promoted to full professor. He had

Assistant Professor of Interior Design Haithem El-Hammali, Ph.D., presented his co-authored research with Cherif Amor, Ph.D., on BIM in

at the Korean National Museum of Modern

Industries,” Associate Professor Nathan Davis

Exploratory Grant for their collaborative

and Contemporary Art exhibition “Rethinking

encouraged conference participants to

project, “Teaching Mathematics through

Space: Voyage of Imagination.” The duo also

consider caring for the past by cultivating the

Storytelling.” This project is a children’s

exhibited their work “Borrowed City Messen-

future. Davis’ presentation, titled “The Present

book focusing on place-value, with a goal of

gers” in a juried group exhibition at Micro City

Is Prologue: Preservation Vs. Proposition in Con-

exploring storytelling as a pedagogical tool to

Lab in Gong Indie Art Hall, Seoul, and “Clay

temporary Art and Design Education,” was part

In 2016, associate professors Denielle Emans

teach math in a nontraditional way. In 2016–17,

Rover,” at Landed#5, Munlab, Ecomuseo

of a larger conversation about jump-starting

and Basma Hamdy were speakers at the

Bateiha presented her research in Louisiana

dell’Argilla, Cambiano, Italy. The work is now

the craft industry in Qatar with participants

AIGA Design Conference in Las Vegas. The

and Beirut, and had a peer-reviewed research

part of the museum’s permanent collection.

from UNESCO, Qatar University, Katara and

talk and workshop introduced the audience

several regional crafts cooperatives.

to the Design Competencies in Collaboration

Associate Professor Diane Derr exhibited her

Art Foundation and Painting + Printmaking

video triptych that generates audio frequency

The late Director of Art History, Dina Bangdel,

departments. Abdul Rahman Anwar won

from galactic gas density, represented through

at the Sculpture Center in New York during

Ph.D., presented her research, “Teaching

Excellence in Achievement for his work with

the electromagnetic spectrum, at Diffrazioni

the Frieze Art Fair in October 2018. Awde’s solo

Global Art History to Non-Majors: Narratives

the Materials Library and the Modern Prayer

Media Art Festival in Florence. Her interdisci-

exhibition, “Still Departures” was on display at

from the ‘Periphery,” at the College Art As-

Rug Competition and Exhibition. Fikria El

plinary artistic exploration “Vibrations” gives

Sultan Gallery in Kuwait City in 2016.

sociation (CAA) conference in New York City in

Kouakibi won the Excellence in Commitment

a visual dimension to computational models

reviewer at a writer’s residency at Queens.

Gallery in Richmond in 2016–17.

Sadia Mir, Bateiha received a Faculty Research

Customer Service Award for her service to the

In May 2016, she continued her work on a collection of short fiction and served as a peer

artist talk and exhibition at the Eric Shindler

aging Dialogue and Diversity through Cultural

Spring 2017.

Robert Marans, and John Callewaert (Springer International Publishing, 2018).

Robin Fetherston submitted a short fiction

along with 29 other architect firms’ projects

Mathematics Education.

lished in the “Handbook of Sustainability and Social Science Research,” edited by Leal Filho,

story for peer review each month during the

ics in 2018. Along with Assistant Professor

41st Annual Conference of the Psychology on

Sustainability in Higher Education,” was pub-

East at Georgetown University in Qatar in

As part of a three-day conference on “Encour-

Carmina Celeridad won the Excellence in

University of Michigan, “Connective Methodologies: Visual Communication Design and

science and scientific production in the Middle

“Don’t Feed the Artworks”, which was exhibited

paper published in the proceedings of the

ment in Teaching Award. Emans co-authored an article with Kelly Murdoch-Kitt from the

project “Museums in the 21st Century and

was exhibited in 74 Million Million Million Tons

90 — Issue 6

Institute for Contemporary Art Museum (CICA)

Interior Design education at the 2017 ICERI conference in Seville, Spain, and his co-authored

his co-authored work on Lie Mathematics published in Exracta Mathematicae (2018), the Journal of Symbolic Computation (2017) and the Arab Journal of Mathematics (2017). Associate Professor of Interior Design, Johan

research with Johan Granberg, Ph.D., and

Granberg, Ph.D., won several awards for

Mohammad Suleiman, assistant professor of

his research on bamboo, including the 2018

Interior Design at the 2017 Creative Education

Outstanding Scholarly Contribution Award

Conference in Tampere-Finland.

from The International Institute for Advanced

(DESCO) model that has been developed and implemented in graphic design undergraduate classroom collaborations. It presented the first prototype of the Design Powers System, a toolkit that assists designers and design educators in facilitating collaborative, fun and productive learning and working environments. Hamdy’s

Studies in Systems Research and Cybernetics, and a 2017 Merit Award from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) awards for excellence for his co-authored work with Ben Robinson and Fahad Al Kawari, “Exploring Space Through the Lens Production Design.” Granberg presented his co-authored research, “De-pair the art of Re-pair and De-sign – Towards an Interdisciplinary Understanding of Making in Society,” with then Interim Dean of Academic Affairs Craig Anz, Ph.D., Joel Montgomery and Interim Director of Liberal Arts & Sciences Byrad Yyelland, Ed.D., at the 2018 AMPS Conference in the UK.

Issue 6 — 91

FACU LT Y & STA F F AC H I E V E M E N T S

Current faculty members Levi Hammett,

Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Leland

two presentations given at industry confer-

Assistant Professor of Painting + Printmaking

Department of Liberal Arts & Sciences faculty

ies Journal. The quarterly peer reviewed journal,

Maryam Al-Homaid, and former fac-

Hill’s interdisciplinary and international service

ences and recruitment fairs. Student Recruit-

Michael Perrone, in collaboration with

member Khaled Saoud received a patent with

is published by Cambridge University Press.

ulty member Pornprapha Phatanateacha

learning research, “Expanding the Walls of De-

ment and Admissions Counselor Fatima

Marco Bruno and Richmond faculty member

his collaborator S. Saeed called “Methods of

presented their collaborative research and

sign Education,” was presented and published

Al-Kharaz and Assistant Dean of Enrollment

John Freyer, received a post-Tasmeem

forming aerogels,” US Patent 9,745,439. He

hosted a workshop called “Cultural Camou-

at the 2017 DAKAM International Conference

and Registration Services Greet Provoost

research grant. Building on the successful

also closed out two research projects, one as

flage: Using Design to Celebrate and Preserve

on Design Studies, Fields and Method Studies

presented VCUarts Qatar to a wide regional

Majlis Conversations Portal project created for

principal investigator in partnership with Texas

Unconventional Urban Culture” at Bangkok

in Istanbul, Turkey.

audience at the Jadaraa Conference in

Tasmeem Doha 2017, the team built a multi-

A&M University at Qatar, and another as lead

Amman, Jordan. Provoost also presented on

channel digital portal between Tate Modern

principal investigator with Massimo Bertino

“U.S. Higher Education Rankings and Segmen-

Museum in London, VCUarts Qatar and VCU-

from VCU. During the reporting period, Saoud

tation” in recruitment fairs throughout Egypt.

arts. The mobile portals maintained extended

published co-authored articles in the Journal

digital video connections between multiple

of Porous Materials and the Journal of Materi-

sites over a two-month period.

als and Environmental Sciences. In addition,

Design Week 2018.

Former Chair of Painting + Printmaking Rhys

Assistant Professor of Interior Design Li Han

Himsworth received a Faculty Research Grant

presented her research at the 2017 Tong Ji

to produce a new body of hybrid works inves-

Design Week in Shanghai, China, and the

tigating the ideology of visual languages sur-

Library System Support Specialist Liya Louis

Environmental Design Research Association

rounding digital media interfaces. Himsworth’s

presented a paper on “ALMA Analytics/Evi-

Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

piece “Independent Music Video and Sound

dence-Based Planning and Decision-Making”

Assistant Professor of Art History Holiday

Art” was shown at the CICA Museum, Seoul,

at the 11th International Group of Ex-Libris

Powers, Ph.D., discussed “Transmission as

South Korea in 2016.

Users Conference (IGELU) at the Norwegian

Resistance in the Work of Zeineb Sedira” in

University of Science and Technology, Trond-

the session on Feminist Temporalities and Art

heim, Norway, in September 2016.

Histories in MENA at the 2017 CAA conference.

Assistant Professor of Art History Debra Hanson, Ph.D., held both a fellowship from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society and the

Interim Director of Painting + Printmak-

VCU PERQ award in the fall of 2017, in support

ing Fleming Jeffries’ work was part of

of research and writing for her book project

the “Strange Wonders” exhibit at Msheireb

Assistant Professor of English Sadia Mir won

Museums in Doha in 2016. He also participated

the 2017 Faculty Award for Distinguished

American West in the U.S. Capitol.” Her book

in an international invitation exchange for

Teaching. She shared some of her techniques

chapter “East Meets West: Representing the

the “Belt and Road International Printmak-

on teaching critical and creative writing to

Islamic World at the 19th Century World’s Fairs”

ing Exchange Exhibition 2018” on the theme

English-as-Second-Language (ESL) learn-

appeared in David Raizman and Ethan Robey’s

of the Silk Road in Dunhuang International

ers in Qatar at TESOL International’s annual

book “Expanding Nationalisms at World Fairs:

Convention and Exhibition Center, Dunhuang,

conference in March 2017 in Seattle. Mir also

Identity, Diversity, and Exchange, 1851-1914”

China, in September 2018. Fleming exhibited

contributed to the paper, “Qatari Women

“Looking Westward: Visual Narratives of the

(Routledge, 2017).Her paper “Collage, Black

“Off-Shoots: Open Air to Dye Kitchen” in a

Engagement and Empowerment: Policy

Her paper “Geographies of Research, Geographies of Modernism” was presented at a con-

Saoud was awarded a Technology Development Fund grant for his proposal entitled “3D Printing of Polymer-Aerogel Composites for Energy and Biomedical Applications.” Saoud received $118,131 to provide gap funding for his early-stage, promising technology, in order to increase its commercialization potential.

ference of former grantees on studying Arab

Associate Professor of Art History Jochen

Art History at Art Foundation Darat al Funun

Sokoly, D. Phil, conducted funded research for

in Amman, Jordan, on July 2018. Additionally,

a book project on early Islamic textiles thanks

Powers’ “The Casablanca School”, edited by

to a grant from the Max van Berchem Founda-

Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, was published

tion. Sokoly’s article “Textiles and Identity”

in the catalog for “That Feverish Leap into the

appeared in the edited volume “The Blackwell

Fierceness of Life” and hosted in an exhibition

Companion to Islamic Art” edited by Barry

Art Dubai 2018.

Flood and Gulru Necipoglu (Wiley

Bodies, and a New History of Modernism” was

small exhibition in VCUarts Qatar’s Project

Recommendations,” which was presented at

presented at Collage, Montage, and Assem-

Space in 2018.

the “Setting the Stage for a Knowledge-Based

Interim Director of Art History Sean Roberts’,

Economy in the Gulf” conference hosted by

Ph.D., book chapter, “A Global Florence and its

Assistant Professor Zachary Stensen had a

blage at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in April 2018. Associate Professors of Graphic Design

Yang Soon Ju, adjunct professor at the Fashion Design department, presented a talk, “Fashion Design in the Digital Era” at the 13th

HEC Paris in Doha in 2016. Associate Professor Thomas Modeen was the

Michael Hersrud and Levi Hammett had

Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition in April 2018,

2017 Galletly-Dickson Visiting Scholar at the

their work “Tasmeem Doha Synapse 2011

while Assistant Professor of Fashion Federica

University of Bath, UK, where he presented his

Website” showcased in the 2017 handbook

Visani presented, “How to Become a

research, “From Sensuous Voxels to Sensory

Footwear Designer.”

Maxels - The Use of Buildware in the Making of

“Typographic Design: Form & Communication, 7th edition” co-authored by Rob Carter, Mark Sanders and Sandra Maxa. They also co-presented a paper “Speculative Praxis” for the 2017 International Conference on Design Principles in Toronto and the 2017 International Design Conference, Karachi. Hersrud collaborated with former Director of Painting + Printmaking Rhys Himsworth, Director of Libraries Amy Andres and Dr. Alan Weber and Stephen Scott from Weil Cornell Medicine – Qatar to edit and design a book titled “Art & Medicine: A Collaborative Project Between Vir-

Associate Professor of Fashion Design Ali Khan reviewed Stockholm Fashion Week for the Journal of Fashion, Style and Popular Culture. His article “The Stockholm Aesthetic Syndrome: Stockholm Fashion Week Fall/Winter

collaborators Ben Barbour and Michael Perrone received a Faculty Research grant for their project Percussive Excavations, which applies technological advances to stone carving.

Blind Spots,” was published in “The Globaliza-

solo show at the University of Kentucky as

tion of Renaissance Art: A Critical Review” (Brill,

part of his artist collective, The Four Footed

December, 2017), edited by Daniel Savoy. He

Correspondence Club. Over the last nine years,

also published articles in The English Histori-

the collective has developed a visual lexicon

cal Review and I Tatti Studies in the Italian

through drawing, installation, photography

Renaissance, and gave a presentation at

and object-making, which, at its root, serves

the “Knowledge is Power” conference at the

as an ongoing dialogue between members

Sylvia Ioannou Foundation in Cyprus that was

while also chronicling the group’s history. In

recorded and published online. In October

2016–17, his work was displayed at the High-

2017, Roberts became a contributing research

point Center for Printmaking in Minnesota.

partner to the project “Thinking 3D” at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Roberts

Assistant Professor of Art Foundation Jesse

also currently serves as President of the Italian

journal’s December 2017 edition. In October

Payne presented at several conferences in

Art Society. Roberts’ public lecture for the Art

2017, Khan exhibited his new series of photog-

the US and Italy discussing the recent work of

History department at American University of

raphy at the Beverly Hills Art Show. He was

VCUarts Qatar’s Art Foundation program. He

Beirut in April 2018, “Re-Naturalizing Bellini’s

invited as a fashion influencer to attend Tokyo

also had two drawings in his “Hybrid Series”

Portrait of Mehmed I”, examined the reception

2017, 29–31 January 2017” was published in the

Fashion Week for the second year in a row.

ginia Commonwealth University Qatar & Weill

In the 2016–17 recruiting season, awareness of

Cornell Medicine Qatar” which was published

VCUarts Qatar expanded regionally through

in late 2016.

Tangible Design.” Modeen and his

Blackwell, 2017).

accepted into the juried publication Studio

of oil painting as a technology at the Ottoman

Visit Magazine in 2017.

court of the late fifteenth century. Additionally, Roberts served as introducer and moderator

Associate Professor of English, Diane Woodcock, published a full-length poetry collection “Tread Softly” (FutureCycle Press, 2018). Her poems appeared in print journals such as: Freshwater Literary Journal, 2017; Naugatuck River Review, Fall 2017, Plainsongs, Fall/Winter 2017; Saw Palm: Florida Literature and Art, Issue 12, 2018; Sequestrum, 2018. Woodcock was also published in the online Peacock Journal in November 2017 and won the 1st place in the Daniel Varoujan Award (New England Poetry Club) and 3rd place in the Annual Artists Embassy International’s Dancing Poetry contest: Rejection, Rock Dove-style. Interim Director of Liberal Arts & Sciences Byrad Yyelland, Ed.D. presented his pedagogic research co-authored by Robert Bianchi, Joseph Yang of the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar and Molly McHarg at the Asia-Pacific Conference on Education, Teaching & Technology 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. He also co-presented on Teaching and Learning to Cultivate a Creative Agency with Peter Martin and Rab McClure during Qatar Foundation’s Teaching Innovation Week. Writing Center Instructor Neihan Yaqoob attended Pakistan’s first-ever writing center conference “Why Writing Centers? First National Dialogue on Writing Centers 2017” in Karachi. She also served as the only international panelist at the session, “Writing Centers Pedagogical Relevance: Sharing Experiences.”

Jesse Ulmer, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, recently published an article titled “Just Like a Fly in a Pan of Molasses: Farming the Midwest in Hamlin Garland’s Main-Travelled Roads” in the spring 2017 issue of The Midwest Quarterly: A Journal of Contemporary Thought, a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Pittsburg State University. Associate Professor Michael Wirtz, head of

for Anthony Cutler’s “Godsbody: The Roman

Research and Library Technology, was

Crucifix from its Origins to the Cinquecento”,

appointed by the editorial board of Art Librar-

University of Rome (La Sapienza), in June 2018.

92 — Issue 6

Issue 6 — 93

A D E S T I N AT I O N For Dialogue

Every year, VCUarts Qatar hosts a variety of public lectures and exhibitions. These exhibitions and lectures attract an estimated 1,000 visitors every year to the campus, foster public dialogue on contemporary art and design practice and serve as a link between internationally acclaimed visiting artists and lecturers, and the region. Materials Library collaborates with Qatar Foundation for Modern Prayer Rug Competition In support of the creative vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, in 2017, the Materials Library

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at VCUarts Qatar hosted a Modern Prayer Rug Design Competition. The competition challenged students from across Qatar to reimagine the Islamic prayer rug using traditional or unconventional materials.

Sidra Sohail, prayer rug competition winner "Strange Wonders Volume 2" opening "Issue Isme" "City Limits" exhibition opening

Strange Wonders Volume 2

“Strange Wonders Volume 2,” a collaboration between Msheireb

the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Khalid Albaih, the

Properties and VCUarts Qatar, was inspired by past innovation and

artist who created the “I’m with Kap, Just-Us” T-shirt, were featured

the inspiring transformation of Qatar and hosted by The Company

speakers for a panel discussion titled “Art as a Political Act.” This event

House at Msheireb Museums.

was moderated by students Aisha Al-Ziani and Jawaher Almesnad.

Developing better communities

Exhibitions at VCUarts Qatar

The International Education division of VCUarts Qatar Student Affairs

Each year VCUarts Qatar hosts a variety of public lectures and

develops programming that focuses on diversity, inclusion, social

exhibitions. The Gallery at VCUarts Qatar is also now a part of Qatar

justice and intercultural competence. In September 2017, students had

Foundation’s Art Trail program.

a chance to learn about the political power of art. Artists Ahmed bin 2016-18 exhibitions

Majed Almaadheed, the artist behind the viral image of His Highness

In October 2016, Indonesian graffiti artists Vendy Methodos and 02 01

Ismu Ismoyo displayed their art and did two live mural projects at the Gallery at VCUarts Qatar. The “ISSUE ISME” exhibition featured a series of works by each artist in several mediums, combining fine art, stencil, and traditional batik techniques. Zineb Sedira, a London-based multimedia artist, had a solo show titled “Now You See Me – Now You See Me” that included a multi-channel video installation “Gardiennes d’image (Image Keepers)” (2010), focusing on the archive of Algerian photographer Mohammed Kouaci, as well as selected works from her series on the routes and origins of sugar. “form (force)” and “In Tran-

Pope” exhibition featuring a commissioned text-based piece by artist Carl Pope related to Evans’s book of essays, photographs and videos. Musicians and artists Jelani Akil Bauman, Phelena Napper, and Teslim Sanni, paid tribute to Evans at the opening reception with a series of recitals, readings and recitations. One of the founders of the Black Arts Movement, Marie Evans published her first work “Where Is All the Music” in 1968 followed by “I Am a Black Woman” in 1970. An initiative from the Manager of Exhibitions and Lectures, Isabelle

sit” were two exhibitions by faculty and students from VCUarts Qatar

St-Louis, opened up three new exhibition spaces for faculty, staff

and the home campus. The exhibitions were an extension of Tasmeem

and students to display their works in the building. The spaces in the

Doha 2017. In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week, VCUarts

glass display cases on ground and first floors were renovated and

Qatar held a series of events educating students about the Civil Rights

upgraded to allow them to be used for exhibitions, while a new space

movement. The week included the “Diversity, Inclusion and Social

was created on one side of the Saffron Hall. All three exhibition spaces

Justice” art exhibition featuring works by VCUarts Qatar faculty, staff

featured a variety of artworks ranging from artistic experimentation,

and students based around the exhibition title theme. The exhibition

to paintings, sculptures, photographs and fashion designs from when

was curated by MFA in Design student Aisha Jemila Daniels.

they opened in September 2017. The exhibitions included works by

Other prominent exhibitions included “City Limits” by emerging Iraqi artists Sajjad Abbas and Laith K. Daer; and the “Mari Evans: Carl

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Interior Design student Nada Abbarah, Assistant Professor of Painting + Printmaking Michael Perrone and the Painting + Printmaking students from Richmond and Qatar.

Issue 6 — 95

“Muhawwil (Transformer),” an exhibition on Islamic figurative murals, by Kuwaiti artist Monira Al Qadiri, took place at the Gallery from Jan. 18 to Feb. 18, 2017. The exhibition was a four-channel video installation based on the Islamic figurative murals which can be found on electric power stations throughout Kuwait. She turned those paintings into animations to highlight the dilemma of representation that exists between the ancient and the modern. Al Qadiri, who is part of the internationally renowned artist collective GCC, was one of 21 artists who were nominated for the Future Generation Art Prize in 2014. Her research focused on the aesthetics of sadness in the Middle-East stemming from poetry, music, art and religious practices. She was also one of the speakers Tasmeem Doha 2017, which ran from March 15-16, 2017. 05

Artists in Residence program Each year the Painting + Printmaking program selects two emerging artists at varying stages of their careers to become artists in residence

at VCUarts Qatar, and offers them a chance to exhibit their works in Lectures at VCUarts Qatar

Doha’s gallery scene.

The annual “Crossing Boundaries” lecture series features globally

The “Common Ground” exhibition was a culmination of nine months of work by two VCUarts Qatar artists in residence, Carolina AranibarFernandez and David Withers, as they documented their experiences

recognized artists, designers and scholars, and intends to highlight the cross-disciplinary nature of art and design practice and research. 2016-18 lectures

as artists working in the Gulf region.

Some of the prominent lectures conducted at VCUarts Qatar included

“Projected Reality; In Transition” at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University

UAE-based writer and art collector Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi’s discus-

(HBKU) gallery showed a collection of works from the 2017–2018

sion on the political undertones of iconic artworks of the 20th century

artists in residence Leekyung Kang and Austin Aviles. Kang

in the Arab world; Mohamed Elshahed’s examination of Egyptian

exhibited a second body of work in April 2018 at Art 29 gallery in

exhibition architecture between 1926 and 1964; architecture curator,

the W Doha Hotel in her solo show, “Transition in Unknown Territory;

critic, educator, author and consultant, Dr. Hassan Radoine’s explora-

Panic Architecture.”

tion of architectural frontiers, and artist Alia Farid’s discussion on two 08

projects that portray the arrival of, and fallout with, modernity in the Arab world.

Rana Salam spoke about how Middle Eastern pop culture transcends social hierarchy, age and gender in her lecture titled, “Shaabi to Chic:

Pop Culture is Consumer Culture”. Beirut-based US artist Marwa Arsanios gave a talk on “Ways of Reading.” Giulio Iacchetti talked about concepts and drawings and the relationship between artisans and inclusive projects to describe a very Italian way of making industrial design. Journeying through the profession of design, Giovanni Innella met and collaborated with craftsmen, designers, artists and a variety of other people. Award-winning fashion designers Ece and Ayse Ege spoke at length about their professional journeys in the fashion industry.

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“Muhawwil (Transformer)” exhibition Leekyung Kang Work from Kang's “Transition in Unknown Territory; Panic Architecture” “Common Ground” exhibition

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Ece and Ayse Ege Giulio Iacchetti Rana Salam Alia Farid 12

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Issue 6 — 97

‫ ‪ DESIGN CO-L AB‬‬

‫‪FOSTERING COMMUNIT Y‬‬ ‫‪I N VO LV E M E N T‬‬

‫قام أستاذا تصميم الغرافيك‪ ،‬بسمة محدى ودانييل إمانز مؤخر ًا‪ ،‬بإطالق برناجم أكادميي‬ ‫بعنوان “خمترب تصميم مشرتك”‪ ،‬والذي يربط التعليم خبدمة المجتمع‪ .‬يقوم هذا المخترب‬ ‫المشرتك عىل التعليم والبحث والكتابة والمناقاشت المكثفة حول اآلثار السياسية‬ ‫واالجتماعية والثقافية للتصميم‪.‬‬ ‫كجزء من هذا المخترب‪ ،‬مجعت دانييل وبسمة ما بني اثنني من المقررات االختيارية للمراحل‬ ‫العليا “التصميم لالبتكار االجتماعي” (والذي تدرسه دانييل) و “التصاميم العربية”‬ ‫(الذي تدرسه بسمة) للماشركة يف مرشوع “واجهة” يف خريف عام ‪“ .2016‬واجهة” هي‬ ‫مبادرة اجتماعية مستقلة تستخدم المعرفة يف جمال التصميم والعالمة التجارية لماسعدة‬

‫المجتمعات المحلية يف منطقة الرشق األوسط وشمال أفريقيا اليت ال تستطيع حتمل‬ ‫نفقات التصميم‪ ،‬وتم اإلعالن عن ماسبقة واجهة يف ديسمرب ‪ 2016‬ودعت المصممني‬ ‫من الرشق األوسط للعثور عىل متجر حباجة إىل تصميم جديد‪.‬‬

‫حدد األاستذة بسمة ودانييل عددا من الرشكات الصغرية الواقعة يف اشرع الشقب يف‬ ‫منطقة الريان القدمية للماشركة يف مبادرة وجهه االجتماعية‪ .‬وطلبت من اخلرجيني عبد‬ ‫الرمحن أنور وحازم آصف – تصميم الغرافيك ‪ -‬تقديم مقدمة أولية عن العمل ألصحاب‬ ‫المحالت‪ .‬اسعد هذان اخلرجيان وبشكل رئييس عىل توضيح أهداف المرشوع يف االعتماد‬ ‫عىل المجتمع المحيل والرتكزي عىل الرتوجي للمحالت الصغرية المجاورة للمدينة التعليمية‪.‬‬ ‫يقع اشرع الشقب خارج مؤسسة قطر‪ ،‬وهو موطن للعديد من حمالت غسيل السيارات‬ ‫واخلياطني وحمالت العصائر‪ .‬قام الطالب ببحث وتوثيق واجهات المحالت‪ ،‬وخاصة بعض‬ ‫واجهات الدوحة الفريدة‪ ،‬وحتديد ثقافة الاشرع المتواجدة فيه وطبيعة المجتمع‪ .‬وعلقت‬ ‫كل من بسمة ودانييل عن ذلك قائلتني‪“ :‬اسعدت هذه العملية عىل توفري نظرة فاحصة‬ ‫للطالب عن األماكن اليت نراها كثريا ولكن لم نالحظها أبدا‪ .‬ومع ذلك‪ ،‬فهي تشكل جزءا‬ ‫ال يتجزأ من المجتمع وتارخيه”‪.‬‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 99‬‬

‫‪Des i gn Co-l ab‬‬ ‫‪Graphic Design associate professors Basma Hamdy and Denielle‬‬ ‫‪Emans initiated a teaching and learning platform titled “Design‬‬ ‫‪Co-Lab,” connecting teaching to service with the community. Their‬‬ ‫‪shared laboratory is founded on synergistic teaching, research, writ‬‬‫‪ing and extensive discussions on the political, social and cultural‬‬ ‫‪implications of design.‬‬ ‫‪As part of Design Co-Lab, professors Hamdy and Emans brought‬‬ ‫”‪together their two senior electives “Design for Social Innovation,‬‬ ‫‪taught by Emans, and “Arabic Type Design,” taught by Hamdy, to‬‬ ‫‪participate in the “Wajha” project in fall 2016. Wajha is an indepen‬‬‫‪dent social initiative that uses design and branding knowledge to‬‬ ‫‪help local communities in the MENA region that cannot afford de‬‬‫‪sign expenses. The Wajha competition was announced in December‬‬ ‫‪2016 and invited designers from the Middle East to find a shop in‬‬ ‫‪need of a new brand design.‬‬ ‫‪Hamdy and Emans identified a number of small businesses along‬‬ ‫‪Al Shagab Street in the Old Al Rayyan area to participate in the‬‬ ‫‪Wajha social initiative and enlisted the help of alumni Abdul Rahman‬‬ ‫‪Anwar and Hazem Asif to make the initial introductions to the shop‬‬ ‫‪owners. These two graphic design alumni were pivotal in helping to‬‬ ‫‪clarify the intentions of the project as a community-driven endeavor‬‬ ‫‪focused on promoting the small shops in the neighborhoods adjacent‬‬ ‫‪to Education City.‬‬

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“This process helped provide students with a closer look at the places we so often see but never notice. They are nevertheless, an integral part of the community and its history.” —Basma Hamdy & Denielle Emans

01 Students conducting field research 02 Works by students at the “Shifting Spaces & Forgotten Walls” exhibition at Art 29 gallery at the W Doha Hotel Opposite page and overleaf 03, 04 Process work and field research for Honey Queen branding 05 Final branding for Honey Queen

Al Shagab Street lies just outside Qatar Foundation and is home to car washes, tailors and juice shops. Students researched and documented the storefronts, capturing some of Doha’s unique facades, faces, street culture and the essence of the community. “This process helped provide students with a closer look at the places we so often see but never notice. They are nevertheless an integral part of the community and its history,” the duo explains. Through short interviews, students engaged with business owners about the heritage of the area, discussing the shop history, and reflecting on the shop owners’ personalities. “By linking small groups of students together with the shop owners, students learned to create dynamic brand identities that reflect the authenticity and atmosphere of each store,” Hamdy says. “These services were offered to shop owners for free and contributed to community engagement with the neighbors of Education City,” she notes. The photographs and videos that emerged from the research component of the Wajha project resulted in an exhibition at the W Doha Hotel & Residences’ Art 29 gallery in March 2017. Curated and organized by Emans and senior student Alisha Saiyed, the “Shifting Spaces & Forgotten Walls” exhibition provided a closer look at the diversity of Qatar through the lens of street culture in Doha’s Old Al Rayyan Area.

100 — Issue 6

‫ عمل الطالب مع أصحاب المحالت لمعرفة تارخي‬،‫ومن خالل المقابالت القصرية‬ :‫ وقالت بسمة‬.‫ والتأمل يف شخصية صاحب المحل‬،‫ ومناقشة تارخي المحل‬،‫المنطقة‬ ،‫“من خالل التواصل ما بني جمموعات صغرية من الطالب مع أصحاب المحالت التجارية‬ :‫ وأضافت‬.”‫تعلم الطالب إناشء هويات جتارية ديناميكية تعكس طبيعة وجو كل متجر‬ ‫ واسهمت يف إرشاك المجتمع‬،‫“عرضت هذه اخلدمات عىل أصحاب المحالت جمانا‬ .”‫المحيل مع جرياهنم يف المدينة التعليمية‬ ‫وقد تم استخدام خمرجات هذا المرشوع من صور وفيديوهات يف إقامة معرض يف “آرت‬ ‫ قام كل من دانييل‬.2017 ‫” يف فندق ومنتجع دبليو الدوحة يف هشر مارس من عام‬29 ‫إمانز وألياش سيد بتنظيم وتنسيق هذا المعرض حتت عنوان “حتويل الماسحات واجلدران‬ ‫ ألقى هذا المعرض نظرة عن قرب عىل تنوع قطر من خالل عدسة ثقافة الاشرع‬.”‫المهملة‬ .‫يف منطقة الريان القدمية يف الدوحة‬ ”‫الفائز بالمركز الثاني في مسابقة “واجهة‬

‫ كيفية تصور الطالب الستخدام مهاراهتم يف تصميم الغرافيك‬،‫تظهر نتاجئ ماسبقة واجهة‬ ‫يف إعادة تنشيط األعمال التجارية الصغرية من خالل إعادة تصميم واجهات المحالت‬ ‫ “حنن حناول تعليم الطالب العمل عن قرب مع‬:‫ وقالت دانييل‬.‫وجعلها أكرث مجاال وجاذبية‬ ‫ مع الرتكزي عىل العالجات المطبعية ثنائية اللغة‬،‫المجتمع من خالل هنج يركز عىل اإلناسن‬ .”‫اليت تأخذ يف االعتبار أهمية السياق والتمثيل اإلقليمي‬ ‫ مطعم بنغايل‬- )‫” (ملكة العسل‬Honey Queen“ ‫ فإن مطعم‬،‫وبفضل هذه المبادرة‬ ‫ حصلت طالبات السنة الهنائية يف‬.‫ يف طريقه للحصول عىل هيئة جديدة‬،‫صغري يف الدوحة‬ ‫ منرية‬،2017 ‫ عائشة ال سعد‬،2017 ‫ ألياش سيد‬،2017 ‫ رابية خاتون‬:‫تصميم الغرافيك‬

Second Place Wajha Competition Winners

The outcomes of the Wajha project showcase how students imagined they would use their graphic design skills to reinvigorate the small businesses by redesigning the shop fronts to make them more eye-catching and appealing. “We’re trying to teach students to work closely with the community through a human-centered approach, emphasizing bilingual typographic treatments that consider the significance of regional and contextual representation,” Emans says. Thanks to the classroom initiative, “Honey Queen,” a little Bengali restaurant in Doha, is in the process of getting a makeover. Senior graphic design students Rabeya Khatoon (’17), Alisha Saiyed (’17), Aisha AlSaad (’17) and Muneera Al-Obaidan (’18) won second place in the Wajha project competition, the first regional competition of its kind. They hope this rebrand will cater not only to Honey Queen’s existing clientele but will also attract new business. Colloquially known as a cafeteria, Honey Queen is a small hole-inthe-wall restaurant that offers simple, wholesome Bangladeshi cuisine. Serving food from the kitchen, just like at home, the restaurant is well known for its Nihari, a special meat stew, as well as its more homely dishes. Fresh ingredients and affordable prices ensure a daily crowd.

‫ وهم يأملون‬.‫ عىل المركز الثاين يف هذه الماسبقة اإلقليمية األوىل من نوعها‬2018 ‫العبيدان‬ ‫يف أن تسعد هذه العالمة التجارية اجلديدة العمالء احلاليني وأن تعمل عىل جذب جمموعة‬ .‫متنوعة جديدة من العمالء‬ ”‫ وهو مطعم صغري “حفرة يف اجلدار‬،”‫عرف مطعم “هوين كوين” بالعامية باسم “كافترييا‬ ‫ متاما كالطعام المزنيل ويشهتر المطعم بطبق‬.‫يقدم مأكوالت بنغالديشية بسيطة وصحية‬ ‫حاسء اللحم اخلاص والمعروف ب “هناري” فضال عن أطباقه الشبهية باألطباق المصنوعة‬ .‫ حيث يقبل عليه الناس لمكوناته الطازجة وأسعاره المعقولة‬.‫يف المزنل‬ ‫وتقول رابية خاتون “كان القصد من هذا المرشوع هو منح أصحاب المحالت خطة تصميم‬ ‫” بأننا نعرتف هبم‬Honey Queen“ ‫ عرف الموظفون يف‬.‫طويلة األمد جتلب لهم الرحب‬ ‫ أسعزت إىل األبد وأتذكر‬.‫ ارتسمت البسمة عىل وجوههم‬،‫ونقدر عملهم ويف المقابل‬ .”Honey Queen“ ‫المحادثات اليت أجريهتا مع الناس يف‬ ‫ “كمجموعة من المصممات الاشبات يعملن يف سياق يغلب عليه‬:‫أما ألياش سيد فتقول‬ ‫ اسعد الرتحيب احلار الذي تلقيناه من المجتمع كال الطرفني عىل إعادة التفكري يف‬،‫الذكور‬ ‫ تبادلنا القصص وأجبنا عىل العديد من األسئلة حول‬.‫تصوراتنا المسبقة عن دور االخرين‬ ‫ جتمعنا سوية يف ماسحة صغرية‬،‫ وعملنا‬،‫ وعن أصولنا‬،‫مؤسسة قطر وتصميم الغرافيك‬ ‫ تعلمنا الكثري ونشعر باالمتنان جلميع موظفي وعمالء‬.‫إضاقة إىل الكامريات والمعدات‬ ،‫” الرائعني عىل وقهتم الذي منحونا إياه وعىل ترحيهبم بنا يف مطعمهم‬Honey Queen“ .”‫وتقاسم قصصهم معنا‬ ‫حصل الفائزون الثالثة يف ماسبقة واجهة عىل التمويل الالزم لتنفيذ التصميم الهنايئ‬ ‫ تم اإلعالن عن هذا الفوز‬.‫وسيعملون مع صاحب المحل عىل تقديم الهوية اجلديدة‬ ‫ حيث أعلن‬،‫ األردن‬،‫ ومن خالل بث حي ومبارش من عمان‬،2017 ‫ مارس‬25 ‫واإلجناز يف‬ .‫ النتاجئ الهنائية مبارشة عىل اجلمهور‬،‫مؤسيس واجهة عيل المرصي وحسني العزت‬

Issue 6 — 101

DESIGN CO-L AB

Design Co-Lab 2017

Design Co-Lab continued in fall 2017 when professors Hamdy and Emans once again brought together their two senior electives. During this collaboration, the pair introduced students to the methodologies and approaches of human-centered design as a tool to generate positive change around key social issues in the MENA Region. Students were immersed in systems, thinking of ways to examine local challenges in Qatar and were asked to consider methods to affect behavioral change through user-led perspectives. One of the outstanding projects that emerged from the course was entitled “The Spirit of the Loyals,” a campaign that highlighted the impact of the Gulf Blockade on Qatari citizens and residents. Eight students came together to examine the blockade from multiple angles including Ebtesam M. Al-Hothi, Hessa Al Hitmi, Eman AlMansouri, Maha Alsulaiti, Hissa Albaker, Alreem Nassiri, Noor Bahzad and Shaikha Al-Hardan. These students investigated all sides of the issue, focusing on micro-topics ranging from economic impacts to his05

Khatoon says, “The intention behind this project was to give the shop owners a long-term design plan that would bring them profit. The staff at Honey Queen knew they were being recognized and acknowledged and in return, they had smiles on their faces. I will forever cherish and remember the conversations I had with the people at Honey Queen.” Saiyed added, “As a group of young female designers working in a predominantly male context, being warmly welcomed by the community has helped both parties to rethink the role, as well as our preconceptions, of the other. We exchanged stories and answered Honey Queen questions about Qatar Foundation and graphic design, about our Aisha Khaled Al-Saad, Alisha Rehamuddin Saiyed, origins, and our work as we stumbled about in the small space with Rabeya Khatoon, and Muneera Ahmad Al-Obaidan tripods and cameras. We took away a lot of learning and are grateful for all the wonderful staff and customers of Honey Queen who gave us their time, welcomed us into their restaurant and shared their stories with us.” The top three winners of the Wajha Competition received funding to implement the final design and worked with the shop owner to introduce the new visual identity. This regional honor and achievement was announced on March 25, 2017, during a live broadcast from Amman, Jordan, where Wajha founders Ali AlMasri and Hussein Alazaat announced the final results to a live and virtual audience. Almasri says he was impressed by Honey Queen’s redesign because it considered the little Bangladeshi shop as an essential and worthy recipient of this design intervention. He explains, “It is rare that designers from the Arab region take into consideration such small and marginalized businesses. In addition to the impressive typographic solution and visual language, we were impressed by how the students made a connection with the shop owner, interviewed him and responded to his needs. They appreciated his identity, integrating his language in the design. We also felt that they weren’t simply interested in impressive visual solutions but were instead focused on how to genuinely benefit the shop owner.”

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‫ صاحب الصورة الهشرية لسمو األمري “متيم‬،‫يعترب الفنان أمحد بن ماجد المعاضيد‬ .‫ مثا ًال عىل سخاء المجتمع يف دعم أحباث الطالب اليت تتم يف الفصول الدراسية‬،”‫المجد‬ ‫أيضا يف مقابلة عرب اإلنرتنت متت‬ ً ‫ بل اشرك‬،‫لم يقدم أمحد فقط نظرة ثاقبة عىل عمله‬ ‫ أدت نتيجة هذا العمل اجلماعي إىل تروجي المنتجات القطرية‬.‫ماشركهتا مع جمتمع أوسع‬ ‫ اشرك المجتمع برتحاب‬.‫حملية الصنع واإلعالن عن الراسئل االحتفالية بالوحدة والتارخي‬ ‫يف احلملة اليت اطلقت عىل واسئل التواصل االجتماعي يف سلسلة من الصور ومقاطع‬ ‫ كما تم عرض عمله يف لوحة كبرية يف مبىن اجلامعة استحوذت عىل اهتمام‬.‫الفيديو‬ ‫واسئل اإلعالم من خالل الصحف المحلية اليت حتدثت عن أهمية هذا العمل ودور الفن‬ .‫والتصميم يف إثراء الوعي الوطين‬ ‫ كان هناك عدد من الماشريع األخرى المؤثرة واليت‬،”‫باإلضافة إىل محلة “روح الوالء‬ ‫ عىل سبيل‬.‫هتدف إىل توعية المجتمع واليت طورها الطالب الاشركني يف خمترب التصميم‬ ‫معا من أجل زيادة الوعي مبفهوم‬ ً ‫ عملت كل من عقيفة ألطاف ومنرة كبريالدين‬،‫المثال‬

06, 07

“Five Pillars of Islam” project

torical influences. To further unravel the complexities of these topics, students examined news articles, researched political players and interviewed local authorities. This initial deep-dive into understandHoney Queen ”Honey Queen“‫ “لقد أعجبت بإعادة تصميم‬،”‫ مؤسس “واجهة‬،‫ويقول عيل المرصي‬ ing the topic through primary and secondary research is “critical to .‫أن هذا المتجر البنغالدييش الصغري جدير هبذا التجديد و التصميم‬Aisha ‫أخذ باالعتبار‬ ‫ الذي‬Al-Saad, Alisha Rehamuddin Saiyed, Khaled the success of projects such as these” notes Hamdy. ‫ أن يأخذ المصممون العرب يف اعتبارهم هذه األعمال الصغرية‬Rabeya ‫ “من النادر‬:‫وأوضح‬ Khatoon, and Muneera Ahmad Al-Obaidan ‫ أعجبنا بطريقة‬،‫ باإلضافة إىل متزي التصميم باللغة والطباعة المرئية الرائعة‬.‫والمهمشة‬ Emans goes on to describe the importance of structured interviews ‫ لقد أعربوا عن‬.‫ واستجابهتم الحتياجاته‬،‫ ومقابلته‬،‫تواصل الطالب مع صاحب المحل‬ as part of the shared curriculum in Design Co-Lab, explaining how ‫ كما شعرنا من خالل تصميمهم بأهنم‬.‫ وقاموا بدجم لغته يف تصميمهم‬،‫تقديرهم لهويته‬ it expands students thinking and allows them to unpack complex is‫لم يركزوا فقط عىل تقديم احللول البرصية الرائعة ولكهنم ركزوا كذلك عىل كيفية حتقيق‬ sues. For example, the eight students involved in the “The Spirit of .”‫االستفادة احلقيقية لصاحب المحل‬ the Loyals” campaign broke into pairs of two (one student from each class) to better understand the opinions of family members, friends 2017 ‫مختبر تصميم مشترك‬ and residents. One pair interviewed an uncle who had been involved ‫ حيث قاما األستاذان الماشركان بسمة محدي ودانييل‬2017 ‫استمر المخترب يف خريف‬ in the Gulf War nearly 30 years ago, to examine how GCC relation‫ قاما بتعريف الطالب‬،‫ خالل هذا التعاون‬.‫إميان باجلمع مرة أخرى بني طلبة المقررين‬ ships have shifted over the years. Another group of students talked ‫عىل مهنجيات وأاسليب التصميم الذي يركز عىل اإلناسن كأداة إلحداث تغيري إجيايب‬ to families with mixed Gulf-heritage to understand the impact of the ‫ كان الطالب‬.‫حول القضايا االجتماعية الرئيسية يف منطقة الرشق األوسط وشمال أفريقيا‬ 07 ‫ وبالتفكري يف طرق لدراسة التحديات المحلية يف قطر كما ُطلب مهنم‬،‫منغمسني يف األنظمة‬ .‫التفكري يف طرق تؤثرعىل تغيري السلوك من خالل وجهات نظر يقودها المستخدم‬ ‫ وهي‬،”‫أحد الماشريع البارزة اليت انبثقت عن هذا الدجم جاءت حتت عنوان “روح الوالء‬ ‫ اجتمعت مثانية‬.‫محلة أبرزت تأثري احلصار اخلليجي عىل المواطنني القطريني والمقيمني‬

‫ إميان‬،‫ حصة الهتمي‬،‫ ابتاسم احلويث‬:‫طالبات لفحص احلصار من زوايا متعددة وهن‬ ‫ قامت‬.‫ وشيخة احلردان‬،‫ نور هبزاد‬،‫ الريم نارصي‬،‫ حصة الباكر‬،‫ مها السليطي‬،‫المنصوري‬ ‫ مع الرتكزي عىل الموضوعات الصغرية‬،‫هؤالء الطالبات بالتحقيق يف مجيع جوانب القضية‬ ‫ وللكشف عن مزيد من تعقيدات هذه‬.‫من التأثريات االقتصادية إىل التأثريات التارخيية‬ ،‫ وحبنث عن المؤثرين السياسيني‬،‫ درست الطالبات المقاالت اإلخبارية‬،‫الموضوعات‬ ‫ “هذا التعمق يف فهم‬:‫ وعلقت بسمة قائلة‬.‫وأجرين مقابالت مع السلطات المحلية‬ .”‫الموضوع من خالل البحث األويل والثانوي هو “أمر حاسم لنجاح مثل هذه الماشريع‬ ،‫تصف دانييل إميانز أهمية المقابالت المنظمة كجزء من المهنج المشرتك يف هذا المخترب‬ ‫ عىل‬.‫موضحة كيف يعمل عىل توسيع تفكري الطالب ويتيح لهم حتليل مشكالت معقدة‬ ‫ قامت الطالبات الماشركات يف محلة “روح الوالء” إىل توزيع أنفهسن‬،‫سبيل المثال‬ ‫ لفهم آراء أفراد العائلة‬،‫ كل جمموعة تضم طالبتني من المقررين‬،‫إىل جمموعات زوجية‬ ‫ قامت إحدى المجموعات بإجراء مقابلة مع أحد‬.‫واألصدقاء والمقيمني بشكل أفضل‬ ‫ لبحث كيف حتولت‬،‫أعمامهن الذي اشرك يف حرب اخلليج منذ حوايل ثالثني عام ًا‬ ‫ حتدثت جمموعة أخرى من الطالبات‬.‫عالقات دول جملس التعاون اخلليجي عىل مر السنني‬ ‫مع عائالت لدهيا تراث خليجي خمتلط لفهم تأثري قطع العالقات السياسية بني قطر ودول‬ ‫ بينما تواصلت األخريات مع فنانني حمليني إلجراء مقابالت يف حماولة إلبراز‬.‫اخلليج األخرى‬ .‫دور التصميم يف الوعي السيايس‬ Issue 6 — 103

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‫ ﲢُ ّﻤﻞ ﻣﻘﺎﻃﻊ‬، ‫ﺑﻴﺎن ﻗﻨﺎة ﻳﻮﺗﻴﻮب وﺻحفﺔ إﻧﺴﺘﺎﻏﺮام‬ ‫أﺳﺒﻮﻋﻴﺔ ﺗﺸﺮح ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﻣﻔﺎﻫﲓ ﺧﺎﻃﺌﺔ اﻣﺘﺰﺟﺖ‬ .‫ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺸﺎﻫﺪه اﻵن ﻫﻮ اﳌﻘﻄﻊ اﻟﺘﻌﺮﻳﱽ‬.‫ﺑﺎﻹﺳﻼم‬

Research . Verify . Learn Bayan is a YouTube Channel and an Instagram Page, that upload weekly videos. These videos explain misunderstood concepts in Islam. This is an introductory video to those pages.

10 08 “Women of Qatar” project 09 “Culture Pass” project 10 “Bayan” poster

Opposite page 11 “Qatar Stores” project

severing of political ties between Qatar and other Gulf states. Others reached out to local artists for interviews in an effort to highlight the role of design in political awareness. Artist Ahmed Bin Majed Al-Maadheed, the creator of the iconic image of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, titled “Tamim the Glorious,” is one example of the generosity of the community in Doha towards supporting the student research produced in the course. He not only provided insight into his work, but also participated in an online interview that was shared with the wider community. The result of this collective work promoted locally-made Qatari products, and celebrated messages of unity and shared unspoken histories. The campaign launched on social media through a series of images and videos and was very well-received. It was also presented in a series of installations at VCUarts Qatar. The project captured media attention with local newspapers reporting on the significance of the work and the role of art and design in national awareness. In addition to the “The Spirit of the Loyals” campaign, there were a number of other socially conscious and poignant design projects developed by student teams participating in the Design Co-Lab. For instance, Aaqifa Altaf and Nimrah Kabiruddin worked together to raise awareness about perceptions of home within Qatar. After interviewing various members of the community, the team created an interactive kit for expatriate children to playfully engage with concepts of belongingness. Another pair of students, Hind G Al-Kuwari

104 — Issue 6

‫ أنأش الفريق‬،‫ بعد إجراء مقابالت مع العديد من أعضاء المجتمع‬.‫المزنل داخل دولة قطر‬ ‫ قام فريق‬.‫جمموعة تفاعلية لألطفال المغرتبني للماشركة بفاعلية مع مفاهيم االنتماء‬ ‫ وهي سلسلة‬،”‫ بإطالق محلة حتت عنوان “بيان‬،‫ من هند الكواري واسرة عويضة‬،‫آخر‬ ‫ لماسعدة الماشهدين عىل البحث والتحقق والتعرف‬،‫أسبوعية عىل يوتيوب وانستغرام‬ ‫ تم دجم الصور التوضيحية‬،‫ يف هذا المرشوع‬.‫عىل المفاهيم اخلاطئة الاشئعة حول اإلسالم‬ ‫معا لتشجيع الماشهدين عىل إيقاف تداول‬ ً ‫والطباعة العربية بسالسة‬ .‫المعلومات اخلاطئة‬ ‫شملت الماشريع األخرى البارزة لهذا المخترب أعمال كارلوتا برناردي وفهيم خان اللذان‬ ‫ ويف مرشوع‬.‫نظرا يف اآلثار السلبية لالعتماد الثقايف باستخدام التدخل التجرييب والمكاين‬ ‫ مجعت يون جيونغ هوانغ بني الطباعة الكورية والرسوم التوضيحية لغاجني تشونغ‬،‫آخر‬ ‫ قامت محلة من إعداد نوف الهيدوس‬.‫يف فيديو عن منع انتحار الشباب الكوري اجلنويب‬ ‫ يف حني ركز‬،‫وعائشة السيد ومريم المالكي بتعليم األطفال عن استدامة المياه يف قطر‬ :‫ تقول دانييل‬.‫مرشوع وضحة احلسن ومريم المضيحكي عىل احلركة الناسئية يف قطر‬ ‫ أن يقوم الطالب بالتفكري بشكل حاسم يف وجهات نظرهم حول‬،‫“هندف يف كل مرشوع‬ .”‫أيضا كرواة للقصص وصناع للتغيري يف المستقبل‬ ً ‫ وأن يتمكنوا من رؤية أنفهسم‬،‫العالم‬ ‫ “نعتقد برضورة تعلم المصممني الشباب لوجهات نظر متعددة وميكن أن‬:‫وتضيف بسمة‬ .”‫حيدث هذا من خالل التعاون والمماراست المشرتكة‬ ‫ قامت بسمة ودانييل بقبول التحدي وتطوير نسخة متقدمة‬،‫يف هذا الفصل الدرايس‬ ‫من هذا المخترب المشرتك من خالل ربط مقررين خمتلفني من المقررات االختيارية لطلبة‬ ‫ مع مقرر “اللغة‬،‫ الذي تدرسه دانييل‬،”‫ قامتا بدجم مقرر “أنشطة التصميم‬.‫المرحلة الهنائية‬ ‫ سيقوم‬2019 – 2018 ‫ ومن خالل هذا المخترب التعليمي‬.‫ السياق” اليت تدرسه بسمة‬+ ‫طلبة تصميم الغرافيك باستكاشف كيف ميكن لالقرتاحات التصميمية تتبع الماسر إىل‬ ‫ ورفع الوعي حول المستقبل اجلماعي كشكل من أشكال‬،‫عوالم بديلة‬ .‫أنشطة التصميم‬

“Within each of our projects, we want students to think critically about their worldviews, but also see themselves as storytellers and change-makers of the future…” –Denielle Emans

and Sarah Aweida, created a campaign called “Bayan,” a weekly YouTube and Instagram series, to help viewers research, verify and learn about common misconceptions about Islam. In this project, illustration and Arabic typography were seamlessly blended together to encourage viewers to stop the cycle of false information. Other outstanding projects created in this iteration of Design CoLab included the work of Carlotta Bernardi and Faheem Khan who looked at the negative effects of cultural appropriation using an experiential and spatial intervention. In another project, Yeon Geong Hwang combined Korean typography with Gajin Chung’s illustrations in a video about suicide prevention for South-Korean youth. A campaign created by Noof Al-Heidous, Aysha W. Alsayed, and Maryam Almalki educated children about water sustainability in Qatar, while Wadha Alhassan and Maryam Al-Mudahka’s project focused on feminism in Qatar. “Within each of our projects, we want students to think critically about their worldviews, but also see themselves as storytellers and change-makers of the future,” Emans says. “We believe that young designers must learn multiple perspectives and this can happen through collaboration and participatory practices,” Hamdy adds. Hamdy and Emans have taken on the challenge of developing an advanced version of Co-Lab by linking two new senior electives together, “Design Activism,” taught by Emans, and “Language + Context,” taught by Hamdy. During the 2018–19 learning laboratory, the graphic design students explored how design propositions can trace the path to alternative worlds by raising awareness on collective futures as a form of design activism. This cutting-edge version of Co-Lab sheds light on past and present ideas of social justice, oppression and revolt through a fascinating survey of history, literature, art, film and television. To accomplish this, the pair brings together various fields involved in the interface between activism and the contradictions of power in relation to social change. Speaking about this most recent Co-Lab, Hamdy explains how the work produced during the course investigated contextual and regional components of language systems to understand how culture

‫تسلط هذه النسخة المتطورة من المخترب الضوء عىل األفكار الاسبقة واحلالية حول‬ ‫العدالة االجتماعية والقمع والثورة من خالل مسح رائع للتارخي واألدب والفن والسينما‬ ‫ جيمع األستاذان بني خمتلف المجاالت الماشركة يف التفاعل بني‬،‫ لتحقيق هذا‬.‫والتلفزيون‬ .‫األنشطة وتناقضات السلطة فيما يتعلق بالتغيري االجتماعي‬ ‫ توضح بسمة كيف أن العمل الذي‬،‫باحلديث عن أحدث نسخة من هذا المخترب المشرتك‬ ‫تم إنتاجه خالل المقرر متكن من التحقيق ودراسة المكونات السياقية واإلقليمية للنظم‬ .‫اللغوية لفهم كيف ميكن للثقافة أن تلعب دور ًا مهم ًا يف ديناميكية هياكل القوة ومقاومهتا‬ .‫وهذا يدفع الطالب إىل حتليل المايض وإعادة تفسريه (واحلارض) إلثراء المستقبل اخليايل‬ ‫ وخاصة عندما نقوم‬،‫ “هذا المخترب خمصص لكل من يعتقد أن التصميم‬:‫تقول دانييل‬ ‫ هو تعبري إناسين رئييس سياسعدنا مجيع ًا عىل التحرك حنو مستقبل‬،‫بالتصميم مع ًا‬ .”‫أكرث استدامة‬ Issue 6 — 105

DESIGN CO-L AB

can play a significant role in the dynamics of power structures and their resistance. It challenged students to analyze, distil and reinterpret the past (and present) to inform a fictional or speculative future. Emans says, “This course is for everyone who believes that design, especially when we design together, is an essential human expression that will help us all to move towards more sustainable futures.” A central aspect of design Co-Lab is its focus on collaboration and the integration of students’ diverse skills and acuities. Classes like Co-Lab challenge design students to reframe their negative assumptions about teamwork in preparation for working with future colleagues and communities. To address some of the negative assumptions that students initially hold towards group work, Hamdy and Emans developed a model to guide young designers towards self-discovery based on observable personality traits which they have chosen to refer to as Design Powers. Inspired by existing theories of personality and the cognitive tendency of categorization, Design Powers was originally developed to dispel the myth of the one-size-fits-all designer and celebrate the value of individual talent by promoting personal and professional growth. This ongoing research examines a methodological framework comprised of four design competencies – Dreamer, Tinkerer, Storyteller and Conductor. A series of complementary activities were created by the duo to engage students in celebrating their unique skills and, in doing so, prepare them for 21st century design practices. These activities progressively increase in complexity and structure, offering students the flexibility to identify their talents and take ownership of their individualized design powers. In October 2016, Hamdy and Emans were invited to present the Design Powers System at the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Art) National Conference in Las Vegas where they gave a talk and workshop introducing the audience to the system. By sharing their research at this conference and other venues such as the 2018 Vested Summit in El Gouna, the pair has been able to continually refine their collaborative strategies. For this dynamic duo, international exposure is also an opportunity to spread a message about the importance of celebrating diversity as part of creative innovation, particularly regarding design research for social justice. Hamdy and Emans explain that their collaborative research helps empower students to contribute meaningfully to projects by identifying their individual personality traits but also seeing the creative potential of others. “Not only do students learn to value meaningful input from diverse personalities, they see these traits mirrored by our own collaboration in the classroom,” explain the pair. Further details about this ground-breaking research is detailed in their recent journal article “The Design Powers System: Cultivating Design Competencies in Collaborative Endeavors” published in the third issue of the prominent design journal Dialectic in September 2018.

106 — Issue 6

DESIGN CO-L AB

‫أحد اجلوانب المركزية يف خمترب التصميم المشرتك يتمثل يف تركزيه عىل التعاون وتكامل‬ ‫ تعمل هذه المختربات عىل حتدي الطالب‬.‫المهارات والقدرات المتنوعة للطالب‬ ‫إلعادة صياغة افرتاضاهتم السلبية حول العمل اجلماعي استعداد ًا للعمل مع الزمالء‬ ‫ ولمعاجلة بعض االفرتاضات السلبية اليت يكوهنا الطالب‬.‫والمجتمعات يف المستقبل‬ ‫ قامت بسمة ودانييل بتطوير منوذج لتوجيه المصممني‬،‫يف البداية عن العمل اجلماعي‬ ‫الشباب حنو اكتاشف الذات استناد ًا إىل سمات شخصية ميكن مالحظهتا واليت اختاروا‬ .‫اإلاشرة إلهيا باعتبارها قوة التصميم‬ ‫صممت قوة‬ ُ ،‫مستوحاة من النظريات احلالية للشخصية والميل المعريف للتصنيف‬ ،‫ أصالً لتبديد أسطورة تصميم واحد يناسب اجلميع‬Design Powers - ‫التصميم‬ ‫ خيترب هذا‬.‫واالحتفاء بقيمة المواهب الفردية من خالل تعزيز النمو الشخيص والمهين‬ ،‫ المفكر‬،‫ احلالم‬- ‫البحث المستمر إطار ًا مهنجي ًا يتألف من أربعة كفاءات يف التصميم‬

‫ تم ابتكار سلسلة من األنشطة التكميلية من قبل دانييل وبسمة إلرشاك‬.‫والقائد‬, ‫الراوي‬ ‫ وإعدادهم لممارسة التصميم يف القرن احلادي‬،‫الطالب يف االحتفاء مبهاراهتم الفريدة‬ ،‫ تزداد هذه األنشطة تدرجيي ًا من حيث التعقيد والبناء‬.‫والعرشين من خالل القيام بذلك‬ ‫مما يوفر للطالب المرونة لتحديد مواههبم واحلصول عىل ملكية قوة التصميم الفردية‬ .‫اخلاصة هبم‬

‫ متت دعوة بسمة ودانييل للتحدث عن نظام قوة التصميم يف المؤمتر‬،2016 ‫يف أكتوبر‬ ‫ حيث قاما‬،‫) يف الس فيغاس‬AIGA( ‫الوطين للرابطة المهنية األمريكية للمصممني‬ ‫ من خالل ماشركة أحباهثما يف هذا‬.‫بإلقاء حمارضة وورشة عمل إلطالع اجلمهور عىل النظام‬ ‫ متكنتا من حتسني‬،‫ يف اجلونة – الغردقة‬2018 ‫المؤمتر وغريه من األماكن مثل مؤمتر فيست‬ ‫ متثل العروض‬،‫ بالنسبة إىل هذا الثنايئ الديناميكي‬.‫اسرتاتيجياهتما التعاونية باستمرار‬ ،‫أيضا فرصة لنرش راسلة حول أهمية االحتفال بالتنوع كجزء من االبتكار اإلبداعي‬ ً ‫الدولية‬ .‫ال سيما فيما يتعلق بأحباث التصميم من أجل العدالة االجتماعية‬ ‫وتوضح بسمة ودانييل أن أحباهثما التعاونية تاسعد عىل متكني الطالب من الماسهمة‬ ‫ ورؤية اإلمكانات اإلبداعية‬،‫بشكل فعال يف الماشريع من خالل حتديد سماهتم الشخصية‬ ‫ “ال يتعلم الطالب تقدير قيمة المدخالت اليت لها معىن من شخصيات‬.‫لدى اآلخرين‬ ‫ تفاصيل‬.”‫ بل يرون هذه السمات اليت يعكهسا تعاوننا يف الفصل الدرايس‬،‫متنوعة فقط‬ ‫ غرس‬:‫مفصلة يف مقالهم الصحفي األخري “نظام قوة التصميم‬ ‫أكرث عن هذا البحث الرائد‬ ّ ‫كفاءات التصميم يف الماسعي التعاونية” المنشور يف العدد الثالث من جريدة ديليكتيك‬ .2018 ‫ سبتمرب‬،‫للتصميم‬

Opposite page 12 “Buy local in Qatar” project 13 “Qatari feminists” project

Issue 6 — 107

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VCUarts Qatar supports Young Writers Program skill development in partnership with US Embassy and Ministry of Education and Higher Education

According to Mir, another positive aspect of the program is the development of a writing culture in Qatar. “Students are reaching out to us for more chances to write; they have expressed a want for writing groups and ways to engage with each other, as well as ways to express through creative and critical modes,” she notes.

VCUarts Qatar has a long-standing commitment to providing students with the education they need to transform Qatar into a knowl-

In keeping with the aims of the MEHE, the approach has begun to

edge-based economy. This imperative is a cornerstone of the 2030

change the culture of learning among students involved with the

Qatar National Vision and closely aligns with the mission of Qatar

project. Ms. Al Remaihi, the head of the English Curriculum Team at

Foundation. By instilling the importance of creativity and research

MEHE explains: “Student attitudes are beginning to change after the

skills in all its students, VCUarts Qatar is helping build the capacity for

second year of the Young Writers Program. Over the past few awards

innovation and technology at a national and international level.

ceremonies, we have noticed that students came to support their peers and there was less animosity about not winning. Students were

Educators play an important role in inspiring the next generation and

in it for the experience.”

preparing students to lead in the development of this new shift. One of these educators is Liberal Arts & Sciences Assistant Professor Sadia

Mir claims that by bringing students from different schools together, a

Mir, a writing specialist in the Young Writers Program. Mir believes that

community of young writers is being created within the public school

building toward a knowledge economy naturally involves educators at

system. ”This takes students out of their classroom environments

the university level, but also extends to teachers at the K–12 level.

and allows them to exchange ideas and learn from students in other schools. It can be viewed as an internal student exchange program-

The Young Writers Program

which is a scenario that currently doesn’t really exist in their standard

Professor Mir joined the Young Writers Program (YWP) in 2014, the

academic experiences,” she explains.

program’s founding year. Designed as a collaboration between the U.S. Embassy in Qatar and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education(MEHE), the YWP is an annual program which aims to further a critical and creative English writing culture in Qatar. Currently in its fifth year, the program encourages and assists students in developing their identity and self-expression through writing as part of the annual “Young Writers Writing Competition.” The YWP is innovative in its aims to connect and support all levels of education, from primary to university, as well as recent graduates entering the workplace. To date, the program has attempted to do this in myriad ways including targeting K–12 students through writing

‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم في قطر تدعم “برنامج الكتاب‬

‫الشباب” وبالتعاون مع السفارة األمريكية ووزارة التربية والتعليم العالي‬

‫تلزتم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر بزتويد الطالب بالتعليم الذي‬ ‫ ومبا يتوافق مع رؤية قطر‬.‫حيتاجونه لتحويل اقتصاد دولة قطر إىل اقتصاد قائم عىل المعرفة‬ ‫ ومن خالل غرس مهارات اإلبداع والبحث وماسعدة‬.‫ ومهمة مؤسسة قطر‬2030 ‫الوطنية‬ .‫الطالب يف بناء القدرة عىل االبتكار والتكنولوجيا عىل المستوى الوطين والدويل‬ ‫يلعب المعلمون دور ًا هام ًا يف إلهام جيل المستقبل وإعدادهم لتويل قيادة هذا التحول‬ ‫ تعتقد اسديا أن بناء اقتصاد‬.‫ اسديا مري‬،‫ ومهنم أستاذ العلوم والفنون العامة‬،‫اجلديد‬ ‫ بل ميتد‬،‫قائم عىل المعرفة ال يتوقف عىل ماسهمة المعلمني يف المستوى اجلامعي فقط‬ .‫أيض ًا إىل الماسهمة يف التعليم من المرحلة االبتدائية وحىت المستوى الثاين عرش‬

workshops and competitions and providing professional development for K–12 teachers. It also initiated opportunities for VCUarts Qatar students and recent graduates to get involved, as well as collaborated with VCUarts Qatar faculty members. VCUarts Qatar has increased its support for the program throughout the years.

Self-expression and writing Acting in her capacity as writing specialist, Mir leads writing workshops for students in grades 8 and 10 in selected government schools, helping to prepare students for the annual YWP competition. The goal is to position English writing as a creative art and to encourage students to see writing as a form of self-expression. The YWP has had successful outcomes over its short existence. This is evident in the annual increase in countrywide school participation. According to local statistics, there was an 80 percent participation rate of government schools in the 2016-2017 academic year alone, an increase of approximately 15 percent from the start of the program.

108 — Issue 6

New to fall 2017 was her work in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Qatar and the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University, to deliver a survey to assess the impact of the program on students and teachers. In November 2017, she assisted the U.S. Embassy with the planning and implementation of the first “Young Writers Open Mic” arts and literary community event in partnership with the MEHE and World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), as part of Doha Learning Week. All ages – from primary to universityaged students – attended to read original poetry, recite favorite pieces of literature and perform music and song. Notable was the contingent of university students from Education City who expressed their enjoyment and requested more open mic events in the future.

‫برنامج الكتاب الشباب‬

‫ كان الربناجم نتاج‬.2014 ‫انضمت بروفيسور اسديا إىل هذا الربناجم قبيل انطالقه عام‬ ‫ وهيدف إىل تعزيز‬،‫التعاون بني السفارة األمريكية يف الدوحة ووزارة الرتبية والتعليم العايل‬ ‫ واليوم ويف عامه اخلامس ياسعد الربناجم‬.‫ثقافة الكتابة اإلبداعية باللغة اإلجنلزيية يف قطر‬ ‫الطالب عىل تطوير هويهتم والتعبري عن أنفهسم من خالل الماشركة يف الماسبقة السنوية‬ .‫يف الكتابة‬ ‫ ودعم اخلرجيني‬،‫ من االبتدايئ إىل اجلامعي‬،‫يعمل الربناجم عىل دعم مجيع مستويات التعليم‬ ‫يف بداية حياهتم المهنية من خالل ورش الكتابة والماسبقات وتوفري التطوير المهين‬ ‫ وبالتعاون مع أعضاء هيئة‬،‫ كما يوفر فرص الماشركة لطلبة اجلامعة واخلرجيني‬.‫للمعلمني‬ ‫ مما عمل عىل استمرارية دعم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف‬،‫التدريس‬ .‫قطر للربناجم‬

In April 2018, VCUarts Qatar hosted the fourth competition award ceremony for the program. VCUarts Qatar’s sponsorship of this event bears witness to the importance of the program in developing successful university students in Qatar, and its commitment to creative development in many fields. The winning students’ work is published in the Young Writers Journal, an annual print anthology of top student submissions from the competition, which is the first nation-wide student writing publication of its kind in Qatar.

Building teaching capacities The overall aim is to encourage creative and critical writing in earlier

‫الكتابة والتعبير عن الذات‬

‫ بقيادة ورش العمل لطلبة المرحلة الثامنة والعارشة يف‬،‫تقوم اسديا وكمتخصص يف الكتابة‬ .‫ و إعدادهم للماشركة يف هذه الماسبقة‬،‫بعض المدارس احلكومية الماشركة يف الربناجم‬ ‫الهدف هو النظر للكتابة باللغة اإلجنلزيية كأحد الفنون اإلبداعية وتشجيع الطالب عىل‬ .‫رؤية الكتابة كشكل من أشكال التعبري عن الذات‬

stages of students’ academic careers, as well as to support the teachers in their professional practice. “I believe that a holistic approach that connects all educational levels is needed to develop this community of active writers, and to encourage positive perceptions of English writing as an effective form of critical and creative self-expression.”

‫ ويظهر ذلك وبوضوح من ازدياد عدد المدارس الماشركة‬.‫جنح الربناجم خالل سنوات قليلة‬ ‫ ووفق ًا‬.‫ وحىت من المناطق النائية يف قطر‬،‫سنويا يف الربناجم من مجيع أحناء البالد‬ ‫ بلغت نسبة ماشركة المدارس احلكومية‬2017- 2016 ‫ ففي عام‬،‫لإلحصاءات المحلية‬ ‫ وحقق المعلمني والطالب العديد من‬.‫ منذ بداية الربناجم‬%15 ‫ أي بزيادة تقارب‬،%80 .‫النناجئ اإلجيابية‬ ‫ “يتطلع‬:‫ وتقول‬.‫ فأحد إجيابيات الربناجم هو تطوير ثقافة الكتابة يف قطر‬،‫ووفقا لاسديا‬ ‫ ويعربون عن رغبهتم يف ترتيب جمموعات للكتابة للتفاعل‬،‫الطالب إىل مزيد من الفرص‬ .”‫ وإجياد طرق للتعبري بأاسليب إبداعية وخمتلفة‬،‫مع بعضهم البعض‬ ‫ بدأ هذا الهنج يف تغيري ثقافة التعلم بني‬،‫ومتاشيا مع أهداف وزارة الرتبية والتعليم العايل‬ :‫ رئيس فريق المناهج اإلجنلزيية يف الوزارة‬،‫ وترشح السيدة الرميحي‬.‫الطالب الماشركني‬ ‫ الحظنا عند توزيع اجلوائز حضور‬،‫“يف السنة الثانية تغريت مواقف الطالب من الربناجم‬ ‫الطالب لدعم نظراهئم مظهرين عداوة أقل عند عدم الفوز – لقد استمتع‬ .”‫الطالب بالتجربة‬ ‫ خيلق جمتمع من الكتاب الشباب‬،‫وتضيف اسديا بأن مجع طلبة المدارس المختلفة معا‬ ‫ “مما يعمل عىل إخرج الطالب من بيئة الفصول الدراسية‬.‫داخل نظام المدارس العامة‬ ‫ “أصفه كأحد‬:‫” وتضيف‬.‫ويتيح لهم تبادل األفكار والتعلم من طلبة المدارس األخرى‬ .”‫ سيناريو ال يوجد يف جتار هبم األ كادميية العادية‬،‫ فهو وبطريقة ما‬،‫براجم التبادل األ كادميي‬ ‫ تم العمل وبالرشاكة مع السفارة األمريكية يف الدوحة ومعهد أحباث‬،2017 ‫يف خريف‬ ‫ لتقديم مسح لتقييم تأثري الربناجم عىل‬،‫المسح االجتماعي واالقتصادي يف جامعة قطر‬ ‫ اسعدت السفارة يف ختطيط وإقامة “اليوم المفتوح‬،2017 ‫ يف نوفمرب‬.‫الطالب والمعلمني‬ ‫ كجزء من أسبوع‬،WISE ‫للكتاب الشباب” وبالتعاون مع وزارة الرتبية والتعليم العايل و‬ ‫ و األدب وأداء‬،‫ لقراءة الشعر‬- ‫ حرض اليوم طلبة من خمتلف األعمار‬.‫الدوحة للتعليم‬ ‫ وقد أعرب جمموعة من طلبة اجلامعات يف المدينة التعليمية عن‬.‫الموسيقى واألغاين‬ .‫رغبهتم يف حضور هذا اليوم يف المستقبل‬ ‫ استضافت جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر حفل‬،2018 ‫يف أبريل‬ ،‫ مما يدل عىل أهمية الربناجم يف تطوير الطلبة اجلامعيني يف قطر‬.‫توزيع اجلوائز الرابع للربناجم‬ .‫والزتام اجلامعة بالتنمية اإلبداعية يف العديد من المجاالت‬ ‫ والمطبوعة‬،‫نرشت أعمال الفائزين ومقاالت الماشركني يف جملة “الكتاب الشباب” السنوية‬ .‫واليت تعد األوىل من نوعها يف دولة قطر‬ ‫بناء القدرات التعليمية‬

‫ فإن دافع اسديا هو دعم المعلمني والطالب من مرحلة رياض األطفال إىل‬،‫وبنظرة أوسع‬ ‫ الهدف العام هو تشجيع الكتابة‬.‫مرحلة التعليم األاسيس وتعليم الكتابة باللغة اإلجنلزيية‬ .‫ ودعم المعلمني يف مماراسهتم المهنية‬،‫اإلبداعية والنقدية يف المراحل المبكرة للطالب‬ ‫“تظهر احلاجة إىل هنج اشمل يربط بني مجيع مستويات التعليم لتطوير هذا المجتمع من‬ ‫ وتشجيع التصورات اإلجيابية للكتابة اإلجنلزيية باعتبارها شكال فعاال من‬،‫الكتاب النشطني‬ ”.‫أشكال التعبري الذايت والنقدي واإلبداعي‬

Issue 6 — 109

FO ST E R I N G C O M M U N I T Y I N VO LV E M E N T

Community art classes changed my life: How one woman found her joy and created a life of passion through art

FO ST E R I N G C O M M U N I T Y I N VO LV E M E N T

jewelry-making basics, Arabic calligraphy, graphic design, Adobe Photoshop and much more. Of the 220 participants in the spring program, 90 were Qatari. Late spring classes featured similar classes with the added varieties of Gouache painting, abaya making, English calligra-

Splendor. Joy. Spirituality. Astonishment. These are the words Fatima

phy and deaf community classes. One hundred and one Qatari stu-

Azzahrae Chaabani uses to describe her first experience with art

dents benefited from the late spring program out of 117 participants.

through VCUarts Qatar’s community classes. Chaabani first discov-

Summer 2018 proved to be loads of fun for 178 children, 143 of which

ered an interest in her calligraphy class and that led to finishing a

were Qatari. The little ones got to experience art fun and exploration,

master’s program at Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London.In

experimental collage and printmaking workshops and water brush

keeping with the transformative journey, Chaabani’s final project in

calligraphy. The older students enjoyed sessions in fashion illustration,

June revolved around illuminating the opening chapter of the Holy

design discovery, fashion design portfolio and contemporary interiors

Quran using illumination traditions from Morocco, China, Persia and

among others. New classes were added throughout the year.

the Ottoman Empire. Chaabani had a more conventional dream: getting an excellent postgraduate education and ultimately, a good job doing meaningful work. She achieved more than just that – she mastered the art of illumination. After receiving two bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Islamic Studies from her home country’s Mohamed V University, Chaabani obtained a Master’s in Cultural Policy and Management from Sheffield Hallam University in the U.K. before going on to be a visiting fellow at Yale University. She first worked for the Islamic Scientific Educational

COMMUNITY CLASSES INFOGRAPHIC

and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and then as a senior communication specialist for the Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE)

YE AR

at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Faculty of Islamic Studies in Qatar.

SESSION

# OF CL A SSES

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS

While coming to terms with the reality of her career trajectory, struggling with the over 60-hour work weeks of her demanding job and in the process of beginning a Ph.D. in her field, Chaabani had an awakening. Looking for something to bring more fulfillment to her busy life, she turned to art. Luckily, she stumbled upon VCUarts Qatar’s calligraphy classes. “Since day one, I realized that calligraphy is a deeply spiritual activity

It took a lot of courage to step out of my comfort zone and acknowledge what my soul was craving.” Looking back, she wishes she had the chance to discover her passion

2017–18

FALL

292

2017–18

SPRING I

213

2017–18

SPRING II

117

2017–18

P ORTFOLIO

2017–18

SUMMER

178

TOTAL

1045

FALL

284

that requires full presence of the heart and mind, a direct connection

as a child. “Taking the community art classes at VCUarts Qatar re-

between the action of my hand and the awareness of my soul,” she

sulted in a major breakthrough for my life and I am eternally grateful

says. “Before long I was taking so many classes, I had one every day,

for this opportunity. I want to thank my teachers Emad Omran and

seven days a week. It felt very natural to quit my previous job in com-

Aziza Iqbal for their precious guidance and continuous support.”

201

Her first solo exhibition “Eclosion” was held in Rabat, Morocco, in

2016–17

SPRING I

273

2016–17

SPRING II

251

2016–17

P ORTFOLIO

2016–17

SUMMER

TOTAL

111

930

munications and pursue my passion for arts after that.” Four years later, Chaabani spends her days joyfully making natural

2016, and her latest exhibition “Splendors of Qur’an Calligraphy and Il-

pigments, creating harmonious color palettes and applying Islamic

lumination: Tribute to Martin Lings” was held in London at the Prince’s

and medieval manuscript gold-gilding techniques to decorate verses

School of Traditional Arts in June–July 2018, where she had the plea-

of the Holy Quran. This process is called illumination, an art she

sure of sharing her work with the Prince of Wales. Many of her works

learned from prominent illuminator and calligrapher Ayten Tiryaki

have already been sold, launching her career in a spectacular fashion.

in Turkey.

Find her work on her Instagram account @fatimaz_art.

Chaabani has been on a long journey to reach the brink of a new

Irrespective of age, VCUarts Qatar has a variety of unique, diverse

career that she genuinely loves. She says, “Learning and practicing

and exciting vocational classes for anyone to sign up to. Some of the

arts is profoundly fulfilling both spiritually and visually, and there is no

classes offered during spring 2018 included freehand speed sketching,

downside to it. Like many people, I felt imprisoned by social conformity.

observational drawing, acrylic painting, fashion dress-making basics,

110 — Issue 6

Issue 6 — 111

FO ST E R I N G C O M M U N I T Y I N VO LV E M E N T

Student clubs foster belonging through serving the community VCUarts Qatar supports students in pursuing their interests through student initiatives and afterschool clubs. Several of these clubs are interested in serving their community including Chit Chat Chai and Best Buddies. Chit Chat Chai The Chit Chat Chai club is a cross-departmental club dedicated to community outreach and civic engagement. The events planned by the club focus on creating a bridge between all the members of the community through activities and events with workers of all kinds. By showing gratitude and appreciation, the goal is to give something back to members of the community that are often overlooked due to sociocultural reasons or economic disparities. Graphic Design Associate Professor, Denielle Emans, serves as the faculty advisor to the club. Founded in 2016–17, their first event was modeled around their name “Chit Chat Chai” and invited the VCUarts Qatar community (cleaners, teachers, students, faculty and staff) to gather together to mingle, enjoy food, drink chai, listen to music and share their hopes and dreams using an interactive wall. Another event brought members of the diverse community together with visiting Nepali artists, who were working with the late Dina Bangdel, to share a series of activities centered around global citizenship. Later that year, at the Student Affairs Hot Chocolate Mixer, the club gathered hand-written “Thank you” notes and delivered them to the wonderful VCUarts Qatar workers (along with some chocolate). In the 2017–18 year, the club continued its efforts of community building by organizing fall and spring games events by inviting workers, staff, faculty and students to engage in playful activities as one community. Musical chairs, ring pass, creative blocks, blind drawing, and a range of board games were all part of the fun. As always, there was plenty of delicious food and chai to enjoy as people spent time getting to know each other. These activities show a sustained effort from everyone towards celebrating community development at VCUarts Qatar and beyond. Want to learn more and become involved? Join students at their next event and follow their Facebook group: facebook.com/chitchatchai.VCUarts Qatar/

The Adventure Sports Club After spending his first three years at VCUarts Qatar, Mahmoud

lined the educational significance of the trip and its proposed learning

not exciting enough, so he started to lead student camping trips in

outcomes, following VCUarts Qatar’s student trip procedures to the

complete and full paperwork is filed. Although the residency is still un-

the deserts of Qatar. He decided to do something that had not been

letter. Luckily for Masoud, all those years of working with Student

named, the current mission statement reads:

done before at VCUarts Qatar. He found other like-minded adventur-

Affairs had paid off. He says that in getting approval for the trip, “The

ers, and together they started the Adventure Sports Club. Artistic couple’s renovation aims to create a new artist

make, their paintings, songs, stories, drawings, journals, collections,

Painting + Printmaking Assistant Professor Michael Perrone and his

Together, club president Masoud and his vice-president Heidi Rashad

food, clothes and everything that shows what it is that they do. It is

initiated, planned and executed a trip to Tbilisi, Georgia, with a group

wife, Mariah Dekkenga—also a painter—recently purchased a decom-

everyone’s gallery, concert hall, soapbox, lectern, theater, movie house,

of 13 students with two chaperones.

missioned church in the town of Randolph, Vermont. The 1906 struc-

museum. It is us portraying ourselves as ourselves. It is about bring-

ture has roughly 6,000 square feet of usable space, and is just a short

ing our personal belief and our community life together. It will be an

The Student Affairs Office has plenty of examples where students are

walk from the downtown business district. The artistic couple hopes

opportunity for us to show who we are alone and to see whom we are

actively encouraged to take part in travel-abroad opportunities. But a

to spend the next year or two renovating the building, and have set a

together. It will be an opportunity for us all to enjoy and appreciate

student-led trip had never before been attempted, which meant there

goal of starting an artist residency by the summer of 2019. The space

one another for who we are. It is about revealing the values that we

were many hoops Masoud and his team had to jump through to make

share that make us a community (of creative beings).”

the trip happen. Masoud and Rashad began putting together a plan

Although not officially in operation, the building has already housed

that encapsulated every detail for the travel abroad opportunity. They

a number of artists (from both the U.S., U.K. and India). The couple

If you are interested in visiting, please email Michael Perrone for more

researched multiple airlines for the best ticket price and searched for

hopes to continue with this 'informal' residency, until renovations are

information at mperrone@vcu.edu.

different places that the group could stay. They planned the trip

112 — Issue 6

waiting was the hardest part.” Once the Office of Student Affairs and the Dean approved the trip, that was when the fun really began.

“A place for people to come together and bring the things that they

residency program

is currently in use by Dekkenga as a studio and makeshift living space.

itinerary and each daily activity. Perhaps most importantly, they out-

Masoud, a senior in the Graphic Design program decided his life was

Issue 6 — 113

CLASS OF 2 018

low graduates, friends and faculty, and looked forward to what comes next. Hasan thanked her professors saying, “Professors are the people without whom we would not be the individuals you see standing before you today. They knew when, and how, to give guidance, feedback or constructive criticism.” Salomão summed up the significance of the celebration as an opening

Commencement

of a new chapter saying, “It’s really about what comes next, isn’t it? That’s why we come to university in the first place, right? To have a better future.”

“Harness the creative, daring to make the world a more verdant, imaginative and better home to all of us.” These words, spoken by Shawn Brixey, dean of VCUarts and keynote speaker at the 2018 Commencement at the Sheraton, captured the excitement of the night and summed up 20 years of operations in Qatar. Family, friends, faculty and staff joined together to celebrate the accomplishments of the 57 graduates, and to applaud each other’s collective efforts in helping the graduates reach their goals.

The University conferred 52 Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Painting + Printmaking and Art History, and six Master of Fine Arts degrees in Design. The 17th Commencement brought the number of VCUarts Qatar alumni to 642. University Honors Program The Honors Program at VCUarts Qatar is designed to fulfill the needs

Reflecting on the current graduates, and the history of VCUarts Qatar, Executive Dean

of talented and academically high-achieving undergraduate students.

Donald Baker, Ph.D., says: “VCUarts Qatar has been a steady source of innovation and

The program offers an advanced liberal education that cultivates

alternative ways of looking at the world and at ourselves. As we end our 20th year, we

interdisciplinary research, creativity, multicultural literacy, self-de-

continue to be excited about the opportunities to cultivate a dynamic intercultural

velopment, experiential learning, and community-building. Students

environment of research, learning and community engagement that provides the con-

are expected to complete a number of honors-level courses in a

text for the holistic development of exemplary artists, designers and scholars to build

diverse range of disciplines that will help prepare them for careers or

vibrant communities and diversified economies.”

graduate-level learning.

The Class of 2018 co-valedictorians, Asma Hasan and Dimitri Salomão, contributed

The context and mission of the program represents a synthesis of the

to the evening with a well-received speech in which they thanked their families, fel-

many institutions and cultures that surround and support it. As part of the Honors College in Richmond, Virginia, The Honors Program at VCUarts Qatar offers students opportunities to exchange ideas, ask

Honors and awards

questions, and explore values; as part of VCUarts, the program cham-

Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB) presented the 2018 awards for Design

pions artistic excellence and self-expression; and as part of VCUarts

Excellence, and Creative Achievement and Potential to two graduating

Qatar and Qatar Foundation, the program strives to contribute to the

and two junior students from VCUarts Qatar at the 20th Anniversary

development of Qatar through creative innovation and collaboration.

Gala at the Sheraton. AEB’s Group CEO and Chief Architect Ibrahim

The end result of this unique convergence is an honors program deeply

Mohamed Jaidah presented the Arab Engineering Bureau Award for

committed to developing cultural diversity and interdisciplinary study

Design Excellence in Graphic Design to graduating student Amira

in a context of academic and creative excellence. To graduate with the distinction of University Honors, students admitted to the program must complete a total of 24 honors course

The awards were instituted by Jaidah to encourage and assist gradu-

credits in a variety of different academic and creative fields, as well as

ating students as they start their careers as designers in Qatar and

undertaking an Experiential Learning Project. Honors students must

the region. Jaidah is recognized as a pioneer of a new architectural

maintain a 3.5 grade point average, and they are required to submit

movement that combines the far-reaching influences of Islamic art

a dossier that details and reflects on their undergraduate education

with modern styles to create memorable landmark structures that are

prior to graduation.

shaping Qatar.

In 2018, University Honors were conferred upon Al Jazi Khalid Al-Thani, Amira Natsheh, Asma Hasan, Dimitri Y. Salomào, and Eman Makki. Latin Honors VCUarts Qatar’s students have also shown remarkable academic achievement. Of the undergraduate students who graduated in May

114 — Issue 6

Natsheh, and for Design Excellence in Interior Design to graduating student Zeina Sleiman.

“VCUarts Qatar has achieved such milestone celebrating its 20th anniversary in Qatar. Personally, and as a firm, we are honored to be a part of such an achievement with the Arab Engineering Bureau Design Excellence Awards which were instituted back in 2007,” he says. The Arab Engineering Bureau Award for Creative Achievement in

2018, 11 graduated Cum Laude, 10 graduated Magna Cum Laude and

Graphic Design was presented to Graphic Design junior Hind Al-Kuwari,

six graduated Summa Cum Laude, which amounts to 48 percent of

and for Creative Achievement in Interior Design to Interior Design

the class graduating with Latin Honors.

junior Naurin Parambil.

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C L A SS O F 2018

BFA + MFA Exhibition Character design, techno retro, motherhood and privacy were just a few of the fascinating subjects tackled at the 2018 VCUarts Qatar BFA + MFA Exhibition. The exhibition, which ran until May 19 highlighted the impressive efforts of VCUarts Qatar’s graduating students from the BFA and MFA degree programs. The works on display covered the graphic, interior, fashion design and Painting + Printmaking disciplines. It took place at the same time as the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) exhibition which contained a large number of works by VCUarts Qatar’s Interior Design students, past and present.

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C L A SS O F 2018

Pendulum Fashion Show The 19th edition of the show titled “Pendulum” was held on May 3, 2018, at The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa in partnership with Nasser Bin Khaled and Mercedes-Benz. More than 800 people attended the show, which saw 40 models showcase 100 garments during the hour-long event. Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, who attended the event said: “I was delighted to attend the annual fashion show for Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar. VCUarts Qatar was the first QF partner university to be established at Education City and, over the past 20 years, it has established itself as a center of excellence for education and research in art and design. Its success represents a significant milestone in our journey at QF to empowering our future generations to thrive in a global environment.”

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C L A SS O F 2017

CLASS OF 2 017

– an ecosystem that promotes, develops and rewards innovation in art and design. The success of this mission is embodied in each member of the Class of 2017.” Her Excellency said. Each year at Commencement, special recognition is given to individuals whose careers and values have done much to enhance the quality of life of communities around the world. In 2017, VCUarts Qatar presented the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Dana Shell Smith, the then United States Ambassador to the State of Qatar, for her ongoing commitment and support to VCUarts Qatar, and for her overall dedication to being an advocate for Arts and Humanities. The Class of 2017 Valedictorian Alisha Rehan Saiyed, and Salutatorian Radheya A. Visperas gave a well-received and speech in which they thanked their families, fellow graduates, friends, faculty and staff. “Remember that this is not the end, just the beginning. And if you work really hard and are lucky, you might find success. If you’re really lucky, you’ll find purpose. And when you have a purpose to pursue, your failures and successes no longer define you and they no longer hold you back,” Saiyed told her fellow graduates. University Honors Program In 2017, University Honors were conferred upon Alisha Rehan Saiyed, Al-Johara K. J. Al-Thani, Faesal Kamel Elagla, Kaltham Ahmad Alkuwari, Majdulin M. Nasrallah, Nada R. Al-Kharashi, and Radheya A. Visperas. Latin Honors VCUarts Qatar’s students have also shown remarkable academic achievement; from the undergraduate students graduating in May 2017, nine graduated Cum Laude; 11 graduated Magna Cum Laude; and four graduated Summa Cum Laude. Honors & Awards The Arab Engineering Bureau presented the 2017 awards for Design Excellence, and Creative Achievement and Potential to two graduating

Commencement

and two junior students from VCUarts Qatar during a ceremony at

VCUarts Qatar held its 2017 Commencement Ceremony on May 1 at

AEB’s Group CEO and Chief Architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, a

HBKU Student Center, and it was by all accounts a resounding success. It was made memorable by inspiring and touching speeches that were given by faculty, graduates, and the keynote speaker at the event that brought together families, friends, faculty and staff to celebrate the accomplishments of VCUarts Qatar’s graduates. The university conferred 66 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Painting + Printmak-

the university.

longtime supporter and friend of VCUarts Qatar, presented the Arab Engineering Bureau Award for Design Excellence in Graphic Design to graduating student Eman O. Al-Jailay, and for Design Excellence in Interior Design to graduating student Majdullin Nasrallah. The Arab Engineering Bureau Award for Creative Achievement and Potential was presented to Graphic Design junior Amira Natsheh and Interior Design juniors AlJazi AlThani and Zeina Sleiman.

ing, and art history, and four Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in Design. The 16th Commencement brought the number of VCUarts Qatar alumni to 584. Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, the Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. “VCU-Q has established a homegrown ecosystem right here in Doha

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C L A SS O F 2017

BFA + MFA Exhibition Qatari weddings, eradicating whitewashed beauty standards, and Paralympic training and recreational facilities were just a few of the fascinating and involving exhibitions at the 2017 VCUarts Qatar BFA + MFA Exhibition, which opened to considerable acclaim on April 29, 2017 at VCUarts Qatar. The exhibition highlighted the impressive efforts of VCUarts Qatar’s graduating students from the BFA and MFA degree programs. There was a large attendance on the opening day, with friends, families and many others turning up for the event. The yearly exhibition is considered to be an excellent way to discover the outstanding works of a new generation of art and design talent in Qatar. Also on show were several dresses by the graduates of the Fashion Design program, and those designs sat opposite those of the other BFA graduates in Room 390, while the works of the MFA graduates are at VCUarts Qatar’s Gallery, with works by the Painting + Printmaking seniors on display nearby at the Saffron Hall. "Our seniors have engaged themselves with art and design's on-going negotiation of new boundaries enabled by expanding technological capacities and cross-disciplinary research. They have developed projects that investigate potential relevance and value within individual experiences and localities in the face of global currents," said Peter Martin, interim chair of Graphic Design at VCUarts Qatar.

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C L A SS O F 2017

Fashion Show Collections by students from VCUarts Qatar’s Fashion Design program were on display during “Appliqué”, the two-day fashion show on April 12 and 13, 2017, which was hosted by Salam Stores at The Gate Mall. This unique show, which featured the collections of 22 sophomore, junior and senior fashion students, was opened by Sandra Wilkins, VCUarts Qatar’s chair of Fashion Design, who thanked the audience for attending.

The award for Outstanding Senior with Highest GPA went to Radheya Visperas. The awards for Outstanding Junior with Highest GPA went

Wilkins explained that the title of 2017’s fashion show was “Appliqué”,

to Alia Al-Sowaidi and Sreehitha Saini. The award for Outstanding

which depicts the building of talents and skillsets, while showcas-

Sophomore with Highest GPA went to Heidi Rashad.

ing the ability of students to take a concept all the way through to completion. She also described how important the show is both for the students and for Qatar’s fashion design industry. The students had to submit their designs to a jury of fashion experts who are strong supporters of VCUarts Qatar’s fashion design program, and who would select the best designs for the show. “Only one garment was eliminated during this year’s jury selection, which speaks to the quality of the clothes,” said Professor Wilkins, explaining that such

The Guest Designer Award went to Ahmed El Sayed from House of Nomad. Awards were also given to Deborah Sedlacek, Joshua Bigelow, Skyler Crawford and Lydia Critchfield from Virginia Commonwealth University’s home campus in Richmond, Virginia, for their Senior Collections which were shown at the event. The fashion show counts not only on an extremely supportive audience,

an occurrence was highly unusual. The fashion show allowed the stu-

but was also supported by W Doha Hotel, GLAM magazine, Tajmeel

dents to be judged by experienced jury members who have a thorough

Qatar International Beauty Academy, Makeup District, Bombay Silk

knowledge of the fashion industry. Also presenting their designs at “Appliqué” were several students

Centre, Exclusive Events, Inglot, Tribal Gems & Jewellery, Apparel Qatar, Holika Holika and Sara’s Secrets.

from the fashion design program from the home campus from Richmond, Virginia. Ahmed El Sayed, the co-founder of House of Nomad and VCUarts Qatar alumnus, was the guest designer for the show, where his most recent collection was presented to great acclaim. The emphasis throughout was one of turning creative concepts into ready-to-wear pieces for the runway, which not only had to be beautiful, but also wearable and above all marketable. Fashion professionals, especially retailers are regularly invited each year to review the collections and concepts, and give their expert advice to the students. The Salam Fashion Award was presented to Radheya Visperas. The award includes mentoring in the development and design of two bespoke collections, which will be sold exclusively within a dedicated space in Salam Stores, Doha. Designs by the previous winner Mahnoor Ansari are currently on sale at Salam Stores at the Gate Mall.The W Doha Award went to Sarah Al-Abdulghani, and the GLAM award went to Sarah Al-Abdulghani and Samyah Abou Rahma. VCUarts Qatar’s Golden Needle Award, which goes to the best Senior Collection, was awarded to Samyah Abou Rahma. The award for Most Outstanding Junior Collection went to Fatima Al-Khulaifi. The award for Most Outstanding Sophomore Collection went to Haidy Rashad.

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20 Y E A R S O F VC UA RT S Q ATA R

To commemorate VCU’s 20th year of partnership with Qatar Foundation, VCUarts Qatar held a number of celebratory events in the 2017–2018 academic year. These included an alumni exhibition, a fun student event, an event centered on sharing alumni memories, a gala dinner, producing 20th anniversary materials, posting banners and

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Cultivating the Arts, Igniting Imagination, Shaping the Future A S VCUA RT S Q ATA R T U R N E D 20 I N 2018, I T C E L E B R AT E D I T S S P I R I T E D P R E S E N T, A N D P RO M I S I N G F U T U R E , W I T H Y E A R- LO N G E V E N T S & AC T I V I T I E S

1998–2018

a releasing a coordinated media campaign. This coincided with a comprehensive rebranding of VCUarts Qatar to VCUarts Qatar to highlight the connection to the United States’ #1 ranked public art school, VCUarts.

VCUarts Qatar’s brand realignment In 2017–18, as part of VCUarts Qatar’s 20th anniversary activities, the university underwent a brand realignment with VCUarts in Richmond. This realignment aims to unify the university’s identity with the home campus in Richmond, the number one-ranked public art school in the United States, according to the US News and World Report. The new name reflects the actual name of the branch campus: Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCUarts) in Qatar. Adding “arts” to the name of the school, helps to clarify VCUarts Qatar’s offerings, and in turn, streamlines efforts. VCUarts Qatar now has a new brand mark highlighting the official colors of red and VCU gold.

“20/20/20” alumni exhibition The 20th anniversary activities opened in September 2017 with an alumni exhibition demonstrating how VCUarts Qatar prepares its alumni to take the lead in designing the future. Held in the VCUarts Qatar Gallery, the “20/20/20” (20 years /20 alumni/20 September) exhibition was curated by alumna and Assistant Professor, Maryam Yousuf Al-Homaid, and former Alumni Relations Coordinator and alumnus, Ahmad Oustwani. The exhibition showcased the work of 20 alumni from all programs, featured works by Abdulrahman Anwar and Mohammad Jawad, Abdulla Najib Al-Kuwari, Ahood Al Dafa, Aisha Al-Suwaidi, Assil Diab, Bouthayna Al-Muftah, Dhika Khaira, Faisal Mohammad, Fatma Al-Remaihi, Hadeer Omar, Hana Al-Saadi, Leila Natsheh, Maryam Faraj D. F. Al-Suwaidi, Naila Al-Thani, Othman M. R. Khunji, Reem Al-Thani, Sahar Mari, Sumam Azzam and Wurood Ismail Azzam.

126 — Issue 6

20 Y E A R S O F VC UA RT S Q ATA R

Karak Hour student event

20th Anniversary Gala

In February 2018, students, faculty and staff gathered in the Atrium

VCUarts Qatar hosted a 20th anniversary gala the same evening as

to take part in Virginia Commonwealth University-themed board

the commencement with special guest speaker and longtime sup-

games and other activities, including having their photographs taken

porter of VCUarts Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani,

at a 20th anniversary photo booth. Students joined the Dean on the

Ph.D., advisor to the Amiri Diwan. He said, “This significant institution-

Atrium’s stage to cut a large cake with the 20th anniversary logo.

al milestone – two fruitful decades of Qatar Foundation’s partnership

20 Y E A R S O F VC UA RT S Q ATA R

with Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, “Hindsight” exhibition 2018 also marked the opening of “Hindsight,” an exhibition featuring photos of faculty and staff in their twenties. The year-long exhibition, which is in one of the Glass Gallery Project Spaces on the ground floor,

reflects the continuing commitment of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to education as a pillar of society and an engine of growth, prosperity and security.” AEB’s Group CEO and Chief Architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, a

is aimed at bringing faculty, students and staff closer together. The

long-time supporter and friend of VCUarts Qatar, presented the Arab

exhibit was curated by Digital Content and Social Media Manager,

Engineering Bureau Awards for Design Excellence in Graphic Design

Mike Gallagher, in partnership with Department of Graphic Design

and Interior Design.

faculty member Michael Hersrud. 20 Hekaya alumni event In April 2018, more than 150 alumni attended the 20 Hekaya event to celebrate 20 years of alumni stories. Alumni Esra Kazem, Aisha Al-Sowaidi and Othman Khunji took part in a panel where they shared their stories and what VCUarts Qatar meant to them. Hadeer Omar, Wajiha Pervez, Yasmeen Suleiman and Noha Fouad, the four co-chairs of the Tasmeem Doha 2019 conference, encouraged alumni to participate in sharing their stories.

130 — Issue 6

20th Anniversary Iftars Two iftars, which took place during the Holy Month of Ramadan, concluded the University’s 20th anniversary celebrations. The 20th anniversary workers appreciation Iftar took place at the Atrium on June 7, 2018 and was attended by the personnel who keep the building running smoothly; cleaners, security officers and pantry staff, along with Dean Baker and his wife Heather, staff, and the students from the Chit Chat Chai club.

Issue 6 — 131

R E F L E C T I O N S F RO M D O H A' S Q U E E N O F FA S H I O N

Share with us the top instances in the last 20 years that stand out for you personally. Statistically, more fashion students, single and double majors, are employed in the public and private sector. Seven of the fashion majors

A central figure in the development of VCUarts Qatar, Sandra Bell Wilkins, the founding chair of the Fashion Design program, is the longstanding face of Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion scene. Her vibrant presence will be sorely missed. Shortly before stepping down from her long tenure in 2018, Wilkins shared a few reflections on her time in Qatar.

worked for Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand Qela before their reorganization. Hisham Dawoud is employed by one of the United States most prestigious designers and despite the fact that Selena [Farooqui] is still in Doha, she enjoys celebrity status with her design talents. Many students I have placed in internships internationally were all asked to return for full-time employment. Despite there

How did you feel when you first came to Qatar in 1998 to start the Fashion Design program?

not being an established industry in Doha, we still attracted some of

I first missed my family, but the hospitality and relationships I built

What do you hope to see the Fashion Design program achieve over the next 10 years?

with my students helped to ease that loneliness. The Qatari community became my family and I became so engaged that those feelings soon dissipated.

the finest foundation students to our department.

I hope an industry will be established to support the local designers, with that I am confident that Qatari design will flourish. We attract

Looking back 20 years, did you envision all of this change? How

the Richmond students and have to make them return to the main

does it make you feel?

campus. That is a testament to the quality of our instruction.

Never. I have never seen any city grow at the pace that Doha has. It

Coming to Doha has been the most exciting and rewarding experience

makes you feel like anything is possible.

of my life.

Issue 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 133

THANK YOU VCUarts Qatar’s remarkable achievements would not have been possible without the generous of donors and partners who contribute their time, talents and gifts to make the University the success it is today. It is this thoughtfulness that will allow VCUarts Qatar to continue on its journey of creativity and innovation.

S C H O L A R S H I P S & G I F T S 2016 –201 8 A R A B E N G I N E E R I N G B U R E AU Q ATA R M U S EU M S SA R A H A B D U LG H A N I SA L A M S TU D I O S TO R E S A N D TH E GATE M A LL N A S S E R B I N K H A LE D H O LD I N G A N D M E RCE D E S B E NZ TH E W E S TI N H OTE L & S PA

M E M B E RS OF T H E JOI N T A DV I S ORY BOA R D CO - CH A I R GA I L H ACK E T T, PH.D. PROVO S T A N D VI CE PR E S I D E NT FO R AC A D E M I C A FFA I R S, VCU CO - CH A I R A H M A D H A S N A H, PH.D. PR E S I D E NT, H A M A D B I N K H A LI FA U N IVE R S IT Y

MEMBERS J E LE N A TR KU L JA , PH.D. D I R EC TO R O F E D U C ATI O N, Q ATA R M U S EU M S VE N K A PU RU S H OTH A M A N VI CE-PR E S I D E NT (AC A D E M I C) & PROVO S T, L A SA LLE CO LLEG E O F TH E A RT S, S I N GA P O R E A M A L A L M A LK I, PH.D. FO U N D I N G D E A N, H B KU CO LLEG E O F H U M A N ITI E S A N D S O CI A L S CI E N CE S S H AW N B R IXE Y D E A N, S CH O O L O F TH E A RT S, VCU K A RO L G R AY S E N I O R VI CE PR E S I D E NT & CH I E F FI N A N CI A L O FFI CE R , VCU G U N A N A DA R A JA N D E A N, PE N N Y W. S TA M P S S CH O O L O F TH E A RT S & D E S I G N, U N IVE R S IT Y O F M I CH I GA N M A R K RO B B I N S PR E S I D E NT & CEO, A M E R I C A N AC A D E M Y I N RO M E

E X- O F F I C I O M E M B E R (S) M O U N I R H A M D I, PH.D. D E A N, H B KU CO LLEG E O F S CI E N CE & E N G I N E E R I N G D O N A LD BA K E R , PH.D. E XECUTIVE D E A N, VCUA RT S Q ATA R

Many thanks to those who have graciously donated anonymously, as well as those who continue to partner with us in our quest to address and promote the interconnectedness between and among science, the arts and humanities.

This publication is printed on FSC approved Arjowiggins Rives Sensation

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