Context Magazine 2018-2019: Issue 7 by VCUQatar

TA B L E of contents

ME SSAGE FROM THE DE AN

TA SMEEM D OHA 2019

INFINITE DIMENSIONS

20 A C ATALYST FOR COLL ABOR ATIVE RESE ARCH

RESE ARCH IN CONTEXT

-162° TR ADING P OWER

CULTIVATING CRE ATIVE THINKING

GLOBAL EXPERIENCE

A VIEW FROM THE REGION

4 4

VCUARTS RICHMOND

THE YE AR IN NUMBERS

FROM D OWN UNDER TO THE DESERT

ALUMNI PROFILES

ALUMNI NEWS

FACULT Y & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

A REWARDING AC ADEMIC REVOLUTION

A DE STINATION FOR DIALO GUE

FOSTERING COMMUNIT Y INVOLVEMENT

CL A SS OF 2019

THANK YOU

A M E S S AG E from the Dean AMIR BERBIĆ

Dear Friends and Colleagues, Welcome to this year’s Context Magazine. Context is our annual look back at the experiences, events and happenings that define who we are and what we achieved as we mark the passing of a successful year. And what a year it has been for VCUarts Qatar. I joined the VCUarts Qatar community as Dean in August of 2019, so the content in this issue predates me. Fortunately, this record of the year and its milestones, highlights, and achievements exist for all of us to review. The stories in these pages tell a great deal of the vibrancy and potential of the place that I have joined and energize me for the possibilities for VCUarts Qatar’s next chapter. In this issue, we feature the achievements of a number of our faculty and leaders, and highlight the impact that VCUarts Qatar faculty, students, staff and alumni have had around the globe – showing up in iconic cities such as Tokyo, London, Berlin and New York. We also celebrate the energy and creativity of Tasmeem Doha 2019, the biennial event that was chaired by four of our alumni, a first for Tasmeem. With the theme “Hekayat” (stories), Tasmeem Doha 2019 resonated with the telling of thousands of narratives, poems and tales in the tradition of human cultures for centuries and brought even more vibrancy, color and creativity to the campus. You will also see our feature on the creative vibe of the annual fashion show, “EDGE”, which was held in the middle of Mall of Qatar, the equivalent of a town square by today’s convention. “EDGE” featured designs by our students as well as students from the home campus in Richmond. It was the culmination of a year of development for our students, many of whom experienced the thrill and trepidation of showing their work to the public for the first time. The theme of collaboration shows up often in this issue of Context. Through new programs, research and student and faculty outreach, we continue to mine the many opportunities for collaboration throughout Education City, with our home campus in Richmond, and with potential partners everywhere. Please enjoy this year’s compilation of our many stories and images – we hope we have captured the value of the output of the university’s creative energy. We know that this value will carry on through the achievements and potential of our faculty, students, staff and alumni for years to come.

،‫أصدقايئ وزماليئ األعزاء‬ .‫مرحبا بكم يف جملتنا السنوية لهذا العام‬ ً ‫المجلة اليت تعرض أهم األحداث والفعاليات اليت حتدد من حنن وحتتفل مبا حققناه‬ .‫خالل العام األ كادميي الاسبق‬ ‫كيف كان هذا العام؟ انضممت إىل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف‬ ‫ ويرسين من خالل هذا العدد أن استعرض أبرز األحداث‬.2019 ‫قطر يف أغسطس‬ ‫ تدل هذه القصص عىل القدرة واحليوية اليت يتمزي هبا‬.‫واإلجنازات اليت سبقت وصويل‬ .‫ مما حيفزين لالستعداد لفصل جديد قادم يف تارخي هذه اجلامعة‬،‫هذا المكان‬ ‫ وسنلقي‬،‫نستعرض يف هذا العدد إجنازات أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والقادة لدينا‬ ‫ ويف مدن وعواصم عالمية‬،‫الضوء عىل التأثري الذي سنخلفه يف مجيع أحناء العالم‬ .‫مثل طوكيو ولندن وبرلني ونيويورك‬ ‫ وهو المؤمتر‬،”‫ حكايات‬- 2019 ‫أيضا بالطاقة واإلبداع يف “تصميم دوحة‬ ً ‫كما حنتفل‬ ‫ أربعة من خرجيات‬- ‫ وألول مرة يف تارخي هذا المؤمتر‬- ‫الذي قامت برئاسته وتنظيمه‬ ‫ تردد أصداء هذا المؤمتر باآلالف من الروايات والقصائد واحلكايات يف‬.‫اجلامعة‬ ‫ وجلب المزيد من احليوية واللون‬،‫تقاليد الثقافات اإلناسنية لقرون ماضية‬ .‫واإلبداع إىل احلرم اجلامعي‬ ‫ والذي أقيم‬،‫صادف هذا العام الذكرى السنوية العرشين لعرض األزياء السنوي‬ ‫ قدم العرض العديد من التصميمات اخلالبة‬.”EDGE“ ‫يف قطر مول حتت عنوان‬ ‫يف األزياء لطلبة تصميم األزياء يف اجلامعة وعدد من طلبة تصميم األزياء من اجلامعة‬ ‫ كان هذا العرض تتوجيا لسنوات من التطور يف حياة‬.‫ فرجينيا‬،‫األم يف ريتشموند‬ ‫ مع مواجهة حتديات التشويق واخلوف من عرض أعمالهم وألول مرة يف مكان‬،‫طالبنا‬ .‫يعد حاليا منصة تعرض أبرز الفعاليات‬ ‫ التعاون من خالل الرباجم والبحوث والتواصل‬،”‫يتطرق هذا العدد لموضوع “التعاون‬ ‫ يف فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬،‫ نواصل هنا‬.‫بني الطالب وأعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‬ ،‫ استغالل فرص التعاون العديدة يف مجيع أحناء المدينة التعليمية‬،‫التصميم يف قطر‬ .‫ ومع الرشكاء المحتملني يف كل مكان‬،‫ومع احلرم اجلامعي األم يف ريتشموند‬ ‫ آملني أن نكون قد متكنا‬.‫ وما حيتويه من صور وقصص‬،‫أدعوكم لالستمتاع هبذا العدد‬ ‫ أن هذه‬،‫ وحنن عىل ثقة‬.‫من استعراض قيمة خمرجات الطاقة اإلبداعية لهذه اجلامعة‬ ‫القيمة سوف تستمر من خالل اإلجنازات واإلمكانات المتواصلة والمتجددة لكل من‬ .‫ ولسنوات عديدة قادمة‬،‫أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والطالب والموظفني واخلرجيني‬

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TA S M E E M D O H A 2019

TA S M E E M D O H A 2 019

A Multi-Storied Hekayat

‫ حكايات‬،2019 ‫تصميم دوحة‬

In the spring of 2019, Tasmeem took over the VCUarts Qatar campus with its creative, quirky and expressive installations, with kiosks dotted around the central foyer and striking displays of ribbons with brilliant hues beckoning the audience to come inside, and become part of the story. The vibrant scene was a backdrop for the expressive theme, which was rooted in the Arab tradition of the sharing of narratives, poems and tales – Hekayat – the Arabic word for “stories”. For three days, from March 13-15, thousands of stories were shared across the campus. Unforgettable narratives, anecdotes and tales were relayed in what became a memorable experience of distinctive and meaningful storytelling. Powered by Alumni

Over the last few years, VCUarts Qatar has earned the reputation of being the central hub and destination for cutting-edge discussions and demonstrations in the field of art and design in Qatar. For Tasmeem 2019’s theme, Hekayat, the journey was celebrated as much as the outcome and a multitude of talks, workshops, exhibitions and activities were conducted for students, alumni and the public. What was unique, and vital to the success of Tasmeem 2019, was its organization by VCUarts Qatar graduates. For the first time in Tasmeem’s history, four MFA graduates, Yasmeen Suleiman, Noha Fouad, Wajiha Pervez and Hadeer Omar took ownership of the biennial. The first two days were replete with inspiring keynotes as well as workshops, exhibitions and installations. Busy display areas held the work of both students and faculty, created in the semesters leading up to the event.

‫ حل “تصميم دوحة” يف حرم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬،2019 ‫يف ربيع‬

‫ مع أكاشك انترشت يف مدخل اجلامعة وعرض لرشائط‬،‫يف قطر بإبداعاته الغريبة والمعربة‬ .‫جزءا من القصة‬ ً ‫ ليصبحوا‬،‫زاهية دعت اجلمهور إىل الماشركة‬ ‫متجذرا يف التقاليد العربية‬ ،‫هذا المهشد النابض باحلياة كان خلفية لموضوع معرب‬ ً ‫ ولمدة‬،‫ تم يف هذا المؤمتر‬.‫المتمثلة يف ماشركة احلكايات والقصائد والروايات‬ ‫ ماشركة آالف القصص واحلكايات ذات المغزى‬،‫ مارس‬15 13 ‫ أيام للفرتة من‬٣ .‫يف أحناء احلرم اجلامعي يف جتربة ممزية ال تنىس‬ ‫بإبداع من الخريجات‬

‫ اكتسبت اجلامعة سمعهتا كمحور للمناقاشت والعروض‬،‫عىل مدار السنوات الماضية‬ ‫ تم‬،‫ حكايات‬،”2019 ‫ ويف “تصميم دوحة‬.‫المتطورة يف جمال الفن والتصميم يف قطر‬ ‫االحتفال هبذه الرحلة بعدد من المحادثات وورش العمل والمعارض واألنشطة للطلبة‬ .‫واحلضور من اخلرجيني والعامة‬ ‫ حيث قام بتنظيمه وألول مرة يف تارخي هذا‬،‫فريدا وحيو ًيا‬ 2019 ‫كان تصميم دوحة‬ ً ،‫ ياسمني سليمان‬:‫ أربعة من خرجيات برناجم ماجستري الفنون اجلميلة يف التصميم‬،‫المؤمتر‬ .‫ وهدير عمر‬،‫ وجهية برفزي‬،‫هنى فؤاد‬ ‫كان اليومني األول والثاين مليئني بالمحارضات والمناقاشت الملهمة باإلضافة إىل ورش‬ ‫ واليت‬،‫العمل والمعارض اليت عرضت اعما ًال لكل من الطالب وأعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‬ .‫كانت نتاج للعديد من الفصول الدراسية اليت سبقت المؤمتر‬ ‫مفتوحا قام فيه الماشركون بعرض أعمالهم وماشركهتا يف‬ ‫يوما‬ ً ً ‫أما اليوم األخري فكان‬ .‫العديد من حلقات النقاش‬ ‫“تصميم دوحة” هو وسيلة فريدة وفعالة يف مجع أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية واجلمهور‬ ‫ وتوفري جمموعة من األفكار والمالحظات‬،‫حول العديد من االهتمامات المشرتكة‬ ‫عميدا تنفيذ ًيا يف‬ ‫ والذي كان‬،‫ دونالد بيكر‬.‫واخلربات لتعزيز احلوار المستمر“ قال د‬ ً .‫ذلك الوقت‬

The final day was an Open Day and participants could display their works and share in the output of other sessions. According to Executive Dean Donald Baker, “Tasmeem is a unique and very effective way to bring faculty and members of the public together around common interests and concerns, providing a shared body of ideas, observations and experiences to fuel ongoing dialog.”

From left to right 01 Tasmeem merchandise and giveaways 02 Behind the Scenes Exhibition

From left to right 03 Panel Discussion with Ahmed Alrefaie, Rana Beiruti, Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine, moderated by Richard Lombard 04 Keynote speaker Sir David Adjaye 05 Ahmed Alrefaie 06 Ali Phi performance 07 QAL, the Anti-Carpet exhibition

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TA S M E E M D O H A 2019

Day One – Swalif Sessions and Key Speakers

The first day included speakers such as Ahmed Alrefaie, an illustrator and graphic designer from Kuwait; and Rana Beiruti, the director and co-founder of Amman Design Week and the founder of Platform, a curatorial initiative dedicated to building connections between designers and innovators in Jordan and around the world. It also included “cult figures in the European architecture world” and videoartists, producers, and publishers Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine. After an hour-long panel discussion and a lunch outside by the football pitch, the audience had the opportunity to engage with the speakers of their choice in intimate discussions called the Swalif Sessions, where the speakers would give more personal insights into their respective fields to a smaller and more concentrated group of people. The first day ended with a keynote speech by Sir David Adjaye OBE, the Founder and Principal of Adjaye Associates. An architect with an artist’s sensibility, his largest project has been the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Tehran-based artist Ali Phi made a special appearance at VCUarts Qatar to display his interactive audio-visual installation – QAL, the anti-carpet. Traditional rug patterns were created in real time by hands moving through the light on a device. “People use carpets a lot but I am pretty sure most of them don’t care about design these days. Rug making is a very deep and ancient art form that we have, and here, the machine creates the carpet and the design based upon the motion of your hand. In each second, 60 different patterns are created at the same time. Even the sounds created are based upon the movement of hands,” Ali explained.

‫ جلسات سوالف ومحاضرات‬- ‫اليوم األول‬

‫ راسم ومصمم غرافيك‬،‫ أمحد الرفاعي‬:‫اشرك باليوم األول العديد من المحارضين‬ ،‫عمان للتصميم‬ ّ ‫ المدير وأحد المؤسسني الماشركني يف أسبوع‬،‫ رنا بريويت‬،‫من الكويت‬ .‫وهي مبادرة مكرسة لبناء الروابط بني المصممني والمبتكرين يف األردن وحول العالم‬ ‫باإلضافة إىل العديد من الشخصيات المعروفة يف عالم الهندسة المعمارية األوروبية‬ .‫ إيال بيكا ولويس ليمون‬،‫وفناين الفيديو والمنتجني والنارشين‬ ‫ أتيح للجمهور فرصة التفاعل مع‬،‫بعد حلقة نقاش وغداء يف ملعب لكرة القدم‬ ‫ مكنت هذه اجللاست‬.”‫المتحدثني يف مناقاشت مبارشة ضمن جلاست “سوالف‬ ‫المتحدثني من تقديم المزيد من األفكار يف جمال ختصصهم لمجموعة أصغر من‬ .‫تركزيا‬ ‫احلضور وأكرث‬ ً ‫ مؤسس ومدير‬،‫انهتى اليوم األول مبحارضة رئيسية ألقاها السري ديفيد أدجاي أويب‬ ‫ والذي يعد المتحف الوطين للتارخي‬،‫ المهندس والفنان المعماري‬،‫مؤسسة أدجاي‬ .‫والثقافة األفريقية األمريكية يف واشنطن العاصمة من أكرب ماشريعه‬ ‫عرضا‬ ‫ كان‬.”QAL“ ‫تفاعليا بعنوان‬ ‫عرضا‬ ‫بعد ذلك قدم الفنان اإليراين عيل يف‬ ً ً ً ‫مبارشا تم إناشء سجاد بأمناط تقليدية عن طريق حتريك األيدي واستخدام‬ ً ،‫كثريا‬ ً ‫ “يستخدم الناس السجاد‬:‫ وأوضح عيل‬.‫جهاز خاص يف تسليط الضوء عليهىا‬ ‫ إن صناعة السجاد هي‬.‫وأنا عىل ثقة بأن معظمهم هذه األيام ال هيتم بالتصميم‬ ‫ تقوم اآللة بإناشء وتصميم‬،‫ وهنا‬،‫شكل من أشكال الفن القديم والعميق للغاية‬ ً 60 ‫سجادة فريدة من خالل حتريك اليدين حيث يتم يف كل ثانية إناشء‬ ‫منطا‬ .”‫أيضا‬ ً ‫ وأضاف بأن األصوات تعتمد عىل حركة األيدي‬.‫خمتلفً ا‬

Issue 6 — 5

Day Two – Change, Music and LNG

The second day kicked off with Nadir Nahdi, a young change-maker and the co-founder of BENI, a creative platform highlighting young people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds through meaningful and visually engaging content. He was followed by Julia Leeb, a photographer and filmmaker who shared her work which focused on isolated societies such as North Korea. Eric Landon, a world-renowned ceramicist and founder of The Tortus Ceramics studio in Copenhagen, was the final speaker on day two and he kept the audience engaged with his relevant talk on how he used social media to introduce his craftsmanship to the world. Another performance by Ali Phi took place towards the end of the second day – “Elemaun” was a performance-driven audio-visual project. The audience was mesmerized by the combination of regional Iranian tunes with unique, contemporary and unusual rhythms and patterns created by sound and light, in real time on a huge screen. The second day closed with an exhibition at the Doha Fire Station entitled “-162°C Trading Power”. The number denotes the temperature at which natural gas becomes liquid natural gas (LNG), and its volume shrinks by 600 times, thus becoming a more convenient commodity for trade. The exhibition explored the significance of liquid natural gas relations between Japan and Qatar using 40 suspended printers that sourced relevant text and images from the internet. The project was a collaboration between faculty and students at VCUarts Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar, and Tokyo Metropolitan University’s Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology.

8 — Issue 6

‫اليوم الثاني‬

،”BENI“ ‫ صانع التغيري الاشب والمؤسس الماشرك لـ‬،‫بدأ اليوم الثاين مع نادر هندي‬ ‫وهي منصة إبداعية تسلط الضوء عىل الشباب من خلفيات متنوعة متثل حمتوى مفيد‬ ‫ المصور والمخرج السينمايئ واليت اشركت اجلمهور يف أعمالها‬،‫ تبعه جوليا ليب‬.‫وجذاب‬ .‫اليت تركز عىل المجتمعات المعزولة مثل كوريا الشمالية‬ ‫ وهو عالم خزف ذو هشرة عالمية‬،‫ إريك الندون‬،‫كان المتحدث األخري لهذا اليوم‬ ‫ والذي أرس اجلمهور حبديثه حول‬،‫ومؤسس استوديو تورتوس للسرياميك يف كوبهناغن‬ .‫كيفية استخدام واسئل التواصل االجتماعي يف تقديم حرفته للعالم‬ ‫وصوتيا أهبر‬ ‫” كان أداءا حركيا‬Elemaun“ ‫تم تقديم عرض آخر لعيل يف بعنوان‬ ً ‫اجلمهور مبزجي من اإليقاعات اإليرانية األصيلة وبأمناط فريدة ومعارصة تم ابتكارها مبارشة‬ .‫أمام اجلمهور باستخدام الصوت والضوء عىل اششة ضخمة‬ ‫ يشري الرقم إىل درجة‬.‫” يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬°162-“ ‫ أقيم معرض‬،‫يف ختام اليوم الثاين‬ 600 ‫ ويتقلص حجمه مبقدار‬،‫احلرارة اليت يتحول عندها الغاز الطبيعي إىل غاز ماسل‬ ‫ استكشف المعرض أهمية عالقات تبادل الغاز‬.‫ ليتحول إىل سلعة قابلة للتداول‬،‫مرة‬ ‫ طابعة عامئة تعمل عىل طباعة النصوص‬40 ‫الطبيعي الماسل بني اليابان وقطر باستخدام‬ ‫ كان المرشوع عبارة عن تعاون بني أعضاء الهيئة‬.‫والصور ذات العالقة من اإلنرتنت‬ ‫التدريسية والطالب يف اجلامعة وطلبة جامعة تكاسس إيه آند إم يف قطر والمعهد المتقدم‬ .‫للتكنولوجيا الصناعية جبامعة طوكيو مرتوبوليتان‬

From left to right 08 Eric Landon 09 Nadir Nahdi 10 Tasmeem Doha co-chairs 11 Phone Art Qatar exhibition 12 -162° Trading Power exhibition

TA S M E E M D O H A 2019

“We were the first graduates to take on such a project. It was an experience and a challenge at the same time. Our first little victory was when our proposal was accepted and that was a huge milestone for us.” —Hadeer Omar

Issue 6 — 9

TA S M E E M D O H A 2019

13 From left to right 13 Keynote speaker Julia Koerner 14 PressZine workshop 15 Atelier La Juntana workshop 16 Samer Fouad with Sherin Karawia 17 Rabeya Khatoon at the Generitive Spin Art workshop 18 Sonic Jeel performance

Day Three – The Next Generation

The action-filled last day of Tasmeem featured Next Jeel (Arabic for Next Generation) workshops that empowered and celebrated five talented students from VCUarts Qatar and five from the home campus in Richmond, Virginia. The final keynote speech was given by Julia Koerner, an awardwinning Austrian designer specialising in 3D-printing. During her speech she showed some of her incredible wearable designs achieved through 3D-printing and shared her exciting collaborations for haute couture and costumes for the Hollywood blockbuster Black Panther. “My experience at Tasmeem was absolutely fantastic. I am really impressed that this event was organized by four young women, graduates of the university. I met so many creative people, faculty and students. There is clearly an openness to innovation in this region,” said Koerner and added, “You are all wonderful people, I hope to be back very soon.” Executive Dean Baker gave heart-warming closing remarks where he expressed his gratitude to the four co-chairs and everyone else involved in making Tasmeem 2019 a massive success.

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‫اليوم الثالث‬

،”‫ “اجليل القادم‬:‫ العديد من ورش عمل حتت عنوان‬،‫هشد اليوم األخري من تصميم دوحة‬ ‫واليت مثلت احتفاال خبمسة طالب موهوبني من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ .‫ فرجينيا‬،‫ ومخسة طالب من حرم اجلامعة األم يف ريتشموند‬،‫التصميم يف قطر‬

‫ المصممة النماسوية واحلائزة عىل العديد من اجلوائز‬،‫ قامت جوليا كورنر‬،‫يف هناية اليوم‬ ‫ قامت خالل‬.‫ بالقاء حمارضة اخلتام الرئيسية‬،‫والمتخصصة يف الطباعة ثالثية األبعاد‬ ‫المحارضة بعرض بعض من تصاميمها اليت ميكن ارتداهئا واليت تم تنفيذها باستخدام طابعة‬ ‫ كما اشركت احلضور تعاوهنا المثري يف تصميم األزياء الراقية وأزياء أحد‬.‫ثالثية األبعاد‬ ‫ “كانت جتربيت يف تصميم‬:‫ وعن ذلك قالت جوليا‬.”Black Panther“ ‫أفالم هوليوود‬ ‫ وأعجبين أكرث أن هذا المؤمتر كان من تنظيم أربعة اشبات من خرجيات‬.‫دوحة رائعة للغاية‬ :‫ وقالت كورنر‬.”‫ قابلت الكثري من المبدعني من أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والطالب‬.‫اجلامعة‬ ‫مجيعا أناس رائعون‬ ‫ فأنتم‬،‫انفتاحا عىل االبتكار يف هذه المنطقة‬ ‫“من الواضح أن هناك‬ ً ً .”‫جدا‬ ‫وآمل أن أعود‬ ً ‫قريبا‬ ً ‫ دونالد بيكر مالحظات ختامية أعرب فهيا عن امتنانه للرؤاسء األربعة‬.‫يف اخلتام قدم د‬ .‫باهرا‬ ‫جناحا‬ 2019 ‫وجلميع الماشركني الذين جعلوا من تصميم دوحة‬ ً ً ‫ سمعت أن ”تصميم دوحة“ هو‬،2017 ‫ “عند قدومي إىل اجلامعة يف ديسمرب‬:‫وقال‬ ‫حدث رائع جيمع من يف احلرم اجلامعي بأفراد المجتمع من خالل العديد من العروض‬ .”‫ وأنا هنا اليوم أهشد هذا النجاح‬،‫والمحارضات حول القضايا المهمة يف الفن والتصميم‬

TA S M E E M D O H A 2019

“Upon coming here in December 2017, I heard that Tasmeem is a wonderful event that brings the whole campus and people from the community together around stimulating presentations on important issues for arts and design, and I wasn’t disappointed,” he said. The alumni co-chairs ensured that the 2019 edition was one of the most relevant and engaging Tasmeem experiences yet, said Baker. “Organized by young people who know our programs and what students and others would like to hear and discuss, it has been unfailingly attractive to our students, alumni and members of the arts community in Qatar.” Hadeer Omar said on a concluding note, “It was such an amazing process over the last year and a half. We were the first graduates to take on such a project. It was an experience and a challenge at the same time. Our first little victory was when our proposal was accepted and that was a huge milestone for us. We are incredibly proud of how far we’ve come and there are so many people who have supported us – it has been a great story for us as well.”

‫ كان واحد ًا‬2019 ‫ بيكر إن الرؤاسء الماشركني من اخلرجيني أكدوا أن تصميم دوحة‬.‫وقال د‬ ّ .‫من أكرث جتارب تصميم جاذبية حىت اآلن‬ ‫“نظم المؤمتر عدد من خرجياتنا المطلعات عىل‬ ‫مؤمترا جذا ًبا لطالبنا وخرجيينا‬ ‫كان‬ ،‫ويناقشوه‬ ‫براجمنا وما يود طالبنا وغريهم أن يسمعوه‬ ً .”‫وأعضاء جمتمع الفنون يف قطر‬ ‫ كنا أول من‬.‫مرشوعا مذهالً خالل عام ونصف مىض‬ ‫ “كان‬:‫ قالت هدير عمر‬،‫ويف اخلتام‬ ً ‫ كان‬.‫ شكل المرشوع جتربة وحتد ًيا يف نفس الوقت‬.‫يقوم بتنظيم هذا المؤمتر من اخلرجيني‬ ‫ حنن فخورون بشكل ال‬.‫كبريا ورائعا‬ ً ‫االنتصار األول عندما تم قبول اقرتاحنا وكان هذا حدثًا‬ .”‫ عشنا قصة رائعة‬- ‫يصدق مبا وصلنا إليه وهناك الكثري من األشخاص الذين اسندونا‬

Issue 6 — 13

I N FI N ITE D I M E N S I O N S

INFINITE DIMENSIONS

Fire Station Artist in Residence

14 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Issue 6

INFINITE DIMENSIONS

From left to right 01 Eman Makki's studio 02 Lolwa Al Solaiti's studio 03 Ala Bata's studio

‫ مطافىء مقر الفنانينن‬،‫ برنامج اإلقامة الفنية‬- ‫أبعاد المتناهية‬

The latest edition of the Doha Fire Station Artist in Residence exhibition, titled “Infinite Dimensions”, took place at the Garage Gallery from July 16 to September 1, and it included a number of works by alumni and faculty from VCUarts Qatar.

‫ النسخة الهنائية من معرض برناجم اإلقامة الفنية لمطاىفء‬،”‫ُعقد معرض “أبعاد ال متناهية‬ ‫ تضمن المعرض‬.‫ سبتمرب يف جالريي الكراج‬1 ‫ يوليو إىل‬16 ‫مقر الفنانني خالل الفرتة من‬ ‫أعماال فنية لعدد من اخلرجيني وأعضاء الهيئة التدريسية من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬ .‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬

Presented in three main sections – Tangible Spectrums, The Edge of Thoughts, and Visual Sphere – the exhibition gave visitors the opportunity to discover and explore more about local contemporary and conceptual art, through the display of a wide range of unusual artworks, art practices and mediums.

‫ وآفاق‬،‫ عند ختوم الفكر‬،‫ أطياف ملموسه‬:‫اشتمل المعرض عىل ثالثة أقاسم رئيسية‬ ‫ أتاح المعرض للزوار فرصة استكاشف المزيد عن عوالم الفن المعارص المحيل‬.‫برصية‬ ،‫والفن المفاهيمي من خالل عرض جمموعة واسعة من األعمال الفنية غري العادية‬ .‫والمماراست والواسئط الفنية‬

Curated by Dr. Bahaa Abudaya and Saida Al Khulaifi, the end of year exhibition explored questions of concept in artistic practice. The 18 artists, 14 of whom were VCUarts Qatar alumni and faculty, were invited to explore and experiment with new ideas and media to gain a better understanding of the meaning behind conceptual art, focusing on ideas and their context, rather than their aesthetics. The alumni were Abdulla Al-Kuwari, Ala Bata, Eman Makki, Lolwa Al Solaiti, Maryam Al Ameri, Nourbanu Hijazi, Roda Al-Khori, Sara Al-Fadaaq, Shaikha Al Hardan, and Sidra Zubairi, and the faculty members were Nayla Ahmed, Federica Visani, Jesse Payne, and Michael Perrone.

ٌّ ‫وقد قام‬ ‫ ركزت نسخة‬.‫كل من الدكتور هباء أبو دية وسعيدة اخلليفي مبهمة التقييم الفين‬ ‫ قام مثانية عرش‬.‫هذا العام عىل استقصاء موضوع “المفاهيمية” يف المماراست الفنية‬ ‫فنانا مهنم أربعة عرش فنانا من خرجيي ومدريس جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ ‫ باستكاشف وجتريب أفكار وواسئط جديدة بغرض تكوين فهم أفضل‬،‫التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ مع الرتكزي عىل األفكار وسياقها أكرث من األبعاد‬،‫للمعاين الكامنة خلف األعمال المفاهيمية‬ .‫اجلمالية‬ ،‫ وإميان مكي‬،‫ وعالء باطا‬،‫ عبد الله الكواري‬:‫اشرك عدد من اخلرجيني يف هذا الربناجم‬ ،‫ واسرة الفدعق‬،‫ وروضة اخلوري‬،‫ ونوربانو حجازي‬،‫ ومريم العامري‬،‫ولوال السليطي‬ ‫ نيلة أمحد وفيديريكا فزياين وجييس باين‬:‫ وكل من‬،‫ وسدرة زبريي‬،‫وشيخة احلردان‬ .‫ومايكل بريون من أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‬

Issue 6 — 15

From left to right 04 Formal explorations in Sidra Zubairi's studio 05 Work by Sidra Zubairi 06 Work by Federica Visani and Nayla Ahmed at the exhibition 07 Sara Al Fadaaq's studio 08 Eman Makki in her studio 09 Jesse Payne in his studio

16 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Issue 6

‫ ‪ INFINITE DIMENSIONS‬‬

‫‪09‬‬

‫‪08‬‬

‫يف قسم “آفاق برصية” عىل سبيل المثال‪ ،‬تم تقديم موضوعات الثقافة الشعبية‬ ‫والمناظر الطبيعية المحلية والفضاء اخلارجي وخملوقات اخليال‪ .‬تسعى اخلرجية‬ ‫سدرة زبريي من خالل أعمالها إىل إحياء ذكريات المايض من خالل النظر إىل‬ ‫الدواوير يف شوارع الدوحة‪ ،‬يف حني تستخدم اسرة الفدعق التقنيات الرقمية‬ ‫والكالسيكية التقليدية الستكاشف العنارص التارخيية والنفسية واالجتماعية‬ ‫لثقافة السيارات يف الرشق األوسط‪.‬‬

‫‪In the Visual Sphere section, for example, themes of popular culture,‬‬ ‫‪local landscapes, outer space and fantasy creatures were presented.‬‬ ‫‪In it, alumna Sidra Zubairi’s work paid tribute to what is now a‬‬ ‫‪memory by looking at Doha’s roundabouts, while Sara Al-Fadaaq‬‬ ‫‪used digital and analog techniques to explore and reference the his‬‬‫‪tory, psychology and social elements of Middle Eastern car culture.‬‬

‫كما ضم القسم أهم أعمال الربوفيسور جييس باين‪ ،‬األستاذ الماشرك يف برناجم الفن‬ ‫التأسييس بعنوان “اآلثار” (ألوان زيتية عىل الكتان البلجيكي) آثار الهنضة‪ ،‬واليت‬ ‫استوحاها من أعمال مايكل أجنلو “العبيد غري المكتملون”‪.‬‬

‫‪Art Foundation Associate Professor Jesse Payne‘s commanding‬‬ ‫‪works, entitled, “Relics” (oil on Belgian linen) evoked the Renais‬‬‫”‪sance, and were inspired by Michelangelo’s “Unfinished Slaves.‬‬

‫كانت “ ُثر ّية األيادي”واحدة من أكرث القطع اليت جذبت أنظار احلضور وهي من األعمال‬ ‫الفنية لكل من األستاذ الماسعد يف قسم تصميم األزياء نيلة أمحد وفدريكا فزياين‪ .‬كان‬ ‫العمل عبارة عن صندوق كبري احلجم‪ ،‬تغطيه المرايا وحيتوي عىل ثرية من األيدي البرشية‬ ‫المنحوتة‪ .‬كل يد فريدة من نوعها‪ ،‬ومثبتة حبلقات مجيلة من اخلواتم األلماسية‪.‬‬

‫‪One of the most visually arresting pieces, and a favorite with visi‬‬‫‪tors, was “Handelier”, by Fashion Design assistant professors Nayla‬‬ ‫‪Ahmed and Federica Visani. This oversized mirror/box contained a‬‬ ‫‪chandelier of sculpted human hands, each one unique, affixed with‬‬ ‫‪beautiful diamond rings.‬‬

‫أما “طابعة يف فلك السماء”‪ ،‬فقد ركزت اخلرجية إميان مكي عىل كمية ال ميكن تصورها‬ ‫من النجوم يف جمرة درب التبانة‪ ،‬واليت يقدر أهنا حتتوي عىل أكرث من ‪ 100‬مليار جنم‪ .‬تقوم‬ ‫الطابعة المثبته عىل قاعدة‪ ،‬بإناشء سلسلة من العالمات المطبوعة بشكل مستمر ويف‬ ‫وقت واقعي عىل لفة من الورق‪ .‬تم إدخال البيانات اليت توثق عدد النجوم إىل برناجم‬ ‫تم إعداده خصيصا‪ ،‬ويتم وضع كل عالمة مطبوعة عىل الورق بواسطة الربناجم لتقريب‬ ‫االختالفات يف احلجم والماسفة النسبية بني النجوم يف درب التبانة‪ ،‬حيث متثل كل عالمة‬ ‫جنمة واحدة‪.‬‬ ‫يف قسم “أطياف ملموسة”‪ ،‬استخدم اخلرجي عالء باطا الموضوعات اليومية إلناشء‬ ‫ماشهد استفزازية‪ ،‬مثل “حظ أوفر يف المرة القادمة” وهذا العمل هو عبارة عن باب‬ ‫يف منتصف ماسحة المعرض مع بيضة عىل مقبضه‪.‬‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 17‬‬

‫‪In “Printer Up Above the World So High”, alumna Eman Makki fo‬‬‫‪cused on the unimaginable quantity of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy,‬‬ ‫‪which is estimated to contain more than 100 billion stars. Sitting on‬‬ ‫‪a plinth, a printer generated a series of marks printed continuously‬‬ ‫‪and in real time on a roll of paper. Data documenting the number of‬‬ ‫‪stars was entered into a bespoke software program, and each mark‬‬ ‫‪printed on the paper was placed by the software to approximate the‬‬ ‫‪variations in size and relative distance between stars in the Milky‬‬ ‫‪Way, with each mark representing a single star.‬‬

18 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Issue 6

From left to right 10 Michael Perrone, “Palimpsest: Drawings, Paintings, Sculptures” 11 Work by Shaika Al Hardan 12 Nourbanu Hijazi, sketches for “Demons” 13 Nourbanu Hijazi, “Demons” 14 Ala Bata, “Better Luck Next Time” 15 Work by Abdulla Al Kuwari 16 Work by Abdulla Al Kuwari

In the Tangible Spectrums section, alumnus Ala Bata used everyday subjects to create provocative scenes, such as with “Better Luck Next Time” (meranti wood, stainless steel and egg) in which an egg balanced on a door handle. Painting and Printmaking Assistant Professor Michael Perrone’s work, titled, “Palimpsest: Drawings, Paintings, Sculptures” was the result of his continued research and investigation into the concept of monuments. Exploring both local and regional, as well as, several international sites, Perrone was able to build a catalog of images – both digital, analog, and mental, that served as the inspiration for his works. Alumna Nourbanu Hijazi’s work, titled “Demons” explored parallels between the perception of the paranormal and mental illness in the context of an Arabic Islamic society, and examined those ideas through the representation of the “Jathoom” (an evil jinn/spirit attacking people in their sleep), and sleep paralysis, a sleep disorder characterized by the temporary inability to move or speak when one is waking up or falling asleep. The creatures depicted in Nourbanu’s work were inspired by her own experiences with sleep disorders. In “The Edge of Thoughts” section, the artists explored memories and stories of belonging. Alumnus Abdulla Al-Kuwari’s “The Ancient Structure” aimed for a partial resemblance of a visual language from an era long gone, while the handwritten lyrics on Shaikha AlHardan’s “Reminiscence” gave a hint of how music can trigger a specific memory to come to life.

،‫ األستاذ الماسعد من قسم الرسم والطباعة يف اجلامعة‬،‫كانت أعمال مايكل بريون‬ ‫ واليت جاءت نتيجة حبثه المتواصل‬،”‫ الرسومات واللوحات والمنحوتات‬:Palimpsest“ ‫ من خالل استكاشف العديد من المواقع المحلية واإلقليمية‬.‫والتحقيق يف مفهوم اآلثار‬ ‫ الرقمية والتناظرية‬- ‫قادرا عىل إناشء كتالوج من الصور‬ ‫ كان‬،‫والعالمية عىل حد سواء‬ ً .‫ واليت كانت مبثابة مصدر إلهام ألعماله‬،‫والعقلية‬ ‫أما اخلرجية نوربانو حجازي فتستكشف يف أعمالها أوجه التاشبه بني الظواهر اخلارقة‬ ‫ وتعالج هذه‬،‫للطبيعة واالعتالل العقيل يف سياق متصل بالمجتمع العريب واإلسالمي‬ ،‫ وشلل النوم‬،)‫األفكار من خالل جتسيد “اجلن جاثوم” (جن رشير هياجم الناس خالل النوم‬ ‫وهو اضطراب يف النوم يتمزي بعدم القدرة المؤقتة عىل احلركة أو الكالم عندما يستيقظ‬ .‫ وأعمال نوربانو مستوحاة من جتربهتا الشخصية مع اضطراب النوم‬.‫المرء أو ينام‬ ‫ هيدف كتاب‬.‫ يستكشف الفنانون الذكريات وقصص االنتماء‬،”‫يف قسم “عند ختوم الفكر‬ ‫“الهيكل القديم” للخرجي عبد الله الكواري إىل كشف التاشبه اجلزيئ للغة المرئية منذ زمن‬ ‫ يف حني أن الكلمات المكتوبة خبط اليد يف “ذكرى” للخرجية شيخة احلردان تشري إىل‬.‫بعيد‬ .‫كيف ميكن لبعض األمور مثل الموسيقى استحضار ذكريات معينة إىل احلياة‬

Issue 6 — 19

A C ATA LYS T FO R CO LL A B O R ATIVE R E S E A RCH

A CATALYST FOR COLLABOR ATIVE RESEARCH

Fikria El Kaouakibi

Fikria El Kaouakibi, the Senior Research Administration Officer at VCUarts Qatar, describes her department's role as a “catalyst”. Fikria’s work is at the center of VCUarts Qatar’s research enterprise and encompasses the internal Faculty Research Grant (FRG), assisting with external partners such as Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), and providing backing and advice for faculty research projects with ethics approvals, travel, budgeting and more. Collaboration is one of the key objectives for Fikria, and she acknowledges that it is sometimes difficult to achieve. The department is trying to initiate collaboration grants, as well as advocate for better communication between Education City universities so that more of these opportunities arise. “We planted the seeds and now they’re growing, slowly but surely.” Dr. Johan Granberg, Interior Design associate professor, is a great example of a faculty member that is constantly doing research that involves collaboration. One of his projects is a Set Design class taught in partnership with Doha Film Institute. This class involves students learning about film in an unconventional way that is new and innovative for Qatar. He often finds ways to involve students with his research and is looking forward to another collaboration soon, this time with Northwestern University in Qatar. Dr. Khaled Saoud, Professor of Physics in the Department of Liberal Arts and Science, is another faculty member that exemplifies collaborative work. His current research project is a multidisciplinary one, which integrates science and technology with fashion. His research,

‫فكرية الكواكبي‬ ‫التعاون في البحث العلمي‬

‫ مسؤول البحث العلمي يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬،‫تصف فكرية الكواكيب‬ ،‫ تعمل فكرية يف مركز اجلامعة للبحث العلمي‬.”‫ دور إدارهتا بـ “المحفز‬،‫التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ وياسعد مع بعض الرشكاء اخلارجيني‬،‫الذي يقدم المنح ألحباث أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‬ ‫مثل الصندوق القطري لرعاية البحث العلمي يف تقديم الدعم والمشورة فيما خيص‬ .‫ السفر وغري ذلك‬،‫ المزيانية‬،‫الموافقة عىل الماشريع‬ ‫يعد التعاون أحد األهداف الرئيسية لفكرية عىل الرغم من صعوبة حتقيقه يف بعض‬ ‫ كما تعمل عىل حتسني التواصل بني‬،‫ تعمل اإلدارة عىل الرشوع يف تقديم المنح‬.‫األحيان‬ ‫ “لقد زرعنا البذور وهي اآلن تنمو‬.‫جامعات المدينة التعليمية خللق مزيد من الفرص‬ .”‫ ولكن بثبات‬،‫ببطء‬

‫ مثال رائع عىل بروفيسور‬،‫ أستاذ ماشرك يف التصميم الداخيل‬،‫الدكتور يوهان غرانربغ‬ ‫ أحد ماشريعه هو جمموعة من‬.‫دامئا بإجراء أحباث علمية تتضمن التعاون‬ ً ‫نشط يقوم‬ ‫ يشمل هذا المقرر‬.‫المقررات يف التصميم يتم تدريهسا بالرشاكة مع معهد الدوحة لألفالم‬ ‫ يوهان‬.‫ يعمل د‬.‫ جديدة ومبتكرة يف دولة قطر‬،‫طلبة يتعلمون األفالم بطريقة غري تقليدية‬ ‫ ويعمل حاليا عىل تعاون آخر ومباشركة‬.‫دامئا عىل إجياد طرق إلرشاك الطالب يف حبوثه‬ .‫جامعة نورثويسرتن يف قطر‬ ‫ بروفيسور آخر جيسد‬،‫ أستاذ ماشرك يف الفنون والعلوم العامة‬،‫الدكتور خالد سعود‬ ‫ يدجم العلوم والتكنولوجيا‬،‫ مرشوعه احلايل هو مرشوع متعدد التخصصات‬.‫العمل التعاوين‬ ‫ إىل إعادة تصميم العباءة‬،”‫ هيدف حبثه “تطبيق تقنية النانو يف تصميم األزياء‬.‫مع الموضة‬ ‫ ويف نفس الوقت مينع أشعة‬،‫التقليدية للسماح لها بامتصاص فيتامني دال إىل اجللد‬ ‫أيضا طلبة‬ ً ‫ بل ياشرك‬،‫ خالد ليشمل قطر فحسب‬.‫ ال يتوقف حبث د‬.‫الشمس الضارة‬ .‫تصميم األزياء يف اجلامعة ويتعاون معهم يف ابتكار العباءة اليت تستخدم هذه التكنولوجيا‬

A C ATA LY ST F O R C O L L A B O R AT I V E R E S E A RC H

RESEARCH STATISTICS 2018-19 1 BOOK

25 J O U R N A L A RT I C L E S

4 BOOK CHAPTERS

9 CONFERENCE PRO CEEDINGS

12 POEMS

54 EXHIBITIONS

titled “The Application of Nano Technology in Fashion Design”, aims to redesign the traditional Abaya to allow it to absorb vitamin-D into the skin, while simultaneously blocking the sun’s more harmful rays. Not only is Dr. Saoud’s research relevant to the context of Qatar, but he’s also actively involved with the fashion design students of the university by collaborating with them to create an Abaya that will incorporate the technology.

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“All of the research that is done here, and in collaboration with our partners, is fascinating,” says Fikria, “The research projects are always exploratory, and when you see the outcomes you have this sense of satisfaction and pride.” “I really want to highlight everything we are doing,” Fikria says, as she gestures around her office, which she has transformed into a showcase for all the exciting faculty research that she has overseen. Her shelves are home to several faculty publications, and the walls are decorated with visual arts’ outcomes and posters. Fikria advocates for the importance of art and design in research, and points out just how unique what VCUarts Qatar is doing in comparison with some of the other universities in Education City. “It’s not one size fits all,” she says, “we stand out because our research is in different formats. The diversity of the faculty and the diversity of their respective disciplines creates a situation where nothing explored can be boring or one-note.” Rather than focusing only on traditional scholarly work, VCUarts Qatar combines science and technology with creative research outputs. Books, poems, films, magazines, visual arts, products and architecture are just some of the research mediums that have been explored and the possibilities are endless. “It’s the critical thinking and design thinking that helps inform other disciplines and provides a different perspective,” says Fikria, “now there’s more emphasis on how the arts should be integrated with other disciplines. And we are taking the lead here at VCUarts Qatar and seeing that it happens.”

‫ فاالحباث‬،‫ “تعد األحباث اليت نقوم هبا هنا وبالتعاون مع رشكائنا رائعة‬:‫تقول فكرية‬ ‫ ختلق لديك شعورا بالفخر‬،‫ وعندما ترى النتاجئ‬،‫دامئا ما تكون استكاشفية‬ ً ‫العلمية‬ .”‫والرضا‬ ‫ تتحدث فكرية عن مكتهبا‬،”‫ “أرغب حقً ا يف تسليط الضوء عىل كل ما نقوم به‬:‫وتضيف‬ ‫ رفوفها موطن‬.‫الذي حولته إىل منصة عرض جلميع األحباث المثرية اليت أرشفت علهيا‬ ‫ واجلدران مليئة بالملصقات‬،‫للعديد من اعمال ومنشورات أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية‬ .‫واألعمال الفنية اليت تعرض نتاجئ هذه األحباث‬ ‫ وتشري إىل مدى تفرد ما تقوم‬،‫تدافع فكرية عن أهمية الفن والتصميم يف البحث العلمي‬ ‫به جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر بالمقارنة مع بعض اجلامعات‬ ‫ حنن متمزيون‬،‫واحدا يناسب اجلميع‬ ‫مقاس‬ ‫ “ليس هناك‬.‫األخرى يف المدينة التعليمية‬ ً ً ‫ إن تنوع أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية وتنوع ختصصاهتم خيلق‬.‫ألن أحباثنا تأيت يف أشكال خمتلفة‬ .”‫ أو حىت متاشبه‬،‫وضعا ال ميكن فيه استكاشف يشء ممل‬ ‫ جتمع جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية‬،‫بد ًال من الرتكزي عىل األعمال واألحباث التقليدية فقط‬ ‫ تعد الكتب‬.‫فنون التصميم يف قطر بني العلوم والتكنولوجيا مع خمرجات البحوث اإلبداعية‬ ‫بعضا من‬ ‫والقصائد واألفالم والمجالت والفنون المرئية والمنتجات والهندسة المعمارية‬ ً .‫واسئل البحث اليت تم استكاشفها مع عدد ال حرص له من االحتماالت‬ ‫ “إنه التفكري النقدي والتفكري بالتصميم الذي ياسعد عىل توعية‬:‫وأضافت فكرية‬ ‫ واآلن هناك تركزي أكرب عىل كيفية دجم الفنون مع‬،‫منظورا خمتلفً ا‬ ‫التخصصات األخرى ويوفر‬ ً ‫ وحنن هنا يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬.‫التخصصات األخرى‬ .”‫نأخذ بزمام المبادرة ونشعر بالتغيري‬

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RESEARCH IN CONTEXT

Jesse Payne

Jesse Payne, Associate Professor of Art Foundation, has had an exciting journey from his younger days as a baseball player to what has been a very significant current year at VCUarts Qatar. His exhibitions while as an Artist in Residence at the Fire Station received much acclaim and very recently, he has reached a meaningful career milestone with his promotion at the university. He credits the Artists in Residence program at the Fire Station with contributing in a significant way to his success. In addition to his promotion academically, his work featured last year at two solo shows; one called “By the Light of the Moon” at VCUarts Qatar, and another called “One Dust”, which took place at the Fire Station. Payne, like many of the other VCUarts Qatar faculty and alumni who have taken part in the Artists in Residence program at the Fire Station, is well aware of the opportunities for exposure and development that the residency has presented him with. “Being in there with 17 other artists and designers has been a wonderful experience for me,” he said. “Learning from them and sharing ideas has played an important role in the way I do things. Being an Artist in Residence at the Fire Station has been a time for my most significant work in the nine years that I’ve been here.” 2018/19 has been something of a baroque year for Payne. He describes his promotion to Associate Professor as one of his life’s most meaningful achievements, primarily because it can be directly connected to the work he has done nurturing student development. Payne is passionate about the importance of listening to students, from working with them on their ideas, and developing with them new projects that specifically relate to the culture at VCUarts Qatar

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‫ برحلة مثرية من أيام‬،‫ بدأ حياته‬،‫ األستاذ الماشرك برناجم الفن التأسييس‬،‫جييس باين‬ ‫شبابه كالعب لكرة البيسبول إىل هذا العام الذي اتسم بالتمزي يف عمله يف جامعة فرجينيا‬ ‫ حظي معرضه األخري وماشركته كفنان مقيم يف‬.‫كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ حققت عالمة بارزة يف مسريته المهنية‬،‫ بإاشدة كبرية‬،‫برناجم اإلقامة يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬ .‫وختمها مؤخرا حبصوله عىل ترقية يف عمله يف اجلامعة‬ ‫ويعتقد جييس بأن ماشركته يف برناجم اإلقامة يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني اسهمت بطريقة‬ ‫ عرضت أعماله خالل العام المايض‬،‫أكادمييا‬ ‫ فباإلضافة إىل ترقيته‬.‫هامة وفعالة يف جناحه‬ ً ‫ “ضوء القمر” يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬:‫يف معرضني فرديني‬ .‫ومعرض “غبار واحد” يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬ ‫ مثله مثل العديد من أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية واخلرجيني اآلخرين يف جامعة‬،‫جييس باين‬ ‫ والذين اشركوا يف برناجم اإلقامة يف مطاىفء‬.‫فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ وقال “كان وجودي‬.‫جيدا الفرص والتطوير الذي قدمهتا له اإلقامة‬ ‫ يدرك‬،‫مقر الفنانني‬ ً ‫مهما‬ ‫ا‬ ‫دور‬ ‫األفكار‬ ‫وتبادل‬ ‫التعلم‬ ‫“لعب‬ .”‫يل‬ ‫بالنسبة‬ ‫رائعة‬ ‫جتربة‬ ‫آخرا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ومصمم‬ ‫ فنانًا‬17 ‫مع‬ ً ً ً ‫ حقق وجودي يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني إجنازا ألهم أعمايل يف‬.‫يف الطريقة اليت أجنز هبا األشياء‬ .”‫السنوات التسع اليت أمضيهتا هنا‬ ،‫ يصف جييس ترقيته إىل أستاذ ماشرك من أهم إجنازات حياته‬،‫ممزيا‬ ً ‫عاما‬ ً 19/2018 ‫كان‬ ً ‫ يؤمن‬.‫مبارشا يف تعزيز تنمية الطالب‬ ‫ارتباطا‬ ‫ويرجع تلك الرتقية إىل أدائه الذي ارتبط‬ ً ‫ وتطوير ماشريع جديدة‬،‫ والعمل معهم عىل أفكارهم‬،‫جييس بأهمية االستماع إىل الطالب‬ ‫تتعلق حتديد ًا بالثقافة يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ كما حيرص جييس عىل االستفادة من خربته يف التدريس كمصدر إلهام‬.‫ويف دولة قطر‬ .‫ألحباثه وطريقة عمله اخلاصة‬ ‫وجناحا‬ ‫ أظهر جييس شغفً ا‬.‫لم تبدأ طموحات جييس يف عالم الفن واألواسط األ كادميية‬ ً ‫ وقبل أن تهني إصابته يف ذراعه حلمه يف مهنته‬،‫وكبريا كالعب بيسبول يف شبابه‬ ‫واعدا‬ ً ً ‫ وبفضل أحد المدراست يف مدرسته‬،‫ إال أن إصابته لم تعق قدراته الفنية‬.‫كالعب‬ .‫متاما‬ ً ‫ وجد جييس نفسه يسلك طريقا خمتلفً ا‬،‫الثانوية‬

and in the country of Qatar. He is also keen to draw from his teaching experience as the inspiration for his own research and his own way of working.

Payne’s ambitions, however, did not begin in the worlds of arts and academia. He showed considerable promise as a baseball player in his youth, before an injury to his arm ended the dream of a major league career. The injury to his arm, however, did not hinder his artistic abilities, and it was thanks to a sharp-eyed teacher at his high school that he soon found himself on an entirely different path. “A particularly supportive teacher really encouraged me to take art seriously and pursue it as a career. She was also the very first person to inspire me to be an art professor,” explains Payne. “Once I realized that was what I wanted, as I went through my undergraduate years, I would pay close attention to all of my professors’ strengths and weaknesses. I would try to avoid having their same weaknesses while also trying to combine all of their strengths to make me the kind of professor I am today. It was their mentorship and dedication to me as an artist and a teacher that really brought me here.”

03 01 Jesse Payne's studio at the Fire Station 02 From the VVIP series 03 Work from “By the Light of the Moon” series

Payne credits the multicultural aspects of post-secondary environments with much of his growth as a professor and artist. “When I got my first full time job as a teacher at Savannah College of Art and Design, they had students that represented over 100 different countries. Teaching students from so many different cultures, backgrounds and experiences challenged me to develop a solid understanding of the way people around the world think and execute ideas,” said Payne. He admitted that it was a big challenge at first, but that it prepared

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him for his role at VCUarts Qatar, which has nearly 40 countries represented in the student body. Payne acknowledged that the experience of teaching within such a diverse environment wasn’t easy initially, especially navigating how people think and interact with one another, but, he adds, that “it has definitely helped me become a better educator and artist overall.” Payne immerses himself in the opportunities that teaching in Qatar present – such as access to creative, expansive environments like the Hamad International Airport (HIA). Works by students from VCUarts Qatar are not an uncommon sight at HIA. The airport, Qatar Museums and VCUarts Qatar have worked together on several artistic initiatives since it opened in 2014, and works by students are often on display there. On World Art Day, which took place on April 15, 2019, Payne and 26 students from VCUarts Qatar worked with HIA on an initiative to spread awareness of creative activity across the globe. The students drew inspiration from the iconic Lamp Bear art work by Urs Fischer at HIA to produce a charcoal drawing, representing the artwork from their unique perspectives, as they circled the statue. The drawings were produced into a GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) and shown across HIA media channels in June 2019, and Payne was alongside the students during the process, which was filmed by Qatar Museums to promote World Art Day. “HIA has provided a platform for our students to be inspired

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‫ وشكلت‬.‫“شجعتين معلميت وبشكل خاص عىل أخذ الفن جبدية ومتابعته كمهنة‬ ،‫ “مبجرد إدراكي لما أردت‬.‫ أوضح جييس‬،”‫مدرس للفن‬ ‫مصدر إلهام يل ألصبح‬ ً ‫اهتماما كبريا بنقاط القوة والضعف لكل من‬ ‫أوليت‬ ،‫اجلامعية‬ ‫وأثناء دراسيت‬ ً ً ‫حماول جتنب نقاط الضعف واجلمع بني نقاط قوهتم ليجعلين ما أنا عليه‬ .‫أاستذيت‬ .”‫ كانت إراشداهتم وإمياهنم يب كفنان ومدرس هو ما أوصلين إىل هنا‬.‫اليوم‬ ‫يرجع جييس إىل اجلوانب متعددة الثقافات للبيئات اليت اختربها مع منوه كأستاذ‬ ‫ “عندما حصلت عىل أول وظيفة بدوام كامل كمدرس يف كلية اسفانا‬.‫وفنان‬ ‫ شكل‬.‫ جنسية خمتلفة‬100 ‫ كان لدهيم طالب ميثلون أكرث من‬،‫للفنون والتصميم‬ ‫تدرييس لطالب من العديد من الثقافات واخللفيات واخلربات المختلفة حتديا يل‬ ‫لتطوير فهمي للطريقة اليت يفكر هبا الناس يف مجيع أحناء العالم وكيفية قيامهم‬ ‫ لكنه أعدين لدوري يف جامعة‬،‫كبريا يف البداية‬ ً ‫ كان حتد ًيا‬.‫بتنفيذ هذه األفكار‬ ‫ واليت تضم يف الهيئة الطالبية أكرث‬،‫فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ اعرتف جييس بأن جتربة التدريس يف مثل هذه البيئة‬.”‫من أربعني ثقافة خمتلفة‬ ‫ فهم كيف يفكر الناس وكيف يتفاعلون مع‬،‫المتنوعة لم تكن هسلة يف البداية‬ .”‫معلما وفنانًا أفضل بشكل عام‬ ‫ “اسعدين هذا بالتأكيد أن أصبح‬،‫بعضهم البعض‬ ً ‫ مثل الوصول إىل بيئات‬- ‫ينغمس جييس يف الفرص اليت يقدمها التعليم يف قطر‬ ‫ تعد أعمال طلبة جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬.‫إبداعية واسعة مثل مطار محد الدويل‬ ‫ عمل مطار محد‬.‫مهشدا مألوفًا يف مطار محد الدويل‬ ‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ً ‫معا‬ ‫قطر‬ ‫يف‬ ‫التصميم‬ ‫فنون‬ ‫كلية‬ ‫كومنولث‬ ‫فرجينيا‬ ‫وجامعة‬ ‫الدويل ومتاحف قطر‬ ً ‫ حيث يتم‬،2014 ‫عىل العديد من المبادرات الفنية منذ افتتاح المطار اجلديد عام‬ .‫يف الغالب عرض أعمال الطالب هناك‬

‫‪05‬‬

‫‪04 Students, faculty and staff at Hamad International Airport‬‬ ‫‪05 Jesse Payne's works at the Infinite Dimensions exhibition at the Fire Station‬‬

‫طالبا‬ ‫يف ‪ 15‬ابريل ‪ ،2019‬والذي صادف يوم الفن العالمي‪ ،‬اشرتك جييس و‪26‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫من اجلامعة مع مطار محد الدويل يف مبادرة لنرش الوعي بالناشط اإلبداعي يف مجيع‬ ‫أحناء العالم‪ .‬استمد الطالب إلهامهم من العمل الفين الهشري “الدب المصباح”‬ ‫للفنان أورس فيرش والموجود يف مطار محد الدويل‪ .‬قام الطالب بإنتاج رسومات‬ ‫باستخدام أقالم الفحم‪ ،‬متثل العمل الهشري من منظورهم الفريد أثناء دوران التمثال‪.‬‬ ‫تم إنتاج الرسومات يف صورة “جي آي أف” وعرضت عىل قنوات مطار محد الدويل‬ ‫اإلعالمية يف يونيو ‪ ،2019‬رافق جييس الطالب أثناء العملية‪ ،‬اليت صورهتا متاحف قطر‬ ‫للرتوجي ليوم الفن العالمي‪ .‬وقال جييس “شكل مطار محد الدويل مصدر إلهام لطالبنا‬ ‫ووفر لهم منصة للماسهمة يف التقدم االجتماعي من خالل التعبري والتعاون‪ ،‬وهذا‬ ‫يصور جوهر الفن ويسلط الضوء عىل قيمه الرئيسية”‪.‬‬ ‫أما عن ما يلوح يف األفق بالنسبة جلييس‪ :‬فهو‪ ،‬وكما يقول‪ ،‬احلصول عىل استوديو‬ ‫خاص به‪ ،‬يتمكن من خالله من مواصلة أعماله خالل األعوام القادمة‪ .‬فهو‪ ،‬ومثل‬ ‫العديد من الفنانني‪ ،‬يبحث عن فرص لعرض المزيد من أعماله الفنية‪“ .‬اجلزء المثري‬ ‫أبدا ما أريده قبل أن افعله‪ .‬أسمح للعملية أن تقودين‬ ‫يف أعمايل‪ ،‬هو أنين ال أعرف ً‬ ‫وختربين بالتايل‪ .‬أحيانًا‪ ،‬أرغب فقط يف رؤية ما ينبثق عنه‪ ،‬وهذا يف حد ذاته يعطيين‬ ‫أفكارا لما هو قادم”‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يتطلع جييس إىل رؤية كيف سينهتي منظوره اإلبداعي يف الفصول الدراسية‪ .‬ويوضح‬ ‫قائالً ‪“ :‬أريد االستمرار يف بث هذه الطاقة اإلبداعية‪ ،‬وأن يرثي تدرييس أحبايث وأحبايث‬ ‫ترثي تدرييس”‪ .‬يعمل جييس عىل جلب أاسليب وتقنيات جديدة يف عمله‪ ،‬ويضيف‪:‬‬ ‫“اتطلع إىل إرشاك الطالب يف ماشريع تاسعدهم حقً ا عىل االبتكار والتجديد”‪.‬‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 25‬‬

‫‪and contribute towards social advancements through articulation‬‬ ‫‪and cooperation,” said Payne. “This portrays the essence of art and‬‬ ‫”‪highlights its core values.‬‬ ‫‪What’s on the horizon for Jesse Payne? It is, he says, obtaining studio‬‬ ‫‪space so he can continue working through next year and the year‬‬ ‫‪after and beyond.‬‬ ‫‪He is, like many artists, looking for opportunities to have more‬‬ ‫‪shows, get his work out there. And as for Payne’s passion for base‬‬‫‪ball, he is not without an interest in creative curveballs. “The inter‬‬‫‪esting part about my work is that I never know what I am going to‬‬ ‫‪make before I make it. I allow the process to tell me what’s next. In‬‬ ‫‪some ways, I just like to see what comes of it and that itself gives‬‬ ‫”‪me ideas for what’s next.‬‬ ‫‪He looks forward to seeing how his creative perspective ends up in‬‬ ‫‪the classroom. “I want to keep that creative energy going, have‬‬ ‫‪teaching inform my research and have my research inform my teach‬‬‫‪ing,” he explains. He is bringing new methods, and new technologies‬‬ ‫‪to his work, adding relevance. “I look forward to involving students‬‬ ‫”‪through projects that really innovate and engage them.‬‬

-162 ° TR A D I N G P OW E R

-162 ° T R A D I N G P O W E R

A Tale of Two Countries

‫ ‪ -162 ° T R A D I N G P O W E R‬‬

‫‪ °162-‬التبادل التجاري ‪ -‬حكاية دولتين‬

‫قصة جتمع بني الفن واالقتصاد يف مزجي من العالقات بني اليابان وقطر وعالقهتما بالغاز‬ ‫الطبيعي الماسل‪.‬‬ ‫يستكشف هذا المرشوع المفعم باحلركة أهمية العالقات التجارية بني قطر واليابان يف‬ ‫توريد الغاز الطبيعي الماسل وذلك باستخدام ‪ ٤٠‬طابعة عامئة تقوم بطباعة النصوص‬ ‫مصمم إلنتاج مطبوعات‬ ‫والصور ذات الصلة هبذه العالقة من اإلنرتنت‪ .‬والنتيجة هي أداء‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫عشوائية توفر المعلومات بطريقة ملموسة عىل الورق الذي يتطاير من الطابعات‪ .‬كان نتاج‬ ‫هذا المرشوع‪ °162- :‬التبادل التجاري‪ ،‬معرضا يف اليابان عام ‪ 2018‬وآخر يف دولة قطر يف‬ ‫أوائل عام ‪.2019‬‬ ‫جاءت الفرصة لبدء هذا المرشوع العابر للقارات والثقافات عندما قام المصمم الصناعي‬ ‫جيوفاين إنيال‪ ،‬األستاذ الماسعد يف المعهد المتقدم للتكنولوجيا الصناعية جبامعة طوكيو‬ ‫مرتوبوليتان‪ ،‬اليابان‪ ،‬بزيارة جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر وهو‬ ‫يف طريقه من إيطاليا إىل اليابان‪ .‬قام جيوفاين بالتعاون ولعدة مرات مع أعضاء الهيئة‬ ‫التدريسية يف اجلامعة خالل السنوات القليلة الماضية‪.‬‬ ‫بعد العديد من المحادثات حول الروابط بني البلدين‪ ،‬ظهرت العالقات التجارية بني‬ ‫قطر واليابان يف توريد الغاز الطبيعي الماسل‪ .‬عند ‪ °162-‬يصبح الغاز الطبيعي اسئال‪،‬‬ ‫ويقل حجمه مبقدار ‪ 600‬مرة‪ ،‬وبالتايل يصبح سلعة جتارية مرحية اقتصاديا‪ .‬تعترب دولة قطر‬ ‫هي المورد األول للغاز الطبيعي الماسل لليابان‪ ،‬واليابان هي أكرب مشرت للغاز الطبيعي‬ ‫الماسل من قطر‪ ،‬وعىل الرغم من األبعاد االقتصادية لهذه االتفاقية الفريدة‪ ،‬إال إهنا تؤثر‬ ‫عىل الثقافة وأسلوب احلياة واجلغرافيا بكال البلدين‪.‬‬ ‫وعن هذه العالقة حتدث سيموين موسكولينو‪ ،‬مدير برناجم الفن التأسييس يف اجلامعة‬ ‫قائال‪“ :‬بدأنا يف البحث عن طرق البتكار قصة مقنعه حول اآلثار المرتتبة عىل إنتاج وجتارة‬ ‫واسهتالك الغاز الطبيعي الماسل بني البلدين”‪.‬‬ ‫أما جيوفاين أنيال فعلق ً‬ ‫قائل‪“ :‬نعيش يف وقت تتسم فيه العالقات بني الدول بالتعقيد‬ ‫الشديد‪ ،‬وال تقوم فقط عىل القرب اجلغرايف‪ ،‬هناك العديد من العوامل اليت تؤثر يف هذه‬ ‫العالقات‪ ،‬واليت ترتاوح ما بني االتفاقيات السياسية واحلرف االقتصادية‪ ،‬والمناقاشت‬ ‫حول األخالق‪ ،‬والتغريات البيئية‪ ،‬والكوارث الطبيعية‪ ،‬وغريها‪ .‬وعىل الرغم من أن هذه‬

‫‪Issue 6 — 27‬‬

‫‪It was a story of art meets economics in the mash-up of Japan and‬‬ ‫‪Qatar’s relationship with Liquid Natural Gas and their relationship‬‬ ‫‪with each other.‬‬ ‫‪The “-162° Trading Power” project explored the significance of Liq‬‬‫‪uid Natural Gas (LNG) relations between Japan and Qatar by us‬‬‫‪ing 40 suspended printers that sourced Qatar and Japan-relevant‬‬ ‫‪text and images from the internet. The result was a choreographed‬‬ ‫‪performance of swaying printers that randomly mashed-up images‬‬ ‫‪before making the information tangible on the sheets of paper that‬‬ ‫‪fell from the printers. “-162° Trading Power” resulted in two exhibi‬‬‫‪tions that took place in Japan in 2018, and Qatar in 2019.‬‬ ‫‪The opportunity to initiate the transcontinental and intercultural‬‬ ‫‪project came when Japan-based industrial designer Giovanni Innella,‬‬ ‫‪an assistant professor at the Advanced Institute of Industrial Tech‬‬‫‪nology at Tokyo Metropolitan University (AIIT), visited VCUarts‬‬ ‫‪Qatar while en route from Italy to Japan. Innella has collaborated‬‬ ‫‪with VCUarts Qatar on several occasions in the past few years.‬‬ ‫‪After some conversations about the links between the two coun‬‬‫‪tries, Qatar and Japan’s LNG ties came to light. Natural gas becomes‬‬ ‫‪liquid at -162°C, reducing in volume by a factor of over 600, and‬‬ ‫‪that transformative process makes it an economically viable trade‬‬ ‫‪commodity. LNG is Qatar’s main export, with Japan being its larg‬‬‫‪est customer. Although mostly economic, the exchange impacts the‬‬ ‫‪culture, lifestyle, and geopolitics of both countries.‬‬ ‫‪“We started to investigate ways to create a compelling narrative‬‬ ‫‪around the implications of the production, the trade, and the con‬‬‫‪sumption of LNG between the two countries,” said Simone Musco‬‬‫‪lino, the Director of the Art Foundation program at VCUarts Qatar,‬‬ ‫‪and one of the collaborators on the project.‬‬

“We live in a time in which relations between countries are extremely complex, and not solely dictated by geographical proximity,” Innella added. “Numerous factors influence or create these ties, ranging from political agreements, economic trades, debates on ethics, environmental changes, natural disasters etc. Although these relations seem to be invisible and abstract, they influence the daily life and the culture of the countries involved and their citizens. As designers and artists, we wanted to make these relations visible, to create a greater awareness of the geopolitics in which our daily lives take place, and generate debate. By mending the distance between the geopolitical powers of governments and companies, and the daily lives of citizens, the project served as a visual exploration into a notional identity that could possibly emerge in the future.” In Tokyo, the influential global creative agency Wieden+Kennedy hosted the exhibition at their gallery in Tokyo’s Nakameguro district. The exhibition took place on December 13–18, 2018 and was attended by the local creative community and members of the Qatar Embassy in Tokyo – Japan. The installation of the Tokyo edition of the show happened to coincide with Qatar National Day. As a welcome respite from the work in the gallery, the project team members were invited by the Embassy to join the National Day celebrations in Tokyo. Following a successful exhibition in Tokyo, the entire project was shipped to Qatar and installed at the Fire Station in March 2019 as part of a satellite event during Tasmeem Doha “Hekayat.” Hundreds of people attended the opening night on March 14, 2019, with enthusiastic visitors spilling out of the exhibition space and into Fire Station’s courtyard. The closing night celebrations were attended by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute and Reach Out to Asia, who took the opportunity to discuss the project with the student collaborators on the team.

28 — Issue 6

‫ فإهنا تؤثر عىل احلياة اليومية وثقافة البلدان المعنية‬،‫العالقات تبدو غري مرئية وجمردة‬ ‫ خللق وعي أكرب‬،‫ أن جنعل هذه العالقات مرئية‬،‫ كمصممني وفنانني‬،‫ أردنا‬.‫ومواطنهيم‬ ‫ من خالل إصالح‬.‫ وتثري النقاش‬،‫باجلغرافيا وسياسة احلكومات اليت تؤثر عىل حياتنا اليومية‬ ،‫ واحلياة اليومية للمواطنني‬،‫الماسفة بني القوى السياسية اجلغرافية للحكومات والرشكات‬ .”‫كان المرشوع مبثابة استكاشف برصي لهوية افرتاضية ميكن أن تنأش يف المستقبل‬ ‫ يف جالريي‬2018 ‫ ديسمرب‬18 - 13 ‫ تم استضافة المعرض خالل الفرتة من‬،‫يف طوكيو‬ ‫ وحرضه العديد من أفراد المجتمع اإلبداعي المحيل‬.‫” يف منطقة ناكاميجرو‬W + K“ ‫ حيث تم حتديد الفرتة بالزتامن مع يوم قطر‬.‫ اليابان‬- ‫وأعضاء السفارة القطرية يف طوكيو‬ ‫ متت دعوة أعضاء فريق المرشوع من قبل السفارة لالنضمام‬،‫ وتقديرا لهذا العمل‬.‫الوطين‬ .‫إىل احتفاالت العيد الوطين يف طوكيو‬ ‫ تم شحن المرشوع بالكامل إىل قطر وتم عرضه‬،‫بعد النجاح الذي القاه المعرض يف طوكيو‬ .”‫ وكجزء من مؤمتر تصميم دوحة الدويل “حكايات‬2019 ‫يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني يف مارس‬ ‫ المئات من الزوار الذين قضوا أمسية ممزية يف المعرض‬2019 ‫ مارس‬14 ‫حرض االفتتاح يوم‬ .‫ويف فناء مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬ ،‫أما حفل ختام المعرض فحرضه سعادة الشيخة المياسة بنت محد بن خليفة آل ثاين‬ ‫رئيس جملس أمناء متاحف قطر ومؤسسة الدوحة لألفالم ورئيس جملس إدارة أيادي اخلري‬ .‫ واليت قامت مبناقشة المرشوع مع الطلبة الماشركني يف الفريق‬.)‫حنو آسيا (روتا‬ 02

-162 ° T R A D I N G P O W E R

Producing the “-162° Trading Power” exhibition required a team with a significant amount of technical expertise in physical computing, design, production, conceptualization, and communication. It was both an educational project as well as a cultural one. As a collaboration between departments, across campus and across oceans, the project captured the potential of the combined efforts of faculty, students and institutions to produce a meaningful exchange between communities. The project was a collaboration between faculty and students at VCUarts Qatar (Nathan Davis, Simone Muscolino, Maryam Al-Homaid, Michael Hersrud, Levi Hammett), Texas A&M University at Qatar (Adam Cath), and AIIT (Giovanni Innella and Junichi Kanebako). “With the development of the project, we also involved three graphic design senior students. Reham Mohamed, Hind Al-Saad, and Sarah Elawad were taking an independent study course with Levi Hammet, investigating coding and generative procedures in the context of graphic production. They contributed to developing the code for the Doha exhibition and took care of several elements of the exhibition's production. Sarah Elawad and Reham Mohamed also joined the team in Japan for the Tokyo exhibition,” Muscolino said. According to Muscolino, the concept began as part of an Exploratory Grant project and received additional funding from a Faculty Research Grant as the project evolved to a larger scale. Additional funding and support were provided by AIIT, Arakawa, and W+K Tokyo. “The “-162° Trading Power” team would like to thank the project sponsors, the Qatar Embassy in Tokyo – Japan, and VCUarts Qatar’s Research office for their support of the project,” he said.

‫ – التبادل التجاري” فريقً ا يتمتع بقدر كبري من اخلربة‬°162-“ ‫تطلب إنتاج معرض‬ ‫ ويندرج حتت‬.‫الفنية يف جمال احلوسبة المادية والتصميم واإلنتاج والتصور والتواصل‬ ‫ شكل المعرض تعاونا بني اإلدارات ومع احلرم اجلامعي‬.‫الماشريع التعليمية والثقافية‬ ‫ استحوذ المرشوع عىل إمكانات اجلهود المشرتكة ألعضاء هيئة التدريس‬،‫وعرب المحيطات‬ ‫ كان المرشوع عبارة عن‬.‫والطالب والمؤساست إلنتاج تبادل هادف بني المجتمعات‬ ‫تعاون بني أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والطالب يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ ‫ وليفي‬،‫ مايكل هريشود‬،‫ مريم احلميد‬،‫ سيموين موسكولينو‬،‫التصميم يف قطر (ناينث ديفيس‬ ‫ وجيوفاين إنيال وجونييش‬،‫ وآدم كاث من جامعة تكاسس إيه آند إم يف قطر‬،)‫هاميت‬ .‫ طوكيو‬- ‫ جامعة مرتوبوليتان‬،‫كانيباكو من المعهد المتقدم للتكنولوجيا الصناعية‬ ‫ اشركنا العمل ثالثة من طلبة السنة الهنائية‬،‫وقال سيموين موسكولينو “مع تطوير المرشوع‬ :‫ وهم كل من‬،‫ والذين كانوا يقومون بدراسة مقرر مع ليفي هاميت‬،‫يف تصميم الغرافيك‬ ‫ قام الطلبة بالتحقيق يف الرتمزي واإلجراءات‬،‫ر هيام حممد وهند السعد واسرة العوض‬ ‫ كما اسهموا يف تطوير رمز معرض الدوحة ورعاية‬.‫التوليفية يف سياق إنتاج الرسومات‬ ‫ علما بأن اسرة العوض ور هيام حممد عملتا كذلك مع الفريق‬.‫العديد من عنارص اإلنتاج‬ .”‫يف المعرض الذي أقيم اسبقا يف اليابان‬ ً ‫إضافيا‬ ‫متويل‬ ‫ بدأ المفهوم كجزء من مرشوع منحة استكاشفية وتلقى‬،‫وفقً ا لموسكولينو‬ ً

.‫من منح البحث العلمي ألعضاء هيئة التدريس مع تطور المرشوع إىل نطاق أوسع‬ ‫ جامعة‬،‫تم توفري متويل ودعم إضايف من قبل المعهد المتقدم للتكنولوجيا الصناعية‬ ً ‫ وختم حديثه‬.”W + K“ ‫ طوكيو وجالريي‬- ‫مرتوبوليتان‬ ‫ “يتوجه فريق المرشوع‬،‫قائل‬ ،‫ اليابان‬- ‫ السفارة القطرية يف طوكيو‬،‫بالشكر لكل من عمل عىل دعم ورعاية هذا المرشوع‬ .”‫ومركز جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر للبحث العلمي‬ 01 At the closing night of the exhibition, from left: Khalifa Al Obaidly, Director of Fire Station Artist in Residence; Ahmad Al-Namla, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Museums; Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute and Reach Out to Asia; VCUarts Qatar Graphic Design Assistant Professor Maryam Al-Homaid; Graphic Design student Reham Mohamed 02 -162° Trading Power exhibition invitation 03 Printouts from the -162° Trading Power exhibition 04 At the opening of the -162° Trading Power exhibition at the Fire Station 04

Issue 6 — 29

C U LT I VAT I N G Creative Thinking CU LTIVATI N G CR E ATIVE TH I N K I N G

International Designer Diane von Furstenberg Visits

She also talked about what inspired her to create her iconic works,

VCUarts Qatar

and who her influences were when she was starting out. The talk was

Internationally acclaimed fashion influencer Diane von Furstenberg,

moderated by VCUarts Qatar’s then Interim Chair of Fashion Design,

the iconic Belgian born designer who created the famous jersey wrap

Kimberly Guthrie.

dress in the 1970s, gave a talk at VCUarts Qatar Atrium as part of the #QatarCreates series of events to celebrate the opening of the National Museum of Qatar in March 2019. Furstenberg also met directly with faculty and students from VCUarts

Furstenberg shared some of her relatable messages for young people who are just starting out in their careers “…the most important relationship in life is the one you have with yourself,” she told the audience at the Atrium, “and as long as you have that, and you own it, you

Qatar’s fashion design program where she answered their questions

make a mistake, own it, face it, deal with it. Your imperfections, all

and gave them sage advice about the fashion industry and the

your imperfections, they become assets.”

changes it has undergone in the last few decades – including its use of technology and its embrace of millennials as its next generation of influencers.

30 — Issue 6

After the session at the Atrium, she joined fashion design students and faculty for an informal chat at the senior students’ studio where

CU LT I VAT I N G C R E AT I V E T H I N K I N G

she talked about fashion cycles and trends, and offered advice to students on what to expect as they enter the fashion industry. Von Furstenberg was one of a number of high-profile educators, artists and designers who visited the university as part of a series of events at Qatar Foundation, and ahead of the inauguration of the National Museum of Qatar. They included fashion entrepreneur Dame Natalie Massenet; David Linley, Earl of Snowdon; Marta Kuzma, the first female Dean of Yale School of Art; Rosanne Somerson, President of Rhode Island School of Design; and Shawn Brixey, then Dean of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond. The events drew large attendances, and audience members, whether students, faculty, staff or visitors, eagerly engaged with the speakers and panel members. Many came away impressed with the high standards of the talks and also of the ease of access to the speakers.

Nano Superhydrophobic Self-Cleaning Anti-Dust Project with

Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, at the National Scientific

Ahmad Bin Hanbal Secondary School for Boys

Research Competition, which was hosted by Qatar National Research

Liberal Arts and Sciences Professor Dr. Khaled Saoud mentored and

Fund in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

worked with a high school student from Ahmad Bin Hanbal Secondary

The project also participated in the Intel ISEF competition in the United

School for Boys to develop Nano Superhydrophobic self-cleaning anti-

States representing Qatar.

dust for glass in buildings, cars, and solar cells. The project was chosen as the winner in a high school research competition

The hands-on learning activity encouraged student collaboration while emphasizing learning through creative exploration of their environment.

and the gold medal was awarded by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin

Issue 6 — 31

CU LT I VAT I N G C R E AT I V E T H I N K I N G

Net-a-Porter Founder Dame Natalie Massenet Visits Fashion Design Department Dame Natalie Massenet, the fashion entrepreneur and former journalist who founded the designer fashion portal Net-a-Porter, met with VCUarts Qatar fashion design students and faculty, and answered their questions about the fashion industry, during a visit to the university in March 2019. She was also given a tour of the university and met with Executive Dean Dr. Donald Baker. Dame Natalie, who was described by The Observer newspaper as “fashion's favorite self-made success story”, was visiting Qatar as part of Qatar Foundation’s Education City Speaker Series. She gave a talk at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, which was moderated by then Interim Chair of Fashion Design, Kimberly Guthrie. Dame Natalie is the former chair of the British Fashion Council. She is currently a non-executive co-chairman at online luxury fashion retail platform Farfetch and is the co-founder and co-managing partner of Venture Capital Fund Imaginary Ventures. The talk with the students and faculty was an animated exchange where Dame Nathalie asked them about their favorite designers and inspiration, and looked at some of the students’ works during her visit. Dame Nathalie also focused some of her time with the students on the financial aspects and challenges of the fashion industry including accessing financing for entrepreneurs and startup companies, and what her venture capital company would look for in potential investments.

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CU LT I VAT I N G C R E AT I V E T H I N K I N G

Designs for Life Competition with Le Mirage Real Estate Junior students from the Interior Design program took part in a competition titled “Designs for Life” to design the interior of a two-bedroom apartment at the Le Mirage Citywalk project. Le Mirage Real Estate is a real estate development and property management company. The challenge was to design an apartment taking into consideration three key elements: designing for people with universal needs, including elements of the local culture and principles of sustainable design. The students presented their designs to a professional jury consisting of Esra Al-Kazem, design director AEA Designs; Rana El Khoury, the head of the Design Department at Le Mirage Real Estate; and Hamoda Y. Youssef, the head of communication at Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC). The winners were judged based on their design intent, approach and actual design, in addition to the realistic and practical feasibility of their creations. The winners, who received the highly acclaimed awards,

trip to Salone del Mobile Milano – a major international interior design

were Farzana A. Velliyattil, who won first place in the competition; Arij

exhibition in Italy. The second-place prize winners earned a two-

Mohamed and Hagar W. Farag, who came second; and Raneem Arafeh

month paid internship at Le Mirage Real Estate, while the third-place

and Nouf Al Mohannadi who came third. The first-place prize was a

prize winners received a certificate from QGBC and iPads.

Khadi Exhibition by Fashion Promotion Class The Fashion Promotion Class at VCUarts Qatar, in collaboration with the Embassy of India, Doha, held an exhibition on the versatile fabric khadi, from May 2–5, 2019 as part of Qatar - India 2019 Year of Culture. The textile is becoming popular with young designers from across India and the rest of South Asia because it is sustainable, environmentally friendly, robust, and adaptable. The Fashion Promotion Class, which included students from the graphic design and fashion design programs at VCUarts Qatar, as well as students from Northwestern University in Qatar, rebranded khadi, the cloth of India, as a special class project. The students took the challenge to make khadi more relevant to today’s consumer and to reposition it. The results of their work were on display at Room 390, and the exhibition was open to the public.

Issue 6 — 33

G LO B A L Experience

Student and Faculty Visit to Maker Faire in Rome In October 2018, 10 Graphic Design students had the opportunity to visit the city of Rome, where the largest Maker Faire in Europe was taking place. Maker Faire is a celebration that focuses on innovation, creativity, and playfulness. Artists, designers, engineers and hobbyists share their love and passion for making. The students had a remarkable experience, which helped to expand their network and knowledge beyond the walls of VCUarts Qatar. The field study trip was led by Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Maryam Al-Homaid. As part of the trip, she got to meet with staff members who work with Joseph Prusa, the founder of Prusa Research, a 3D printing company based in Prague, Czech Republic. Prusa is one of the core developers of the Open Source project RepRap which was created to develop a low-cost 3D printer. This helped Al-Homaid with an Undergraduate Research Experience Program grant she was working on, and allowed her to talk to the Prusa staff about available materials, hacks, and the Prusa DIY kit’s potential. Meeting all sorts of makers that come from the various majors to share their passion for making was very enriching, Al-Homaid said, adding that, “What was nice is that it not only included designers, but also engineers, doctors and mid-and-high school students that shared different perspectives on the Maker movement through the projects they had presented throughout the fair.”

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G LO BA L E XPE R I E N CE

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

The students and faculty also had a chance to visit many of Rome's historical and cultural sites such as the Pantheon, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City and the Spanish Steps. The visits to the internationally famous landmarks gave them a deeper understanding of the Eternal City’s architecture, painting and fine arts. “We were also able to pay a visit to Florence which was only a couple of hours away via train” said Interim Chair of Graphic Design Peter Martin. “The students experienced walking around the city’s cobbled streets while taking in the cultural sites of the city such as Santa Maria architecture, food and David's replica.” The trip was co-chaperoned by Al-Homaid; Mahmoud Abbas, junior faculty, Graphic Design; and Leland Hill, assistant professor, Graphic Design.

Issue 5 — 35

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

The Fashion Design Program’s Field Study in Seoul The Fashion Design program’s seven-day field study trip to Seoul, Korea, in fall 2018 featured plenty of cultural visits, activities and events. Some of the highlights included a visit to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, which was designed by Zaha Hadid, and to the Lunapark: The Design Island exhibition. The students visited street markets and one entire day was dedicated just for shopping. Some of the other sites visited included Bukchon Hanok traditional village, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the fashionable Gangnam district of Seoul, and the 10 Corso Como store. The team, which consisted of nine students and four alumni, was able to spend a great deal of time learning about sourcing fabrics and purchasing fabrics for their projects at Dongdaemun fabric market. Several of the participants went to Everland Resort theme park as well.

PAPR Students Visit Berlin The Painting and Printmaking (PAPR) department organized a field study trip to Berlin, Germany, in October 2018. The main goal of the trip was to explore several contemporary art venues, including leading museums and galleries, and meet with working artists, curators and gallery directors. Students explored Berlin’s numerous cultural attractions including the Berlin Wall and other politically educational venues. Assistant Professor Michael Perrone and Artist-in-Residence asmaa al-issa accompanied the students.

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

Kochi Trip for PAPR PAPR majors, along with one faculty chaperone, Fleming Jeffries, and two artists in residence, asmaa al-issa and Azim Al-Ghussein travelled to Fort Kochi, Kerala, India for the 2018 edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. This art exhibition is the largest in India and one of the largest contemporary art biennales in Asia. A unique characteristic of the Kochi Biennale is that the curator is a practicing artist; Anita Dube, in this case, a mid-career Indian artist. Students particularly enjoyed the student biennial sites, which boasted extraordinary works by graduate students from across India. The ambitious craftsmanship and clarity of the concepts of the student work impressed the students and inspired them to become involved in the next Kochi Biennale. The Biennale's sites are spread throughout historic Kochi, and the post-colonial context is strong in both the sites, and in the curation. The students travelled on foot or auto-rickshaw and explored the Biennale sites and Kochi’s heritage sites, such as the historic Paradesi Synagogue and Dhobi Khana historical public Laundry. The field study concluded with a boat trip to the Kerala backwaters canals on the final day.

Interior Design Field Study in Istanbul For seven days in the fall of 2018, 10 students and two faculty from the Interior Design department traveled around Istanbul in Turkey as part of a field study trip. The highlights of the trip included visits to several historical and architectural landmarks that Istanbul is famous for. On the first day, the group took a tour of miniature Istanbul, and in the days that followed, several important places of interest were visited, including the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet), Aya Sofia, and Topkapi Palace. Some of the others included the Al Fatih Mosque, Suleimanya Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, Museum of Turkish Islamic Art, Dolmabahce Palace and of course, the Grand Bazaar. The trip served to enrich the students’ knowledge of some of the greatest architectural marvels of the Ottoman empire. It also gave them a chance to experience the local culture, food, art, history and way of life. The trip, which took place from October 18 to 24, was led by Professor Cherif Amor, Ph.D, Chair of Interior Design, and Assistant Professor Li Han.

Issue 5 — 37

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

MFA Field Study to Bath, England - Digital Fanoos The MFA in Design program at VCUarts Qatar travels each year to conduct an annual field study, which culminates with an immersive week-long workshop, where tangible objects of cultural relevance to Qatar are produced. The workshops foster collaboration between faculty, students, artisans and makers. The 2018–19 MFA field study to Bath, England re-examined the traditional Arabic lantern, or fanoos — a symbol of festive welcome and safe haven. Traditional Arabic lanterns are made by hand from decoratively patterned metal, and/or colored glass. A candle or oil lamp burning inside casts patterned light out onto surrounding surfaces, creating a festive atmosphere after sundown when fasting ends each night, during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The students designed and built a digital light source, provided to each workshop participant at the project’s outset. They used several creative strategies to achieve accuracy with the project. For instance, due to a lack of experience with glassblowing, they adopted and repurposed an ancient technique first invented by the Romans: moldblowing. The workshops paired with international travel proved to be intensely experiential and very memorable for the students.

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

01 02 03 04 05 06

Projects from Noora Melhim, Rabab Abdulla and Rabeya Khatoon Aisha Daniels Abir Zakzok Asma Derouiche Steel Molds Steel Molds

07 08 09 10 11 12

Flame finishing Preparing for the mold Asma and foundry worker Noora Melhim Marco Bruno Test run, first day of workshop

Issue 5 — 39

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

Exchange between Graphic Design Department and École

During the visit to Nancy, VCUarts Qatar’s students saw firsthand how

Nationale Supérieure D'Art et de Design de Nancy

a small group of creatives started the hybrid gallery/shop, “My Mon-

In 2017, Isabelle Vierget-Rias, the cultural attaché of the French Embassy in Doha, along with Isabelle St. Louis, VCUarts Qatar’s manager of exhibitions and lectures, began working with various departments to develop the potential of having French artists visit VCUarts Qatar to provide workshops and lectures.

key,” which is located a few streets away from the city center square, “Place Stanislas.” On the second day, the students had the chance to explore Nancy's vibrant art and design community, and find out about the city’s history by visiting the Atelier National de Recherche Typographique (ANRT)

In January 2018, Peter Martin, Interim chair of Graphic Design at

where postgraduate students from around the globe are researching

VCUarts Qatar proposed building an exchange between graphic

the history, design, technologies, and practices of type design and

design students and faculty as a form of cultural “conversation” that

typography. After touring the rest of the ENSAD campus, they met

could take place during the 2018–19 academic year.

with artist Nabila Halim, who was exploring her experiences, through

St. Louis contacted the Graphic Design department at the École nationale supérieure d'art et de design de Nancy (ENSAD Nancy) in Nancy, France. In April 2017, Martin, who was presenting his research at a conference in Paris, made a side trip to Nancy to meet with ENSAD’s

her artworks, of having cancer. They followed that up with a visit to the Museum of the school of Nancy, a famous design style that spearheaded the Art Nouveau movement in France at the start of the 20th century.

Graphic Design faculty members, Christophe Jacquet and Pierre Vanni,

As the students and faculty returned to Qatar, they considered how

to develop an approach to the proposed exchange. They decided to

a city such as Nancy can have such a long and rich history of art

have their students incorporate a project designing “graphic gifts”

and design, while at the same time being home to creatives who are

into their course work that they could exchange when visiting each

always innovating and championing new forms of cultural expression

other's campuses.

and examination that inform and shape their environment. The faculty

In October 2018, VCUarts Qatar’s graphic design seniors decided to visit the ENSAD students as an extension to an already planned field study trip to the Maker Faire Rome event that was taking place in Rome. Twenty-four of VCUarts Qatar’s graphic design seniors designed and made gifts that expressed how their creative interests were being developed in preparation for their upcoming senior thesis capstone projects for the visit by the ENSAD Nancy students.

40 — Issue 5

members chaperoning the graphic design students saw how their twoday experience of connecting with their peers in Nancy, while exploring the city’s environment through the lens of contemporary and historical creative activity, would become the basis for the young, emerging creatives in Qatar and France to participate, and collaborate, on the then upcoming Year of Culture between Qatar and France. Seeing how young designers in two countries can become familiar with, and inspired by, each other's creative aspirations and activity in such a short time prompted great expectations for the second,

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

reciprocal, visit by ENSAD students to Doha in the spring of 2019. The French Embassy in Doha was extremely supportive in enabling the travel of one ENSAD faculty member and four students to Doha for a four-day visit. The original plan was for the visit to occur in March 2019 when Tasmeem Doha would be taking place. However, circumstances delayed the trip until early April. The delay provided the ENSAD students with a new opportunity to see more of the developed work of VCUarts Qatar’s graphic design students as they neared the end of their academic year. The students and faculty members of both universities were able to engage in a rich conversation and critique the students’ works, especially the Senior Thesis projects. This interaction enabled VCUarts Qatar’s students to begin considering and viewing their work within an expanded view. The four-day visit (on April 9–12) included the ENSAD students and faculty member touring VCUarts Qatar’s facilities and departments, as well as the Education City campus, including Qatar National Library. The ENSAD visitors were able to meet with some of the other graphic design faculty and students and enjoy a pot-luck lunch event of local foods that was organized by Graphic Design students and faculty members Basma Hamdy and Denielle Emans. The ENSAD group also visited the Museum of Islamic Art, Souq Waqif, and artist Richard Serra’s iconic EAST-WEST/ WEST-EAST sculpture in the desert in Zekreet. There was also an exchange of “graphic gifts” between the VCUarts Qatar and ENSAD students, and a “microlecture” lunch where the ENSAD group presented their projects and investigations to VCUarts Qatar’s Graphic Design students. The inspiring creative work and inquiries of the ENSAD visitors provided VCUarts Qatar’s students with a view of how universal and unique each designer's work is.

Issue 5 — 41

A VI E W FRO M TH E R EG I O N

A VIEW FROM THE REGION

Dr. Donald Baker

Dr. Donald Baker arrived at VCUarts Qatar University late in November of 2017. Called back from retirement to lead the campus through a period of change, he brought with him considerable experience working at the senior levels of higher education in both North America and the Gulf region. For more than 30 years, Dr. Baker was a professor of history in Canada and the United States, and later served as President of Mount Royal College in Canada. Baker first came to the Middle East in 2006, as the Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences, before becoming Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, at United Arab Emirates University. He retired, but was quickly asked to return to action in 2012 to be a consultant to the President of Qatar University in Doha. He again retired four years later, but responded to a request late in 2017 to lead VCUarts Qatar while it searched for a new Dean. Now comes, he hopes, his last retirement as he hands over the direction of VCUarts Qatar to Dean Amir Berbic.

‫ دونالد بيكر‬.‫ د‬:‫نظرة من المنطقة‬

‫ دونالد بيكر إىل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر يف أواخر‬.‫وصل د‬ ‫ بعد استدعائه من حياة التقاعد لقيادة احلرم اجلامعي خالل فرتة‬،2017 ‫هشر نوفمرب‬ ‫ دونالد معه خربات كبرية من العمل مع القيادات العليا يف جمال التعليم‬.‫ جلب د‬.‫التغيري‬ .‫العايل يف كل من أمريكا الشمالية ومنطقة اخلليج‬ ‫ وعمل‬،‫بروفيسورا للتارخي يف كندا والواليات المتحدة‬ ،‫عاما‬ ً ً 30 ‫ دونالد وأل كرث من‬.‫عمل د‬ .‫الحقً ا كرئيس لكلية ماونت رويال يف كندا‬ ‫ كعميد لكلية العلوم والعلوم‬،2006 ‫ دونالد إىل الرشق األوسط للمرة األوىل عام‬.‫حرض د‬ ‫ قبل أن يصبح نائب الرئيس لقسم التعليم اجلامعي يف جامعة اإلمارات العربية‬،‫اإلناسنية‬ ‫ ليكون‬2012 ‫ تقاعد لفرتة قبل أن يطلب منه وبرسعة العودة إىل العمل عام‬.‫المتحدة‬ ‫ استمر يف هذا المنصب ألربع سنوات ليتقاعد‬.‫مستاشرا لرئيس جامعة قطر يف الدوحة‬ ً ‫ تلقى طلبا جديدا لقيادة جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬2017 ‫ يف أواخر عام‬.‫بعدها مرة أخرى‬ ‫حاليا‬ ‫ دونالد‬.‫ يستعد د‬.‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر خالل فرتة البحث عن عميد جديد‬ ً .‫ و يعمل حاليا عىل تسليم قيادة اجلامعة إىل العميد أمري بريبيتش‬،‫الستكمال تقاعده‬ ‫ وقادته دراسته‬.‫دونالد عىل هشادة الدكتوراه يف التارخي من جامعة ستانفورد‬.‫حصل د‬ .‫ وهو تارخي جامعة قطر‬،‫اخلاصة للتارخي إىل مرشوعه األخري‬

His own study of history (he holds a doctorate in history from Stanford) has led him to his latest project, a history of Qatar University.

‫ وحديثه عن وقته يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬،‫ دونالد بيكر‬.‫ونستعرض هنا مقابلة مع د‬ .‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر والرشق األوسط‬

Context interviewed Dr. Baker and asked him about his time at VCUarts Qatar and in the Middle East.

‫ما هي بعض أهم التغييرات التي شهدتها في قطاع التعليم خالل سنواتك في‬

What are some of the most important changes that you have witnessed in the education sector during your years in the Gulf region?

Nearly everything has changed since my arrival to Doha. Back then, there were far fewer post-secondary institutions in Doha. We had College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) and Qatar Aeronautical College, as well as the first three U.S. universities in Education City. Today, there are more than 20 tertiary institutions with

42 — Issue 6

‫منطقة الخليج؟‬

‫ كان هناك‬،‫ يف ذلك الوقت‬.2003 ‫تقريبا ومنذ وصويل إىل الدوحة عام‬ ‫تغري كل يشء‬ ً ‫ قطر‬- ‫ كان هناك كلية شمال األطليس‬.‫عدد أقل بكثري من مؤساست التعليم العايل‬ ‫ يوجد‬.‫ وكذلك أول ثالث جامعات أمريكية يف المدينة التعليمية‬،‫وكلية قطر للطريان‬ ‫ ألفً ا‬20 ‫ مهنم‬،‫ ألف طالب‬40 ‫ مؤسسة للتعليم العايل يضمون حوايل‬20 ‫اليوم أكرث من‬ ‫ آلالف طالب‬3 ‫ و‬،‫ يدرسون يف كلية المجتمع يف قطر‬5٬100 ‫ و‬،‫يدرسون يف جامعة قطر‬ ‫ يف‬700 ‫ و‬،‫ يف جامعات المدينة التعليمية‬2٬500 ‫ و‬،‫ قطر‬- ‫يف كلية شمال األطليس‬ .‫جامعة محد بن خليفة‬

a total of 40,000 students, of whom 20,000 attend Qatar University, 5,100 attend Qatar Community College, 3,000 attend CNA-Q, 2,500 attend Education City universities, and 700 attend Hamad Bin Khalifa University. What are your thoughts on the arts in Qatar and VCUarts Qatar’s role?

Qatar may have made its name through its natural resources, but its artistic culture will carry that name abroad and to future generations. VCUarts Qatar will continue to be a key contributor to the artistic community and to artistic life in Qatar. I continue to be impressed by Qatar’s commitment to art and aesthetic expression. There is an obvious and very attractive commitment to public art. Even the underpasses have mosaics and the walls at Katara are decorated with eye-catching designs. It is pleasing to see Qatar aiming very high. The Museum of Islamic Art and National Museum of Qatar are both wonderful, iconic structures. VCUarts Qatar is in a unique position of bringing the arts into the spotlight and helping develop the art collections that are here. Which trends will affect VCUarts Qatar in the future?

There are some general trends in the arts that will affect VCUarts Qatar along with other arts schools. One is hybridization with other disciplines (e.g., business, engineering, medicine), generally based on design principles. Another is the digital transformation, as nearly everything we do is being computerized and artificial intelligence will begin to replace or augment some aspects of our work. We are now seeing machines able to invent machines and produce artwork as well. As a result, VCUarts Qatar’s program base will expand, with majors and minors to support growth in these developing areas. VCUarts Qatar will continue to be a center for art innovation in the country, with its graduates taking their place as leaders in the arts community. It will continue to be an arts resource for society in general and for the local community. Its graduates will assume the mantle of responsibility in Qatar, heading its artistic institutions and creating an artistic vision that will flourish. VCUarts Qatar is a very special place. It cultivates creative and critical thinking through its studio-based programs. Its low studentteacher ratio enables its faculty to develop the talent of each student. I hope it continues to contribute to Qatar’s cultural life for decades to come.

‫ما هي أفكارك حول الفن هنا ودور جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬ ‫في قطر ؟‬

‫ ولكن ثقافهتا الفنية هي اليت ستحمل‬،‫كونت قطر اسمها من خالل مواردها الطبيعية‬ ‫ تواصل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬.‫اسمها يف اخلارج وإىل األجيال القادمة‬ .‫التصميم يف قطر ماسهمهتا يف المجتمع الفين واحلياة الفنية يف قطر وبصورة رئيسية‬ ‫ هناك الزتام واضح وجذاب للغاية‬.‫متأثرا بالزتام قطر بالفن والتعبري اجلمايل‬ ‫ما زلت‬ ً ‫ فاألنفاق يف قطر حتتوي عىل اللوحات اجلدارية الفنية من الفسيفاسء‬.‫بالفن العام‬ ‫ من دواعي رسورنا أن نرى قطر تعمل عىل‬.‫واجلدران يف كتارا مزينة بتصاميم جذابة‬ ‫ متحف قطر للفن اإلسالمي ومتحف قطر الوطين كالهما هياكل‬.‫حتقيق أهداف راقية‬ .‫فنية رائعة وإبداعية‬ ‫تتمتع جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر مبكانة فريدة متكهنا من‬ .‫توصيل الفن إىل دائرة الضوء وتاسعد يف تطوير المجموعات الفنية الموجودة هنا‬ ‫ ما الذي سيؤثر على الجامعة في المستقبل؟‬،‫في اعتقادك‬

‫هناك بعض االجتاهات العامة يف الفن ستؤثر عىل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ ‫ مهنا الهتجني مع التخصصات األخرى‬.‫التصميم يف قطر إىل جانب مدارس الفنون األخرى‬ .‫عموما عىل مبادئ التصميم‬ ‫ واليت تستند‬،)‫(مثل األعمال والهندسة والطب‬ ً ‫تقريبا إىل براجم‬ ‫ حيث يتم حتويل كل ما نقوم به‬،‫أما االجتاه اآلخر فهو التحول الرقمي‬ ً .‫احلاسوب والذكاء االصطناعي والذي سيبدأ يف استبدال أو زيادة بعض جوانب عملنا‬ ،‫ ونتيجة لذلك‬.‫حنن نرى اآلن آالت قادرة عىل اخرتاع اآلالت وإنتاج األعمال الفنية كذلك‬ ‫ بتخصصات‬،‫ستتوسع قاعدة براجم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ .‫رئيسية وفرعية لدعم النمو يف هذه المناطق النامية‬ ‫مركزا لالبتكار الفين يف‬ ‫ستستمر جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ً ‫ وستظل موردا للفن للمجتمع‬.‫ سيتوىل خرجيوها مكاهنم كقادة يف جمتمع الفن‬،‫البالد‬ ‫ وسريأسون‬،‫ سيتوىل خرجيوها مراكز المسؤولية يف قطر‬.‫المحيل و للمجتمع بشكل عام‬ .‫مؤساسهتا الفنية ويعملون عىل خلق رؤية فنية مزدهرة‬ ‫ تنمي التفكري‬.‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر مكان ممزي للغاية‬ ‫ تعمل اخنفاض نسبة الطالب‬.‫اإلبداعي والنقدي من خالل براجمها القامئة عىل االستوديو‬ ‫ وكيل أمل أن تستمر اجلامعة يف الماسهمة يف‬.‫إىل المدرس عىل تطوير موهبة كل طالب‬ .‫احلياة الثقافية لدولة قطر لعقود قادمة‬

Issue 6 — 43

VCUA RT S R I CH M O N D

VC UA RT S Richmond

Leveraging the Arts as a Catalyst for Innovation

programs related to health care. These endeavors include using actors,

VCUarts has long encouraged artists, designers, performers and

virtual reality and engagement with art works to teach empathy and

scholars to mobilize the full wealth of their creative knowledge to

observation skills to health care professionals; implementing avatar

chart a new landscape of global integration and innovation. VCUarts

technology to manage pain and anxiety for palliative care patients;

teachs its students to harness the creative energy they cultivate at

and leveraging motion capture technology to analyze performance-

VCUarts and convert it into an unstoppable momentum, to seek out

driven professionals to help them optimize their movements.

work that both feeds the soul and serves society.

One program paired medical students in the Medicine, Arts and the

VCUarts believes that the arts, technology and science are not

Humanities elective with Communication Arts students in Assistant

mutually exclusive. VCUarts has earned an impressive distinction

Professor Stephen Alcorn’s Metamorfaces course. Medical students

as one of the top schools of arts and design in the U.S., thanks to

interviewed a hospital patient and drafted a living history narrative,

signature programs that are collaborative and cross-disciplinary,

while the arts students drew the interaction. The assignment fostered

such as the Arts Research Institute, the Center for the Creative

young artists’ understanding of the human condition, while reminding

Economy and the da Vinci Center.

medical professionals to see their patient as a person, rather than an

In Richmond, collaborative projects are bringing together artists,

illness to be diagnosed.

scientists, engineers and business students and leaders to pursue

As one of the nation’s top-ranked research universities, VCU embraces

groundbreaking research and innovative ideas. Many of these

the arts as a catalyst for discovering new knowledge, innovative

partnerships bridge VCU’s two campuses — including our leading

thinking and social change — and VCUarts will continue its deep

medical center and the School of the Arts — to reimagine medical

commitment to collaboration, research, excellence and creating for

and arts education and the patient experience.

the public good.

Twenty percent of VCUarts faculty members in Richmond have engaged in research, collaborations, creative works, courses and

44 — Issue 5

VCUA RT S R I C H M O N D

From left to right 01 VCUarts Pollak Building 02 VCUarts Kinetic Imaging students arrange a multimedia project against an infinity wall 03 Art+Medicine: A Communication Arts student draws the interaction between a medical student and patient

Issue 5 — 45

Qatar Day Food, fashion, a falcon and fun – that’s just a brief summary of the

In fall 2018, a preview event called “Majlis Day” was held on the

amazing time visitors had at the annual VCUarts Qatar Day on the

Medical College of Virginia (MCV) campus two days before the Qatar

home campus in Richmond. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff from VCU attended the event, which featured art and design projects from VCUarts Qatar, as well as traditional aspects of Qatari and Arab culture, such as henna, Arabic calligraphy and traditional Qatari clothing. The event also featured a fashion show by 2018 graduate Sreehitha Saini.

Day celebration on November 6, 2018. Majlis is an Arabic word that means “meeting place,” and the event was held to allow students from the medical program at MCV to meet with students from VCUarts Qatar and to 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 combined art and medicine in recent years. The 2018 Qatar Day was hosted by 10 students from VCUarts Qatar on

The collaborative student-developed event is an important cultural

November 6, 2018. During their trip they visited the National Museum

exchange opportunity for both campuses, and students from the

of African American History and Culture, in Washington, D.C., were

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

given tours of the School of the Arts campus, VCU's medical campus,

exchange is to strengthen the relationship between the Richmond and

the Anderson Gallery, met with Student Government Association

Qatar campuses, and provides Richmond students, faculty and staff

members, visited the VCU da Vinci Center and had lunch with VCU’s

with an opportunity to learn more about the VCUarts Qatar campus,

Provost and Associate Provosts.

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 also learning about the surrounding city and culture.

46 — Issue 5

20/20/20 - VCUarts Qatar House In September 2017, VCUarts Qatar’s Gallery had celebrated the diversity and success of its alumni with a special exhibition called 20/20/20, and a photographic retrospective of the exhibition was on display at the Qatar House from November 6, which included alumnus Othman Khunji's work, “Religious Vanity III”. Khunji was present at the opening reception. The exhibition, which was curated by alumni Maryam Al-Homaid and Ahmad Oustwani, showcased the works of 20 alumni from across all of VCUarts Qatar’s programs, and demonstrated how VCUarts Qatar prepares its alumni to take the leading edge in designing the future. The 20/20/20 VCUarts Qatar Alumni exhibition was an excellent way to discover the outstanding works of a new generation of art and design talent in Qatar.

Issue 5 — 47

TH E Y E A R I N N U M B E R S

THE YEAR In Numbers

2018–2019

A LU M N I 2018 –2019

21 ST ACADEMIC YE AR

T O TA L E N R O L L E D I N D E G R E E P R O G R A M S

G R AD UATE S

Q ATAR I

N O N- Q ATAR I

340 253

B FA (I N C L . A R T F O U N D AT I O N)

M FA

B Y M A J O R 2018 –2019 18TH GR ADUATING CLASS

FA SHI O N

B FA D EG R EE S

G R APHI C

BA D EG R EE S

INTER I O R

MFA D EG R EE S

PAINTIN G AND PR INTMAKIN G

ART HIS TO RY

MFA

762 TOTAL

NUMB ER O F G R AD UATED S TUD ENT S

BREAKDOWN BY DEGREE/MAJOR/PROGRAM BFA

ART FO UNDATI O N (IN CLUD IN G 10 F YI)

FA SHI O N D E SI G N

G R APHI C D E SI G N

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

INTER I O R D E SI G N

( AC A D E M I C Y E A R 2 018 –2 019)

PAINTIN G AND PR INTMAKIN G

ART HIS TO RY 38.82%

61.18%

Q ATAR R E S ID E NT S & INTE R NATI O NAL

Q ATAR CITIZE N S

MFA D E SI G N

CROSS REGISTRATION

FALL 2018

SPR IN G 2019

SUMMER 2019

E N ROLLM E N T BY ACA DE M IC DE G R E E/PROG R A M ( AC A D E M I C Y E A R 2 018 –2 019)

VCU EXCHANGE STUDENTS

FALL 2018

SPR IN G 2019

21.47% ART H I STO RY

20.59% ART FO U N DATI O N

4.12 % M FA D E S I G N

RECRUITMENT DURING THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE FALL 2018 INTAKE

207 CO MPLE TED

6.47% FA S H I O N D E S I G N

22.94% G R APH I C D E S I G N

APPLI C ATI O NS

110

AD MIT TED

NE WLY ENRO LLED IN FALL 2018 (OF WHICH 74 WERE UNDERGR ADUATES AND 6 WERE GR ADUATE STUDENTS)

5.88% PAINTIN G AN D PR INTMAKIN G

18. 5 3% INTE R I O R D E S I G N

S T U D E N T S & FA C U L T Y/ S TA F F ( AC A D E M I C Y E A R 2 018 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2 019)

ALBANIA

AU S T R A L I A

C Y P RU S

A F G H A N I S TA N

E C UA D O R

S O U T H KO R E A

TURKEY

NIGERIA

SINGAPORE

J O R DA N

TUNISIA

S AU D I A R A B I A

2 INDIA

NEW ZEALAND

208 10

W E S T B A N K / PA L E S T I N E

SYRIA

JAMAICA

Q ATA R

VENEZUEL A

MORO CCO

0 GERMANY

M A L AY S I A

C A N A DA

I TA LY

SWEDEN

U N I T E D S TAT E S

S U DA N

4 FR ANCE

PHILIPPINES

SRI LANKA

BELGIUM

IRELAND

PA K I S TA N

LEBANON

OMAN

K U WA I T

I R AQ

K E N YA

BANGLADESH

FINLAND

IR AN

0 E GY P T

INDONESIA

BAHR AIN

UNITED KINGDOM

YEMEN

STUDENTS FAC U LT Y/ S TA F F

340 2 018

32 3

3 39 2 017

181

193

2006

2 0 07

2 82

2 59

244

2 31

223

12 2

116

2 019

2 016

2 01 5

2 014

2 013

2 012

2 011

2 01 0

2009

2008

2004

2 0 03

2 0 02

2 0 01

2000

19 9 9

19 98

12 4

141

158

2005

21 0

278

312

32 8

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

‫‪FRO M D OW N U N D E R TO TH E D E S E RT‬‬

‫‪FROM DOWN‬‬ ‫‪UNDER TO THE DESERT‬‬

‫‪Dr. Valerie Jeremijenko‬‬

‫رحلة في قلب الصحراء‬

‫رحلة فاليري جيريمجينكو عبر السنين في التنمية الشخصية والمهنية‬

‫متتعت فالريي جريميجينكو االسرتالية المولد حبياة مهنية مفعمة باحليوية‪ .‬شكلت فالريي‬ ‫ومنذ التحاقها باجلامعة عام ‪ ،2002‬الدعامة األاسسية للحياة الطالبية واإلدارية يف جامعة‬ ‫فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‪ ،‬وقامت خالل ذلك الوقت برتبية ابنتهيا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ناجحا يف رياضة اليوغا‪ ،‬وكانت من الماسهمني الرئيسيني يف‬ ‫ناشطا جتار ًيا‬ ‫أيضا‪ ،‬وبدأت‬ ‫ً‬ ‫منو اجلامعة‪.‬‬ ‫بدأت جريميجينكو حياة التنقل عندما غادرت اسرتاليا لالنتقال إىل اليابان وهي يف سن‬ ‫الثالثة والعرشين‪ ،‬لتنتقل بعدها إىل جنوب رشق آسيا والهند‪ ،‬ثم عملت يف جامعة والية‬ ‫أريزونا‪ ،‬قبل أن تتجه إىل قطر‪ ،‬عرب ريتشموند‪ ،‬فرجينيا‪ .‬مع خلفية صلبة يف اإلدارة الفنية‬ ‫ودرجة الماجستري يف الكتابة اإلبداعية من جامعة والية أريزونا‪ ،‬التحقت فالريي جريميجينكو‬ ‫بقسم الرقص يف ريتشموند عام ‪ ،1999‬ومن يومها بدأت حياهتا المهنية يف جامعة فرجينيا‬ ‫كومنولث كلية الفنون‪.‬‬ ‫صغريا‬ ‫قسما‬ ‫“أتذكر لقايئ األول مع العميد ريتاشرد توسكان يف قسم الرقص‪ .‬كنا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جدا وكانت اجلامعة يف قطر تفتح أبواهبا‪ .‬أتذكر بوضوح سؤايل له عما إذا كانوا يعينون‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الناسء يف قطر يراودين حلمي القديم وأنا يف الرابعة عرش من عمري يف الذهاب إىل قطر”‪.‬‬ ‫عندما كانت فالريي يف سن المراهقة‪ُ ،‬عرض عىل والدها وظيفة يف قطر وكانت هي‬ ‫وعائلهتا متحمسني للفكرة اليت لم تتم‪ .‬فكان االنتقال إىل قطر حلم لم يتحقق‪ .‬وعندما‬ ‫سمعت فالريي عن افتتاح فرع قطر‪ ،‬عاودها احللم وشعرت باإلثارة‪“ .‬كانت قطر ال تزال‬ ‫أخريا‬ ‫تقريبا الستكمال اإلجراءات‪ ،‬ولكنين حصلت‬ ‫يف خميليت‪ ،‬استغرق األمر تسعة أهشر‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عىل الوظيفة ووصلت إىل الدوحة‪ ،‬أم ومعي طفلتني”‪.‬‬

‫‪Australia-born Valerie Jeremijenko has had a vivid, colorful and tru‬‬‫‪ly fulfilling career. She has been a mainstay of student and adminis‬‬‫‪trative life at VCUarts Qatar since she joined the university in 2002.‬‬ ‫‪During that time, she has raised two daughters, started a successful‬‬ ‫‪yoga business, and been a key contributor to the university’s growth.‬‬ ‫‪Jeremijenko began her travels when she left Australia to move to Ja‬‬‫‪pan at the age of 23, which was then followed by time spent in South‬‬‫‪east Asia and India, and later at Arizona State University (ASU),‬‬ ‫‪before she made her way to Qatar, via Richmond, Virginia. With a‬‬ ‫‪solid background in art administration and an MFA in Creative Writ‬‬‫‪ing from ASU, Jeremijenko joined the Richmond Dance Department‬‬ ‫‪in 1999 and that’s when her exciting career with VCUarts began.‬‬ ‫‪“I remember my first meeting at the Dance Department with Dean‬‬ ‫‪Richard Toscan. We were a very small department and Qatar was‬‬ ‫‪just opening. I distinctly remember asking if they employed women‬‬ ‫‪in Qatar and if we segue back to when I was 14 years old, that was‬‬ ‫”‪my dream back then.‬‬ ‫‪When she was a teenager, Jeremijenko’s father was offered a job in‬‬ ‫‪Qatar and her family was completely on board with the idea. For her,‬‬ ‫‪moving to Qatar was a dream come true. The plan subsequently fell‬‬ ‫‪through, but when she heard about VCUarts’ Qatar branch, she was‬‬

‫‪50 — Issue 6‬‬

F RO M D O W N U N D E R TO T H E D E S E RT

“The universities started to meet, share resources and problem solve together. We started traditions such as Discover Education City and the Counsellor’s Day in Admissions… Many of the things we take for granted now were the result of many collaborations with QF, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and all the other universities.”

ecstatic. “Qatar was lodged in my imagination because of my experience as a teenager. It took about nine months for all the processing but I finally got the job and arrived in Doha as a single mother,” she says. “I took my kids, packed two suitcases full of toys and yoga mats and just jumped on the plane,” Jeremijenko explains. Once on the ground, her position as head of student affairs in VCUarts Qatar developed quickly. “I was doing everything from admissions and recruiting to raising scholarship money,” she says. Meanwhile, she continued to expand her interest in yoga on a personal and professional level. As she proceeded to work towards starting her very own yoga studio in Qatar as one of the local pioneers of the art, she also became a key contributor to a new trend in Qatar Foundation (QF) – collaborations. “The collaborations started way back in 2002. Weill Cornell arrived first. Back then it was located in the back section of Qatar Academy. The LAS (now called Penrose House) building opposite us was still under construction. Then Texas A&M joined us, and that’s when the three universities began collaborating,” she said.

،”‫ وجهزت حقيبتني مليئتني باأللعاب وبسط اليوغا واستقليت الطائرة‬،‫“أخذت أطفايل‬ .‫أضافت فالريي‬ ‫ تطورت وظيفهتا لتصبح رئيس شؤون الطالب يف‬،‫مبجرد وصولها إىل أرض الواقع‬ ‫بدءا من استالم طلبات االلتحاق ثم‬ ً ‫ “كنت أفعل كل يشء‬:‫ وتقول‬.‫اجلامعة وبرسعة‬ ‫ متكنت‬،‫ ويف نفس الوقت‬.”‫القبول وحىت اختبارات التوفل ومجع أموال المنح الدراسية‬ .‫من توسيع اهتمامي يف رياضة اليوغا عىل المستوين الشخيص والمهين‬ ‫رشعت فالريي يف العمل عىل إناشء استوديو اليوغا اخلاص هبا يف قطرـ كما أصبحت‬ .‫ أال وهو التعاون‬،‫رئيسيا يف توجه جديد يف مؤسسة قطر‬ ‫ماسهما‬ ‫أيضا‬ ً ً ً ‫ تم افتتاح جامعة ويل كورنيل أو ًال واليت‬.2002 ‫وأكملت فالريي “بدأ التعاون عام‬ ،‫ كان المبىن المقابل لنا‬.‫كانت موجودة آنذاك يف اجلزء اخللفي من أكادميية قطر‬ ‫ وعندها بدأت‬،‫وانضمت إلينا جامعة تكاسس إيه آند إم‬.‫ قيد اإلناشء‬،‫برنوز هاوس‬ .”‫اجلامعات الثالث بالتعاون‬ ‫ بدأنا معا بعض‬.‫معا‬ ً ‫“بدأت اجلامعات يف التاشور وتبادل الموارد وحل المشكالت‬ ‫ اكتشف المدينة التعليمية ويوم‬:‫التقاليد اليت ال تزال مستمرة حىت اآلن مثل‬ ‫االستاشرات يف دائرة القبول؛ والعديد من الفعاليات واألنشطة الطالبية مبا يف ذلك‬ ‫ألعاب القوى والمناسبات االجتماعية؛ التعريف برباجم احلياة السكنية واإلقامة والرعاية‬ .‫ وغريها الكثري‬،‫الطبية يف احلرم اجلامعي؛ وسيااست التطعيم المناسبة للثقافة والبيئة‬ ‫العديد من األشياء اليت نعتربها أمرا مفروغا منه اآلن كانت نتيجة للعمل والتعاون بني‬ .”‫ ومجيع اجلامعات األخرى‬،‫ وجامعة محد بن خليفة‬،‫مؤسسة قطر‬

Issue 6 — 51

F RO M D O W N U N D E R TO T H E D E S E RT

“The universities started to meet, share resources and problem solve together. We started traditions such as Discover Education City and the Counsellor’s Day in Admissions; student events including athletics and social events; advocated for housing and residence life programs and medical care on campus; and immunizations policies tailored to the culture and environment, and so on. Many of the things we take for granted now were the result of many collaborations with QF, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and all the other universities.”

‫شخصا أخربنا‬ ‫ أتذكر‬.‫ “ازداد التعاون ببطء وأصبح أكرث رسمية‬:‫وأوضحت فالريي‬ ً ‫معا ألن‬ ‫نعمل‬ ‫ لكن كان علينا أن‬،‫يومها بأنه ليس لدينا ترصحي بأن نشكل جمموعة‬ ً ‫ بدأنا العديد‬،‫ كمجموعة‬.‫الطالب من جامعات خمتلفة وسيتفاعلون مع ًا وبكل تأكيد‬ ‫ مثل اليوم الدويل‬،‫من براجم القيادة وبناء المجتمع وإقامة العديد من االحتفاالت‬ .”‫واالحتفال بيوم اصنع فرقا وغريهم‬

“The collaborations slowly increased and became more formal. I remember someone telling us back in the day that we didn’t have permission to be a group, but we absolutely had to work together because students from different universities will most definitely interact with each other across campuses. As a group we initiated collaborative leadership and community building programs and celebrations, such as International Night, and Make a Difference Day,” Jeremijenko explains.

،‫ ومنذ ذلك احلني‬.‫ “كان هناك العديد من جماالت التعاون‬:‫وعن ذلك قالت فالريي‬ ‫ باعتقادي اهتمت‬.‫اشرك قسم شؤون الطالب يف الكثري من الرشاكات غري األ كادميية‬ ‫ وتعاونا حنن إدار ًيا عىل وضع جذور احلياة الطالبية‬،‫دامئا بالتعاون األ كادميي‬ ً ‫مؤسسة قطر‬ .”‫يف المدينة التعليمية ومنذ البداية‬

Aside from campus-based collaborations, Jeremijenko worked with the Richmond campus to develop student government experiences, home campus connections and so on.

‫ وهذا ما يفرس اهتمامها‬،‫دامئا شخصية نشطة ودامئة احلركة‬ ً ‫كانت فالريي جريميجينكو‬ ‫ بعد زيارة الهند عدة مرات والعمل مع بعض أفضل معلمي اليوغا‬.‫بالرقص واليوغا‬ ‫ قررت فالريي بأن الوقت قد حان لماشركة معرفهتا وافتتحت أول استوديو‬،‫يف العالم‬ ‫ مدرب‬500 ‫ “قمنا بتخرجي ما يقرب من‬.2007 ‫” يف الدوحة يف عام‬Yama Yoga“ .”‫ مشرتك هشر ًيا‬1500 ‫ ولدينا حوايل‬،‫لليوغا من خالل براجم التدريب لدينا‬

“Well, there have been many collaborations since then and Student Affairs have been involved in so many of the non-academic ones. I think QF as a unit has always been very interested in academic collaboration, but we have been collaborating administratively on a grassroots level around student life since the beginning,” she says. Jeremijenko has much to show for her tremendous contributions to VCUarts Qatar – and also has other significant successes to show for her life in Qatar, outside of work at the campus.

52 — Issue 6

‫ عملت فالريي مع اجلامعة األم يف‬،‫إضافة إىل التعاون مع اجلامعات المحيطة‬ ‫ وطرق‬،‫ احتاد الطلبة‬:‫ريتشموند عىل تطوير العديد من اخلربات اجلديدة مثل‬ .‫التواصل مع اجلامعة األم وغري ذلك‬

‫ كما‬،‫اسهمت فالريي بالكثري يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ وخارج نطاق عملها‬،‫أيضا العديد من اإلحنازات المهمة خالل فرتة حياهتا يف قطر‬ ً ‫حققت‬ .‫يف احلرم اجلامعي‬

F RO M D O W N U N D E R TO T H E D E S E RT

Jeremijenko was always a movement person, and that explains her interest in dance and yoga. After visiting India multiple times and working with some of the world’s best yoga teachers, she decided it was the right time to share her knowledge and she opened her very first studio, Yama Yoga, in Doha in 2007. “We have graduated almost 500 teachers through our teacher training programs and we serve approximately 1,500 students a month,” she says. Another area where her creativity has flourished throughout her journey is in her writing. “I do have my PhD in creative writing, and I have received a number of fellowships and awards, and had short stories and novel excerpts published in numerous publications,” she says with pride.

‫ “حصلت عىل درجة‬:‫ تقول فالريي وبكل فخر‬.‫أبدعت فالريي يف جمال الكتابة اإلبداعية‬ ‫ اشركت بالعديد من‬،‫عددا من المنح واجلوائز‬ ‫الدكتوراه يف الكتابة اإلبداعية وتلقيت‬ ً .”‫القصص القصرية والروايات والمقتطفات يف العديد من المنشورات‬ ‫تتطلع فالريي إىل قضاء المزيد من الوقت يف ممارسة الكتابة ورياضة اليوغا وهي‬ ‫ تستعد فالريي الفتتاح استوديو يوغا آخر‬.‫تقرتب من هناية فرتة عملها يف الدوحة‬ .‫ مقر إقامهتا التايل‬،‫يف تايالند‬ ‫تعمل فالريي عىل التأكد من توفري العديد من األنظمة المعمول هبا يف اجلامعة‬ .‫لضمان سري األمور بسالسة أثناء تسليمها المسؤولية إىل الشخص التايل‬ ‫ واتطلع اآلن إىل رؤية الشباب القادمنب بكل الطاقات وااللزتامات‬،‫ “حققت الكثري‬:‫وتقول‬ ‫ أريد أن أتأكد من‬.‫ حان الوقت لتسليم اجليل القادم‬.‫الذي يتطلبه قسم شؤون الطالب‬ !”‫أن لدهيم كل ما حيتاجونه حىت يسريوا يف خمططاهتم ويتمكنوا من حتقيق النجاح بشكل كبري‬

She looks forward to spending more time on her writing and her yoga as she nears the end of her time in Doha. She intends to open another yoga studio – in her next home base, Thailand. And as for VCUarts Qatar, she wants to ensure she has as many systems in place as possible to ensure everything runs smoothly as she hands over responsibility to the next person. “A lot has been achieved and what I really want now is to see young people come in with all the energy and commitment that student affairs demands,” she says, “It’s time for the next generation. I want to make sure they have everything they need so that they can go in their own direction and be wildly successful!”

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Naila Al-Thani

A RT I S T I N R E S I D E N C E , D O H A F I R E S TAT I O N M A M AT E R I A L F U T U R E S ' 19, C E N T R A L S T. M A RT I N S / B FA FA S H I O N D E S I G N ’09, VCUA RT S Q ATA R

A LU M N I PRO FI LE S

‫نجال آل ثاني‬

Naila Al-Thani (BFA ’09) is a VCUarts Qatar alumni whose work as a designer and researcher conveys a commitment to fashion sustainability – particularly in the area of material innovation. She recently obtained her Master’s degree in Material Futures from Central Saint Martins in London, while also working on client projects for Volkswagen, Stella McCartney, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and The Design Museum during that time. In 2019, Naila won the Sustainability prize for her work “Seam Unseam” at the Designing Future Techstyle symposium and competition in Hong Kong, and her winning design was on display as part of the International Exhibition at The Mills, a design and innovation hub in the Tsuen Wan district of Hong Kong, and at the Fashion Gallery at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in August and September 2019. After graduating from VCUarts Qatar, she went on to work at Qatar Museums, and Qatar Luxury Group, interning at Valentino at their Milan headquarters, as well as working with the artist Wael Shawky as a researcher and costume designer for his internationally performed musical, Song of Roland – the Arabic Version.

54 — Issue 5

‫ جامعة سنترال سانت مارتينز‬- ٢٠١٩ ،‫درجة الماجستير في مستقبل المواد‬

٢٠٠٩ ،‫درجة البكالوريوس في تصميم األزياء‬

،‫ خرجية جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬،‫تعمل جنال آل ثاين‬ .‫ وخاصة يف ابتكار المواد‬،‫كمصمم وباحث يلزتم مبباديء االستدامة يف الموضة واألزياء‬ ‫مؤخرا عىل درجة الماجستري يف مستقبل المواد من جامعة سنرتال اسنت‬ ‫حصلت‬ ً ‫ وعملت يف نفس الوقت عىل ماشريع لعمالء مثل فولكس واجن‬،‫مارتيزن يف لندن‬ ،‫ فازت جنال هذا العام‬.‫وستيال مكارتين ومؤسسة إلني ماك آرثر ومتحف التصميم‬ ‫” يف ندوة وماسبقة‬Seam Unseam“ ‫ جبائزة االستدامة عن عملها‬،2019 ‫ وعرض تصميمها الفائز يف‬،‫” يف هونغ كونغ‬Designing Future Techstyle“ ‫ وهو مركز للتصميم واالبتكار يف تسوين وان يف هونغ‬،‫المعرض الدويل يف ذا ميلز‬ ‫ كما عرض يف جالريي األزياء يف جامعة هونغ كونغ للفنون التطبيقية يف‬،‫كونغ‬ .‫أغسطس وأيلول من نفس العام‬ ،‫عملت جنال بعد خترجها من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ وقضت فرتة تدريبية يف مقر فالنتينو‬،‫ وجمموعة قطر الفاخرة‬،‫يف كل من متاحف قطر‬ ‫ كما عملت مع الفنان وائل شويق كباحث ومصمم لألزياء يف عروضه‬،‫يف ميالنو‬ .‫ النسخة العربية‬- ‫ أغاين من روالند‬،‫الموسيقية الدولية‬

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She was also the winner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundations Circular Fiber Initiative Challenge, and the Mills Fabrica Sustainability Prize. Her works were recently exhibited in Doha, Milan, Eindhoven, Copenhagen, and London. Naila is currently an Artist in Residence at the Fire Station. What are your favorite memories of your time as a student at VCUarts Qatar?

I have many great memories of my four years as a student at VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation as a whole, but my favorite thing about my time there was the creative community we formed, and the numerous events and activities the university would host, which created opportunities to get involved and explore new things. You won the Sustainability prize for “Seam Unseam” in Hong Kong in 2019. What inspired that design? Was sustainability always something that inspired your designs? Do you have plans to take that concept further?

The project began by looking at how fashion items quickly morph into waste within the fast-paced, short-lived linear cycle of consumption, and by investigating garment longevity and sustainability in the world of fast fashion through the use of alternative construction methods inspired by living organisms. Sustainability has also been a fundamental aspect in my work in different forms of either being environmentally sustainable, culturally sustainable, self-sustaining or circular. I am just finishing off exhibiting the project, and next, I’m planning to take it in a few different directions, while continuing to collaborate with experts from various fields. On a related note, do you think that sustainability is something that should be at the core of fashion design education worldwide?

I do believe sustainability should be included in fashion education worldwide, as I would like to see a more comprehensive fashion education conducive to the direction the industry is moving towards, which includes technology, bio-design and circular practices. What do you think World Cup 2022 will mean for design, and fashion design in particular, for Qatar?

The World Cup, as well as all the leading sporting events taking place in Qatar, come with an array of design opportunities for local designers. Fashion design has always had a connection to sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics. Sportswear, in particular, is an essential component in sports culture and athletic performance. However, it’s also reliant on those opportunities being available to the local designers.

“Sustainability has also been a fundamental aspect in my work in different forms of either being environmentally sustainable, culturally sustainable, self-sustaining or circular.” ‫ وجائزة ميلز‬،‫أيضا جبائزة حتدي إلني ماكارث لمؤساست األلياف الدائرية‬ ً ‫فازت جنال‬ ‫مؤخرا يف الدوحة وميالنو وإيندهوفن وكوبهناجن‬ ‫أعمالها‬ ‫عرض‬ ‫تم‬ .‫لالستدامة‬ ‫فابريكا‬ ً .‫حاليا يف برناجم اإلقامة الفنية يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬ ‫جنال‬ ‫تاشرك‬ .‫ولندن‬ ً ‫وعن أجمل ذكرياتها كطالبة في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬

:‫ قالت نجال‬،‫في قطر‬

‫لدي العديد من الذكريات الرائعة وخالل سنوايت االربعة يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‬ ،‫ كان أهمها ماشركيت يف تشكيل جمتمع إبداعي‬.‫كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر ومؤسسة قطر‬ ‫والعديد من الفعاليات واألنشطة اليت استضافهتا اجلامعة واليت شكلت بالنسبة يل فرصا‬ .‫للماشركة واستكاشف أشياء جديدة‬ .‫“ في هونغ كونغ‬Seam Unseam” ‫حصلت مؤخرا على جائزة االستدامة عن‬

‫دائما مصدرا لتصاميمك؟‬ ‫ما الذي ألهمك لهذا التصميم؟ هل كانت االستدامة‬ ً ‫هل لديك أي خطط لتطوير هذا المفهوم؟‬

‫رسيعا إىل نفايات وخالل‬ ‫بدأ المرشوع من خالل النظر يف كيفية حتول عنارص األزياء‬ ً ‫ ومن خالل دراسة عمر‬،‫ وقرص عمرها االسهتالكي‬،‫دورة اسهتالكها رسيعة اخلطى‬ ‫ قمنا باستخدام طرق بديلة يف ابتكارها‬،‫المالبس واستدامهتا يف عالم األزياء الرسيع‬ .‫مستوحاة من معيشة الكائنات احلية‬

‫بيئية أو ثقافية‬ ‫كانت االستدامة‬ ً ‫ استدامة‬،‫جانبا رئيسيا يف أعمايل وبأشكال خمتلفة‬ ً .‫ذاتيا‬ ً ‫أو مكتفية‬ ‫ مع االستمرار‬،‫ وأخطط ألخذه يف اجتاهات خمتلفة‬،‫انهتيت للتو من عرض المرشوع‬ .‫يف التعاون مع خرباء من خمتلف المجاالت‬ ‫هل تعتقدين بدمج االستدامة في تعليم تصميم األزياء في جميع أنحاء العالم؟‬

‫ كما أرغب‬،‫ أعتقد أنه ينبغي إدراج االستدامة يف تعليم األزياء يف مجيع أحناء العالم‬،‫أجل‬ ً ‫ مبا يف ذلك‬،‫شمول يفيض إىل االجتاه الذي تسري فيه الصناعة‬ ‫يف رؤية تعليم أزياء أكرث‬ .‫التكنولوجيا والتصميم احليوي والمماراست الدائرية‬

‫ بالنسبة للتصميم باألخص تصميم‬2022 ‫ ماذا يعني كأس العالم‬،‫في رأيك‬ ‫األزياء؟‬

‫ مبجموعة‬،‫ باإلضافة إىل مجيع الفعاليات الرياضية الرائدة يف قطر‬،‫تأيت بطولة كأس العالم‬ .‫من الفرص للمصممني المحليني‬ ‫لطالما كان هناك صلة بني تصميم األزياء واألحداث الرياضية مثل كأس العالم‬ .‫ فالمالبس الرياضية عنرص أاسيس يف الثقافة الرياضية واألداء الريايض‬.‫واألولمبياد‬ .‫أيضا عىل تلك الفرص المتاحة للمصممني المحليني‬ ً ‫وهي تعتمد‬

Issue 5 — 55

You graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2019. How did your experiences as a student at VCUarts Qatar prepare you for your post graduate studies there?

My time as a VCUarts Qatar student set my design and fashion foundation in terms of the knowledge and technical skills that are essential to becoming an independent designer. It wasn’t only what we learned, but also the collaborative environment that was created. This foundation was a vital factor to my success as a Master’s degree student at Central Saint Martins. The worlds of fashion design, technology, and art are working ever more closely together. How do you think that will manifest itself in the Middle East?

I think we will see more interdisciplinary approaches fostered, and diverse exchanges taking place.

‫ كيف عملت خبراتك كطالب في‬،‫تخرجت من سنترال سانت مارتينز هذا العام‬

‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصمبم في قطرعلى إعدادك للدراسة‬ ‫هناك؟‬

‫تعلمت خالل دراسيت يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫مصمما‬ ‫أاسسيات ومباديء التصميم والمعرفة والمهارات التقنية الرضورية ألصبح‬ ً ً ‫أيضا البيئة التعاونية‬ ً ‫ بل اسهم يف ذلك‬،‫ لم يتوقف األمر عىل ما تعلمته‬.‫مستقل‬ ‫ كان هذا األاسس عامالً حيوي ًا لنجاحي يف احلصول عىل درجة‬.‫اليت تم ابتكارها‬ .‫الماجستري من سنرتال اسنت مارتيزن‬

‫ كيف يعبر‬،‫ برأيك‬.‫يعمل عالم تصميم األزياء مع التكنولوجيا والفن بشكل وثيق‬ Do you see the Middle East having a growing influence on fashion design beyond its traditional borders?

I think we have already seen the growing influence, such as with the launch of Vogue Arabia and Fashion Trust Arabia, which also created a promising market for designers, stylists and writers. Is social media accelerating the fashion cycle? If so, is that a good thing? Is that an added bonus or an extra pressure for up and coming designers?

Social media can be a positive tool for designers and brands. However, it is also a significant contributing factor to the acceleration of the fashion cycle by creating the demand to get the looks from the runway, to consumers, in a short amount of time and at low cost, and that is contributing to fast fashion’s negative impact on society and the environment. 56 — Issue 5

‫هذا التفاعل عن نفسه في الشرق األوسط؟‬

‫ وسنهشد المزيد يف تعزيز المناهج‬،‫هناك العديد من عمليات التبادل المتنوعة‬ .‫متعددة التخصصات‬

‫هل يؤثر الشرق األوسط على تصميم األزياء خارج الحدود التقليدية؟‬

‫ كما هو احلال مع إطالق جملة فوغ‬،‫أعتقد أننا نهشد بالفعل هذا التأثري المتنامي‬ .‫واعدا للمصممني والكتاب‬ ‫أيضا سوقًا‬ ً ‫العربية وفاشن ترست العربية اليت خلقت‬ ً

‫هل تعمل وسائل التواصل االجتماعي على تسارع دورة الموضة؟ إذا كان األمر‬ ‫ هل يعد األمر إيجابيا؟ هل يعد مكافأة أم ضغط إضافي للمصممين‬،‫كذلك‬

‫الصاعدين والقادمين؟‬

.‫ميكن أن تكون واسئل التواصل االجتماعي أداة إجيابية للمصممني والعالمات التجارية‬ ‫أيضا أحد العوامل المهمة اليت تهسم يف ترسيع دورة الموضة من خالل‬ ً ‫إال أن هذا يعد‬ ‫ يف فرتة زمنية‬،‫ إىل المسهتلكني‬،‫خلق الطلب للحصول عىل المظهر من منصة العرض‬ .‫ مما ياسهم يف خلق تأثري سليب عىل المجتمع والبيئة‬،‫قصرية وبتكلفة منخفضة‬

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01 Zero Stitching Trench Coat 02 Garments from the collection inspired by the Ndebele Tribe of South Africa and exhibited at 20/20/20

What advice do you have for a fashion design student who is graduating into an era of rapid technological and environmental changes?

My advice for fashion designers and designers in general who are transitioning from university to the workplace, is that the changes they are witnessing might seem rapid, but in reality, these changes have developed throughout a period of time, and as we adapt to new tools and scenarios, it is vital to keep in mind it’s not about a fast outcome, but about working through a creative process. Which designers/fashion figures inspired you?

My favorite designers have always been individuals who narrate stories and explore innovative techniques and materials through what they create, such as Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Stella McCartney, Iris Van Herpen, and Neri Oxman. What are your plans for the future?

I am currently an Artist in Resident at the Fire Station, and I hope to continue to explore sustainability, technology, craft and living systems through current and upcoming projects and collaborations.

‫ما نصيحتك لطلبة تصميم األزياء في هذ العصر من التغيرات التكنولوجية‬ ‫والبيئية السريعة؟‬

‫نصيحيت لمصممي األزياء والمصممني بشكل عام والذين ينتقلون من اجلامعة‬ ‫ أن‬،‫ ولكن الواقع‬،‫ قد تبدو التغيريات اليت يهشدوهنا رسيعة‬،‫إىل احلياة العملية‬ ‫ وحيث أننا نتكيف مع أدوات‬،‫هذه التغريات قد تطورت خالل فرتة من الزمن‬ ‫ من المهم أن نتذكر أن األمر ال يتعلق بتحقيق نتيجة‬،‫وسيناريوهات جديدة‬ .‫ بل يتعلق بالعمل بطرق إبداعية‬،‫رسيعة‬ ‫من من المصممين في عالم األزياء كان له الفضل في إلهامك؟‬

‫دامئا المصممني الذين يروون القصص ويستكشفون تقنيات ومواد مبتكرة‬ ً ‫أفضل‬ ‫ مثل ألكاسندر ماكوين وحسني شاليان وستيال مكارتين‬،‫من خالل ما يقومون به‬ .‫وإيريس فان هريبني ونريي أوكسمان‬ ‫ما هي خططك للمستقبل؟‬

‫ وآمل أن استمر يف‬،‫أاشرك حاليا يف برناجم اإلقامة الفنية يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬ ‫استكاشف االستدامة والتكنولوجيا واحلرف وأنظمة المعيشة من خالل ماشريعي‬ .‫احلالية والقادمة‬

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Rabab Abdulla M FA I N D E S I G N ' 19, B FA (FA S H I O N & I N T E R I O R D E S I G N ' 13)

‫رباب عبد الله‬

Doha-based designer Rabab Abdulla earned an MFA in Design from VCUarts Qatar in 2019. She holds a BFA with a double major in Fashion Design and Interior Design, also from VCUarts Qatar. Rabab’s work has been recognized via the W Doha Fashion Award and the Golden Needle Award as Best Designer at “Fingerprint”, VCUarts Qatar’s 2013 annual fashion show. Her highly acclaimed collections have not only been showcased in Qatar but also internationally in Richmond, Virginia, and at NY Fashion Week conducted by VCU Richmond. Tell us what you’re doing currently and how?

I recently completed my MFA in Design at VCUarts Qatar. My focus involved critical thinking, innovation and solutions that spark conversations and inform narratives, through which perspectives are exchanged and shifted. Through interdisciplinary practice, I investigated behaviors and needs, explored materials and systems of

58 — Issue 5

٢٠١٩ ،‫درجة الماجستير في التصميم‬

٢٠١٣ ،‫درجة البكالوريوس في تصميم األزياء والتصميم الداخلي‬

‫ عىل ماجستري الفنون‬،‫ والمقيمه يف الدوحة‬،‫حصلت المصممة رباب عبد الله‬ ‫اجلميلة يف التصميم من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ ‫ وذلك بعد حصولها عىل بكالوريوس الفنون اجلميلة بتخصص‬،2019 ‫عام‬ .‫مزدوج يف كل من تصميم األزياء والتصميم الداخيل‬ ‫تم تكريم رباب عىل أعمالها المتمزية خالل عرض األزياء السنوي للجامعة‬ ‫ حيث حصلت عىل كل من جائزة فندق دبليو‬2013 ‫” عام‬Fingerprint“ ‫ فباإلضافة إىل‬.‫الدوحة لألزياء وجائزة اإلبرة الذهبية كأفضل مصمم لذلك العام‬ ‫ ُعرضت أيضا عىل مستوى‬،‫عرض جمموعاهتا اليت نالت استحاسنا كبريا يف قطر‬ ‫ فرجينيا يف الواليات المتحدة األمريكية ويف‬،‫دويل يف اجلامعة األم يف ريتشموند‬ .‫أسبوع الموضة يف نيويورك والذي اشركت فيه اجلامعة األم‬ ‫ قالت رباب‬،‫وعن أعمالها الحالية‬

‫ تركزت أعمايل عىل التفكري الناقد‬.‫مؤخرا عىل درجة الماجستري يف التصميم‬ ‫حصلت‬ ً ‫واالبتكار واحللول اليت تثري المحادثات وترشح الروايات واليت يتم من خاللها تبادل‬

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

making and understood their impact on the human body and mind to branch into design solutions. My thesis focuses on attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in Qatar, and how wearable solutions and products, in subtle ways, can work as a means to empower and build acceptance toward this condition within Qatari society.

‫ درست‬،‫ ومن خالل المماراست متعددة التخصصات‬.‫وجهات النظر وتغيريها‬ ‫ وقمت باستكاشف مواد وأنظمة الصناعة وفهمت تأثريها‬،‫السلوكيات واالحتياجات‬ ‫ تركزت أطروحيت عىل اضطراب نقص‬.‫عىل جسم اإلناسن وعقله وتصميم حلول لها‬ ،‫ وكيف ميكن للحلول والمنتجات اليت ميكن ارتداؤها‬،‫ فرط الناشط يف قطر‬/‫االنتباه‬ ،‫ وبطرق خفية‬،‫أن تعمل كوسيلة للتمكني واحلصول عىل القبول جتاه هذه الرشوط‬ .‫داخل المجتمع القطري‬

What's been the most exciting part of your journey?

A few exciting and important moments of my MFA studies included reinventing myself, expanding my thought process, avoiding assumptions, enquiring, finding new ways of making/creating, allowing the process to define the outcome and stepping up to take decisions that mattered, without hesitation. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank faculty, staff and students of VCUarts Qatar for everything they contributed to my university experience. Some supported me as a friend, some were mentors, and some were simply beautiful; they made the experience joyful and worthwhile. I also appreciate the support and opportunities provided by Qatar Foundation, and organizations and communities throughout Qatar.

‫ما هو الجزء األكثر إثارة في رحلتك؟‬

‫ العمل عىل إعادة اكتاشيف‬،‫أهم اللحظات وأكرثها إثارة خالل دراسيت للماجستري كانت‬ ‫ وإجياد طرق جديدة‬،‫ واالستفاسر‬،‫ وجتنب االفرتاضات‬،‫ وتوسيع نطاق تفكريي‬،‫لنفيس‬ .‫ دون تردد‬،‫ والسماح للعملية بتحديد النتيجة والتصعيد واختاذ قرارات مهمة‬،‫لالبتكار‬

‫وأود أن أغتنم هذه الفرصة ألشكر أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والموظفني والطالب يف‬ ‫جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر عىل كل ما اسهموا به خالل جتربيت‬ ‫ وآخرين كان وجودهم يف‬،‫ وبعضهم كانوا مرشدين‬،‫ بعضهم اسندين كصديق‬.‫اجلامعية‬ ‫ كما‬.‫ فجميعهم اسهموا يف جعل جتربيت هبيجة وجديرة باالهتمام‬،‫حيايت مجيال وبسيطا‬ ‫أقدر الدعم والفرص اليت توفرها لنا مؤسسة قطر والعديد من المنظمات والمؤساست‬ .‫األخرى يف مجيع أحناء قطر‬

What inspired you to join the program and what inspires your work on a regular basis?

After graduating in 2013, I worked in fashion administrative jobs that were minimal in terms of creative thinking or making. During those years, I spent my spare time on personal projects and preparing my portfolio. That is when I learned my happy place is in creating, making and deriving innovative ideas. I also observed the continuous growth in the MFA program, offered at VCUarts Qatar since I graduated, which is why I came back for my MFA in 2017. When creating, I like to understand details, experiment with materials, learn from facts and bring these findings together to create unique ideas, solutions, materials or processes that could have future potential.

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‫ما الذي دفعك لالنضمام إلى برنامج الماجستير وما مصدر الهامك في أعمالك؟‬

‫عملت بعد خترجي يف عدد من الوظائف اإلدارية يف جمال األزياء‪ ،‬كانت تتضمن احلد األدىن‬ ‫من التفكري اإلبداعي أو االبتكار‪ .‬خالل تلك السنوات‪ ،‬قضيت وقت فراغي يف العمل عىل‬ ‫العديد من الماشريع الشخصية وتطوير ملفي الفين‪ .‬ومن خالل هذه الماشريع أدركت‬ ‫أن سعاديت تنبع من االبتكار واإلبداع واستنباط األفكار اجلديدة والمبتكرة‪ .‬كما الحظت‬ ‫أيضا النمو المستمر يف برناجم الماجستري الذي تقدمه اجلامعة‪ ،‬وعندها‪ ،‬ويف عام ‪،2017‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫اختذت قراري بالعودة إىل احلياة اجلامعية وااللتحاق بربناجم الماجستري يف التصميم‪.‬‬

‫فأنا ومن خالل عملية االبتكار‪ ،‬أحب فهم التفاصيل والتجربة بالمواد والتعلم من احلقائق‬ ‫معا إلناشء أفكار أو حلول أو مواد أو عمليات فريدة من نوعها ميكن أن‬ ‫ومجع هذه النتاجئ ً‬ ‫يكون لها إمكانات مستقبلية‪.‬‬ ‫وعن التحديات التي واجهتها‪ ،‬قالت رباب‪:‬‬

‫كان أحد التحديات هو االلتحاق بربناجم درايس بدوام كامل واحلصول عىل عمل بدوام‬ ‫جزيئ‪ .‬باإلضافة إىل العديد من التحديات األخرى‪ ،‬مهنا اخلروج عن المألوف ومواجهة‬ ‫خماويف ودفع نفيس إىل أقىص احلدود‪ .‬أنا سعيدة مبرونيت‪ ،‬وسعيدة مبكاين اليوم‪ ،‬وآمل‬ ‫أن أجد ماسرات توفر يل الفرص الستكاشف وتعزيز معرفيت وممارسهتا‪.‬‬ ‫أين وصلت بحياتك المهنية وما هي أحالمك وتطلعاتك المستقبلية‪ .‬وأين أنت‬

‫من تحقيقهم؟‬

‫أنا سعيدة حبصويل عىل درجة الماجيسرت‪ ،‬كان هذا أحد أهدايف الرئيسية‪ ،‬وآمل أن أستمر‬ ‫يف حتقيق وممارسة اهتمامايت‪ .‬أقدر خربايت المهنية الاسبقة‪ ،‬واآلن لدي أهداف خمتلفة‬ ‫أرغب فىي حتقيقها وهي أشمل بكثري من الاسبق‪ .‬استمر يف اهناء مهام صغرية يوميا‬ ‫تقربين من حتقيق أحالمي‪.‬‬

‫ما هي طموحاتك؟ العمل كعضو من أعضاء هيئة التدريس مثال؟‬

‫كبريا إللهامي‪ ،‬مكنتنا بأسلوهبا يف التدريس من النمو‬ ‫كانت األستاذة ديان دير‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مصدرا ً‬ ‫والتطور لنصبح مصممني أفضل‪ .‬أحببت التعلم عىل يدهيا وأعجبت بفلسفهتا التعليمية‪.‬‬

‫?‪What are some of the challenges you faced‬‬

‫‪One of the challenges was pursuing a full-time degree while simul‬‬‫‪taneously working part-time. Other challenges were stepping out of‬‬ ‫‪my comfort zone, facing my fears and pushing myself to my fullest‬‬ ‫‪ability. I am glad I was resilient. I am happy with where I am today,‬‬ ‫‪and hope to find paths that provide me the opportunity to explore,‬‬ ‫‪enhance my knowledge and practice it.‬‬ ‫‪Where have you reached as far as your career is concerned and‬‬ ‫‪what are your future dreams/aspirations. How close are you to‬‬ ‫?‪reaching them‬‬

‫‪I am glad to have completed my master’s (this was one of my mile‬‬‫‪stones), and it is my hope to continue practicing what I’m passionate‬‬ ‫‪about. I am grateful for my past career experiences, and now I have‬‬ ‫‪different goals that I need to accomplish that are much broader. I do‬‬ ‫‪something every day to get closer to them.‬‬ ‫‪Who do you look up to – a professor or a member of the faculty‬‬ ‫?‪maybe‬‬

‫‪Professor Diane Derr has been a great source of inspiration. Her‬‬ ‫‪teaching methods enabled us to grow so we can become better‬‬ ‫‪designers. I loved to learn from her and her teaching philosophy.‬‬ ‫?‪What is the achievement you're most proud of to date‬‬

‫‪The two years of my studies made me much more independent, and‬‬ ‫”‪my main takeaways are “Look Closely” and “Trust the Process.‬‬

‫ما هو أكثر إنجاز تفخرين به حتى اآلن؟‬

‫جعلتين دراسيت للماجستري أكرث استقاللية‪ .‬وأكرث ما أعمل به وأردده لنفيس‪“ :‬النظر عن‬ ‫قرب” و“الثقة مبا أقوم به”‪.‬‬

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

Hawa Stwodah

A S S I S TA N T P RO F E S S O R , FA S H I O N D E S I G N + M E RC H A N D I S I N G, VCUA RT S M FA I N D E S I G N ' 16

‫حواء ستوده‬

Hawa Stwodah is an accomplished MFA in Design graduate from VCUarts Qatar with a penchant for interesting collaborations. As a designer, illustrator, and educator, Stwodah’s career has spanned many sectors within the fashion industry. She has worked in the United States and the Middle East, collaborating with companies in Europe and Asia, consulting on experimental designs, using innovative textiles for menswear, women’s sportswear and activewear, and worked in collaboration with the health and armed services sectors. Her illustrations can be found in “Fashionomics”, a textbook published in 2012 and used as an instructional device at universities in both the United States and Asia. After working in the private sector for a period of time she returned to Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU’s) Fashion Design + Merchandising Department in 2005 to work at both the Richmond and Doha campuses. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, with her works examining social behaviors through the lens of surface design. Her research interests lie in exploring and investigating ideas of identification and visual communication by the wearer, and comprehension and visual appreciation by the viewer.

٢٠١٦ ،‫درجة الماجستير في التصميم‬

‫ خرجية بارزة من برناجم الماجستري يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬،‫حواء ستوده‬ .‫ مع ميل للتعاون المثمر‬،‫التصميم يف قطر‬ .‫ امتدت مهنة حواء إىل العديد من القطاعات يف صناعة األزياء‬،‫كمصمم وراسم ومعلم‬ ‫ بالتعاون مع رشكات يف أوروبا‬،‫عملت يف الواليات المتحدة األمريكية والرشق األوسط‬ ‫ واستخدام المنسوجات المبتكرة للمالبس‬،‫ واستاشرات حول التصاميم التجريبية‬،‫وآسيا‬ ‫ والعمل بالتعاون مع قطاع الصحة‬،‫ والمالبس الرياضية والعملية الناسئية‬،‫الرجالية‬ .‫والقوات المسلحة‬ ‫ واستخدم‬2012 ‫ وهو كتاب نُرش عام‬، ”Fashionomics“ ‫ميكن ماشهدة رسوماهتا يف‬ ‫ بعد العمل يف‬.‫كأحد مصادر التعليم يف جامعات الواليات المتحدة األمريكية وآسيا‬ ‫ الرتوجي‬+ ‫ إىل قسم تصميم األزياء‬2005 ‫ عادت حواء عام‬،‫القطاع اخلاص لفرتة من الزمن‬ .‫يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث للعمل يف حرم اجلامعة يف كل من ريتشموند والدوحة‬ ‫ واختربت أعمالها دراسة السلوكيات‬،‫عرضت أعمالها عىل الصعيدين الوطين والدويل‬ ‫ تكمن اهتماماهتا البحثية يف استكاشف أفكار‬.‫االجتماعية من خالل عدسة تصميم السطح‬ ‫ وفهم الماشهد وتقديره‬،‫حتديد الهوية والتحقق مهنا والتواصل المريئ من جانب مرتدهيا‬ .‫البرصي‬

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‫‪Tell us about your association with VCU and VCUarts Qatar‬‬

‫‪I’ve been associated with VCU and by extension VCUarts‬‬ ‫‪Qatar as a student, adjunct faculty, assistant professor and as‬‬‫‪sistant chair over a span of two decades. The path hasn’t been‬‬ ‫‪linear by any means, and yet it has been incredibly rewarding.‬‬ ‫‪I earned my Master of Fine Arts in Design at the Qatar campus,‬‬ ‫‪and I am currently an Assistant Professor at the Fashion Design +‬‬ ‫‪Merchandising department in VCU’s School of the Arts in Richmond.‬‬ ‫‪I have taught at both campuses as well as in both tracks (Design +‬‬ ‫‪Merchandising) throughout the years in lecture courses and in studio‬‬ ‫‪classes. I was able to make life-long friends on both campuses. The‬‬ ‫‪people I have come across have influenced me immensely. I wouldn’t‬‬ ‫‪change one aspect of my time at VCU, whether in Richmond or Doha.‬‬ ‫?‪What was one of your most interesting collaborations‬‬

‫‪Crossover and collaboration best describe my career with VCU in‬‬ ‫‪Richmond. In tandem with the classroom endeavors, I have, since‬‬

‫وعن ارتباطها بجامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في ريتشموند وفرع الجامعة في قطر‪،‬‬

‫قالت حواء‪:‬‬

‫‪spring 2019, had the honor to work as a co-principle investigator‬‬ ‫‪with the School of Nursing’s Dr. Ingrid Pretzer-Aboff on a research‬‬ ‫‪project. We received the first-ever Feierstein-Bresenoff Innovation‬‬ ‫‪Grant through the Langston Center for Innovation in Quality and‬‬ ‫‪Safety and the Office of Research and Innovation. Working with a‬‬ ‫‪group of undergraduate students, we aim to enhance and expand the‬‬ ‫‪design of existing technology that will improve the lives of those suf‬‬‫‪fering with movement disorders associated with Parkinson's Disease.‬‬ ‫‪Our concentration is on novelty textiles and trims.‬‬

‫ارتبطت جبامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف ريتشموند وجامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ ‫التصميم يف قطر كطالبة ومعلمة وأستاذ ماسعد وماسعد لرئيس قسم‪ ،‬وعىل مدى‬ ‫عقدين من الزمان‪ .‬لم يكن ماسرا متصال بأي وسيلة‪ ،‬ومع ذلك كان ماسرا جمز ًيا ومثمرا‬ ‫بشكل ال يصدق‪.‬‬

‫حصلت عىل ماجستري الفنون اجلميلة يف التصميم من حرم اجلامعة يف قطر‪ ،‬وأعمل‬ ‫حاليا أستاذا ماسعدا يف قسم تصميم األزياء ‪ +‬الرتوجي يف كلية الفنون باجلامعة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫األم‪ .‬قمت بالتدريس يف الفصول ويف االستوديوهات يف كل من احلرمني اجلامعيني‬ ‫وبكال الماسرين (التصميم ‪ +‬الرتوجي) طوال سنوات‪ .‬متكنت من تكوين صداقات‬ ‫مدى احلياة‪ .‬أثر الناس الذين صادفهتم عيل بشكل كبري‪ .‬كانت كل حلظة قضيهتا‬ ‫يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‪ ،‬سواء يف ريتشموند أو يف الدوحة‪ ،‬مثينة جدا ولن‬ ‫استبدلها مهما غىل الثمن‪.‬‬ ‫حدثينا عن أحد أكثر فرص التعاون إثارة بالنسبة لك؟‬

‫أستطيع وصف حيايت المهنية يف ريتشموند باهنا حياة تعاونية متضاربة‪ .‬فإىل جانب‬ ‫عميل يف الفصول الدراسية‪ ،‬ترشفت ومنذ ربيع ‪ ،2019‬بالعمل يف مرشوع حبيث كمحقق‬ ‫ماشرك مع الدكتور إنغريد بريزتر‪-‬أبوف بكلية التمريض‪ .‬تلقينا أول منحة لالبتكار‬ ‫‪ Feierstein-Bresenoff‬من خالل مركز النغستون لالبتكار يف اجلودة والسالمة‬ ‫ومكتب البحث واالبتكار‪ .‬ومن خالل العمل مع جمموعة من الطلبة اجلامعيني‪ ،‬هندف‬ ‫إىل تعزيز وتوسيع تصميم التكنولوجيا احلالية اليت من أشهنا حتسني حياة الذين يعانون‬ ‫من اضطرابات احلركة المرتبطة مبرض باركنسون‪ .‬حيث نركز من خالل عملنا عىل‬ ‫المنسوجات احلديثة والمحسنة‪.‬‬ ‫قليال عن مشروعك مع القوات المسلحة القطرية؟‬ ‫أخبرينا‬ ‫ً‬

‫كان البحث عن المنسوجات المبتكرة وتطبيق تقنيات التصميم التقليدية بأسلوب‬ ‫غري تقليدي أسلو ًبا استخدمته منذ أن عملت يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون‬ ‫التصميم يف قطر بني عامي ‪ 2007‬و ‪ 2009‬يف مرشوع خاص مع القوات المسلحة القطرية‪.‬‬ ‫عملت مع فريق صغري من خرجيات اجلامعة عىل إناشء هوية جديدة للقوات المسلحة‬

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‫‪01‬‬ ‫)‪01 Signifying Stamps 2018 (detail of stamps‬‬ ‫ ‪02 Perspective and Perception (detail- view of interior of box through the‬‬ ‫ ‬ ‫)‪embroidered viewing area. Image of woman digitally printed on voile‬‬

‫القطرية‪ .‬أنأشنا المنسوجات اجلديدة والمالبس واال كسسوارات لدجمها يف المجموعات‬ ‫العسكرية لألفراد‪ .‬وكان من أهم العنارص الرئيسية للمرشوع محاية وسالمة المستخدمني‪.‬‬ ‫ميكن رؤية أهمية الشكل والوظيفة وكيفية االستفادة مهنا بشكل أفضل يف تصميم السطح‬ ‫الفريد الذي تم تطويره أثناء المرشوع‪ .‬التمويه‪ ،‬الذي تستخدمه حاليا القوات المسلحة‬ ‫القطرية‪ ،‬هو نتاج للمرشوع‪ .‬تم اختبار األشكال واأللوان المدجمة من البيئة المحلية لتمويه‬ ‫الرؤية‪ ،‬وعمل التصميم والنسيج عىل متكني مرتدهيا من االختفاء يف التضاريس اإلقليمية‪.‬‬ ‫وعما إذا كانت تقوم بعمل مماثل في الجامعة األم في ريتشموند‪ ،‬قالت حواء‪:‬‬

‫مع اهتمامي األخري بالمواد غري التقليدية‪ ،‬واحلوسبة المادية واألزياء‪ ،‬بدأت يف التوجه حنو‬ ‫جمموعة من المصممني المتاشهبني يف التفكري‪ .‬توحيد اجلهود والتوصل إىل فكرة للتعاون‪،‬‬ ‫غالبا ما تكون نتيجة االجتماع ومناقشة مصلحة مشرتكة‪ .‬كنت قد ناقشت مرشوع رشاكة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مع ديفيد بريدي‪ ،‬المسؤول التنفيذي األول يف إدارة سلسلة التوريد والتحليالت يف كلية‬ ‫إدارة األعمال جبامعة فرجينيا كومنولث‪ ،‬للعمل مع مزارعي فرجينيا‪ .‬آخذين يف االعتبار‬ ‫المنسوجات المستدامة ودعم الصناعة المحلية وحتديد األسواق الناشئة‪ .‬حنن يف المراحل‬ ‫األوىل من وضع خطة الستخدام المنتجات الزراعية الثانوية‪ .‬نأمل أن يؤدي المرشوع إىل‬ ‫الكثري من الفرص للطالب وكذلك للمجتمع‪ .‬مؤسسة مثل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث هي‬ ‫المكان المثايل لهذه األنواع من التحالفات‪.‬‬

‫‪Issue 5 — 63‬‬

‫‪02‬‬

‫?‪Tell us a little about your project with the Qatar Armed Forces‬‬

‫‪Researching innovative textiles and implementing traditional design‬‬ ‫‪techniques in unconventional manners has been an approach I’ve‬‬ ‫‪used since I worked at VCUarts Qatar between 2007 and 2009 on a‬‬ ‫‪special project with the Qatar Armed Forces. I worked with a small‬‬ ‫‪team of VCUarts Qatar alumni to create a new identity for the Qatar‬‬ ‫‪Armed Forces. We established novel textiles, apparel and accesso‬‬‫‪ries to incorporate into the kits the military issued to personnel. A‬‬ ‫‪key component of the project was the protection and safety of the‬‬ ‫‪users. The importance of form and function and how it was best uti‬‬‫‪lized can be seen in the unique surface design developed during the‬‬ ‫‪project. The camouflage, presently used by the Qatar Armed Forces,‬‬ ‫‪is a product of the project. The shapes and colors incorporated from‬‬ ‫‪the local environment were tested to disrupt the viewers’ vision, and‬‬ ‫‪the textile concealed the wearer in the regional terrain.‬‬

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

“The people I have come across have influenced me immensely. I wouldn’t change one aspect of my time at VCU, whether in Richmond or Doha.”

Are you doing anything similar at VCU in Richmond?

With my recent interest in non-traditional materials, physical computing and fashion, I have begun to gravitate towards a like-minded group of designers. Often an outcome of meeting and discussing a common interest is to join forces and come up with an idea to collaborate on. David Berdish, the Executive-in-Residence in Supply Chain Management and Analytics at VCU’s School of Business and I have been discussing partnering on a project to work with Virginia farmers. Sustainable textiles, supporting local industry and identifying emerging markets are all topics we have considered. We are in the early stages of formulating a plan for the use of agricultural by-products. We are hoping the venture will lead to plenty of opportunities for the students as well as for the community. An institution like VCU is an ideal place for these types of alliances. What subjects did you focus on during your graduate degree at VCUarts Qatar?

While working on my graduate degree at VCUarts Qatar (2014– 2016) I revisited concepts I had previously explored. The ideas of identity, surface design, and visibility were what I focused on during the two-year MFA in Design program. I took these subjects and consciously addressed them in ways unfamiliar to me. For example, I examined centuries-old surface design techniques in parallel with contemporary physical computing. I broke away from what I was accustomed to and scrutinized conventions. I reflected on how I could alter my paradigm and how this impacted my design aesthetic and outcomes. I was curious about social behaviors, self-identification, perception. I gave myself time to research these concepts and began integrating them into my work. I have continued these explorations since completing my degree, presenting papers at conferences and generating pieces for exhibitions.

64 — Issue 5

،‫وعن المواضيع التي ركزت عليها خالل دراسة الماجستير في الجامعة في قطر‬

:‫قالت حواء‬

‫أثناء العمل عىل هشادة الماجستري يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف‬ ‫ الهوية‬،‫ قمت بإعادة النظر يف أفكار كنت قد استكشفهتا من قبل‬،)2016-2014( ‫قطر‬ ‫وتصميم السطح والوضوح كانت من المواضيع اليت ركزت علهيا خالل فرتة دراسيت‬ ‫ قمت بالرتكزي عىل تلك المواضيع مع طرحها بطرق جديدة لم‬.‫للماجستري يف التصميم‬ ‫ درست تقنيات تصميم السطح القدمية بالتوازي مع‬،‫ عىل سبيل المثال‬.‫تكن مألوفة يل‬ ‫ فكرت يف الطرق‬.‫ ابتعدت عن ما اعتدت عليه ودققت فيه‬.‫احلوسبة المادية المعارصة‬ ‫ انتابين‬.‫اليت متكين من تغيري منوذجي وكيف سيؤثر ذلك عىل تصميمي اجلمايل والنتاجئ‬ ‫ منحت نفيس الوقت‬.‫ واإلدراك‬،‫ وحتديد الهوية‬،‫الفضول حول السلوكيات االجتماعية‬ ‫ قمت بعد خترجي وحصويل عىل درجة‬.‫لبحث هذه المفاهيم وبدأت يف دجمها يف أعمايل‬ ‫ حيث قدمت أوراقًا حبثية يف المؤمترات وأنتجت‬،‫الماجستري مبتابعة هذه االستكاشفات‬ .‫قطعا مهنا للمعارض‬ ً

03 Capsule Collection – Chadari – 2014 Womens apparel collection inspired by the Afghan Chadari

How did you progress from student to faculty?

In the summer of 2018, I was asked to take on the role of Assistant Chair for Design at the department of Fashion Design + Merchandising in Richmond for the duration of the academic year. It was a fantastic opportunity for me. I was able to get a better understanding of administrative duties. I worked on curriculum changes, course objectives, and outcomes that would provide the greatest benefit for the students. If I was asked again to step into a similar position, I would definitely consider taking the role. How would you describe your technique for sharing knowledge with students?

I feel it is my duty to always consider what is beneficial for the student. I try to adapt and change my lectures and projects to keep up with the ever changing markets. Referencing my own experiences as a student, I am aware that everyone doesn’t absorb instruction and learn skills in the same way. I try to offer multiple channels when I present information. I strive to prepare students for the field they plan to enter. I give real-world scenarios, create simulation-based projects, and offer honest, constructive criticism to best equip students with an understanding of what to expect in the industry.

:‫ قالت حواء‬،‫وعن ارتقائها من طالب إلى عضو في الهيئة التدريسية‬

‫ عرض عيل تويل منصب ماسعد رئيس قسم التصميم يف قسم تصميم‬،2018 ‫يف صيف‬ ‫ متكنت‬.‫ كانت فرصة رائعة بالنسبة يل‬.‫ الرتوجي يف ريتشموند ولمدة عام درايس‬+ ‫األزياء‬ ،‫ اسعدت يف تغيري المناهج الدراسية‬.‫من احلصول عىل فهم أفضل للواجبات اإلدارية‬ ‫ لن أتردد يف تويل‬.‫ والنتاجئ اليت من أشهنا أن توفر أكرب فائدة للطالب‬،‫وأهداف المقررات‬ .‫أي منصب مماثل إذا ما واتتين الفرصة لذلك‬ ‫كيف تصفين التقنيات التي تستخدمينها لمشاركة المعرفة مع الطالب؟‬

‫ أحاول تكييف وتغيري حمارضايت وماشريعي‬.‫دامئا يف ما يفيد الطالب‬ ً ‫من واجيب أن أفكر‬ ‫ أدرك متاما التفاوت يف‬،‫ بالرجوع إىل جتربيت كطالب‬.‫لمواكبة األسواق دامئة التغري‬ .‫ أحاول طرح المعلومات بأكرث من طريقة‬.‫استيعاب التعليم وتعلم المهارات وتقبل الطرق‬ ‫ أقدم سيناريوهات وأمثلة‬.‫اعمل جاهدة إلعداد الطالب للمجال الذي خيططون لدخوله‬ ‫وبناء‬ ‫نقدا صادقًا‬ ً ‫ كما أقدم‬،‫ وابتكر ماشريع قامئة عىل المحاكاة‬،‫من العالم احلقيقي‬ ً .‫لزتويد الطالب بأفضل فهم لما ميكن توقعه يف هذه الصناعة‬

Do you have any exciting collaborations coming up?

This year, my colleague, Associate Professor Deidra Arrington and I are piloting a fusion studio course for design and merchandising students. This type of class has not been attempted in the department, nor are there similar courses at other institutions, so we are excited to be pioneering new teaching and learning applications.

‫هل لديك أي مشاريع تعاونية جديدة مثيرة خالل الفترة القادمة؟‬

‫ األستاذ الماسعد دييدرا أرينجتون بتجربة مقرر استوديو‬،‫ أنا وزمييل‬،‫نقوم هذا العام‬ ،‫ لم تتم جتربة هذا النوع من المقررات يف القسم‬.‫للدجم بني طلبة التصميم وطلبة الرتوجي‬ ‫ لذلك حنن متحمسون لنكون أول من يقوم‬،‫وال توجد مقررات مماثلة يف مؤساست أخرى‬ .‫بتطبيقات تعليمية وتدريسية جديدة‬

Issue 5 — 65

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

Ebtesam Al-Hothi

A RT I S T I N R E S I D E N C E , D O H A F I R E S TAT I O N B FA G R A P H I C D E S I G N ’19

66 — Issue 5

“I want to work with the community to help secure a future for those who believe in the benefits that designers can bring to the whole community.”

Currently one of the Artists in Residence at Doha Fire Station, Ebtesam Al Hothi was the VCUarts Qatar's Qatari student representative, the president of the Best Buddies club, and also the president of the Qatari Student Association for two-and-a-half years. What are your favorite memories of your time as a student at VCUarts Qatar?

Some of my favorite memories are the social events that we had, where we had a chance to see our skills as designers and artists being invested in various organizations and clubs. It was a way to see how designers and artists can help the community we live in by raising awareness, highlighting matters and solving the problems we face within our community. We also saw how, as designers, we can do more than simply create beautiful work to be admired. We learned that we can actually make a difference. I loved the fact our Library has a magical side to it. It holds events throughout the year for students to bond with each other. One of the biggest events is the Qatar National Day event. I was fortunate to be a part of it, and I helped plan it for two years in a row. It was a chance to bond with other universities, and show how our capable students are serving this wonderful country, a country that deserves nothing but the best for its children.

‫ابتسام الحوثي‬

٢٠١٩ ،‫درجة البكالوريوس في تصميم الغرافيك‬

.‫ أحد الفنانني الماشركني يف برناجم اإلقامة يف مطاىفء مقر الفنانني‬،‫ابتاسم حاليا‬ ‫ ورئيس نادي‬،‫أما ابتاسم الطالبة فكانت ممثل الطالب القطريني يف اجلامعة‬ .‫وأيضا رئيس احتاد الطلبة القطريني لمدة عامني ونصف‬ ،”Best Buddies“ ً ‫وعن أجمل ذكرياتها كطالبة في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم‬

:‫ قالت ابتسام‬،‫في قطر‬

‫ أتيحت لنا الفرصة‬،‫ال أزال أتذكر العديد من الفعاليات االجتماعية اليت هشدناها‬ .‫الستثمار مهاراتنا كمصممني وفنانني يف العديد من المنظمات واألندية المختلفة‬ ‫متكنا من معرفة الطرق اليت يتمكن هبا االمصممون والفنانون من ماسعدة المجتمع من‬ ‫ كما رأينا‬.‫خالل زيادة الوعي وإبراز األمور وحل المشكالت اليت نواجهها داخل جمتمعنا‬ ،‫ أن نقوم بأكرث من جمرد ابتكار عمل فين مجيل حيظى باإلعجاب‬،‫ كمصممني‬،‫كيف ميكننا‬ .‫تعلمنا كيف نقوم بالتغيري وإحداث فرق‬ ‫ تلك الفعاليات اليت تعقدها عىل مدار‬،‫أحببت اجلانب السحري لمكتبتنا يف اجلامعة‬ .‫العام لربط وتواصل الطالب‬ ً .‫ اليوم الوطين لدولة قطر‬،‫جزءا من تنظيم أحد أكرب الفعاليات‬ ‫كنت‬ ً ‫حمظوظة ألن أكون‬ ‫ كانت فرصة للتواصل مع‬.‫اسعدت يف التخطيط لهذا احلدث لمدة عامني عىل التوايل‬ ‫ وإظهار كيف يعمل طالبنا األ كفاء عىل خدمة هذا البلد‬،‫الطلبة يف اجلامعات األخرى‬ .‫ البلد الذي ال يستحق سوى األفضل ألبنائه‬،‫الرائع‬

Issue 5 — 67

“The other thing I want to do in the future is to work with events. A lot of them are very typical. It’s the same thing year after year. I want to create incredible experiences and showcase our culture and tradition in more exciting ways.”

What do you think FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will mean for design and for graphic design in particular for Qatar?

I’m glad that we are already seeing that the role of designers for World Cup 2022 is shining. You can see it in the incredible stadium designs, the logo that was released recently, and the fact that it had the first abstract minimal approach, which is a graphic design approach that we were taught as students at VCUarts Qatar. The fact that the community is starting to see the power of minimal design shows how aware our community is becoming of the principles of design. Our community may not be very familiar with these principles, but the World Cup is a huge opportunity for them to slowly open up and see what design is all about. It’s not just logos and coffee shop branding anymore. It’s stadiums and outfits and so much more. Graphic designers don’t just create digital work. They design stadiums; they design everything. Imagine what graphic designers and young graphic designers in particular could do to help with World Cup 2022. This is a chance to show the community what we can do. It’s an amazing time to be a designer in Doha. At VCUarts Qatar, graphic designers are taught how to design and plan an entire experience, to convey emotions, messages, themes and feelings. What are you currently working on at the Fire Station?

I am working on child psychology. I’m expanding on my thesis work, and experimenting with how I can use codes and 3D-printed objects to have something interactive that can help people understand how a child who has been through a very hard time is feeling. Basically, it’s about how we can relate to them.

68 — Issue 5

‫ بالنسبة للتصميم وباألخص‬2022 ‫ ماذا يعني كأس العالم‬،‫في رأيك‬ ‫تصميم الغرافيك؟‬

‫ ميكنك أن ترى ذلك يف‬.‫ عىل إبراز دور المصممني يف قطر‬2022 ‫عمل كأس العالم‬ ‫مؤخرا وحقيقة أنه يشمل‬ ‫ والشعار الذي تم إصداره‬،‫تصميمات المالعب المذهلة‬ ً ‫أول مقاربة جتريدية بسيطة وهي أحد طرق تصميم الغرافيك اليت درسناها كطالب‬ ‫ حقيقة أن المجتمع بدأ يرى‬.‫يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر‬ .‫قوة التصميم توضح لنا مدى إدراك جمتمعنا لمبادئ التصميم‬ ‫ لكن كأس العالم سيمثل فرصة‬،‫قد ال يكون جمتمعنا حاليا عىل دراية هبذه المبادئ‬ ‫ لم يعد األمر جمرد تصميم شعارات‬.‫كبرية لهم لالنفتاح ببطء ومعرفة ماهية التصميم‬ ‫ أصبح التصميم يشمل المالعب والمالبس‬.‫وعالمات جتارية للمقاهي والمحالت‬ ‫ أهنم‬.‫ ال يقوم مصممو الغرافيك بابتكار األعمال الرقمية فقط‬.‫وأكرث من ذلك بكثري‬ ‫ ختيل ما ميكن لمصممي‬.‫ يعملون عىل تصميم كل يشء‬.‫يقومون بتصميم المالعب‬ ‫الغرافيك ومصممي الغرافيك الشباب عىل وجه اخلصوص القيام به للماسعدة يف‬ ‫ إنه وقت رائع أن‬.‫ إهنا فرصة إلظهار ما ميكننا القيام به للمجتمع‬.2022 ‫كأس العالم‬ ،‫ تعلمنا يف اجلامعة كيفية تصميم وختطيط جتربة كاملة‬.‫أكون أحد المصممني يف الدوحة‬ .‫لتوصيل االحاسس والمعىن والموضوع والماشعر‬ :‫ قالت ابتسام‬،‫حاليا في مطافىء مقر الفنانين‬ ‫وعن عملها‬ ً

‫ اتوسع يف موضوع أطروحيت‬.‫أعمل عىل مواضيع تشمل دراسة علم النفس لألطفال‬ ‫واستخدم الرموز واألشكال ثالثية األبعاد للحصول عىل يشء تفاعيل ميكن أن ياسعد‬ ،‫ بشكل أاسيس‬.‫الناس عىل فهم كيف يشعر األطفال الذين ميرون بوقت عصيب‬ .‫يتعلق األمر بكيفية ارتباطنا هبم‬

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

What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to?

I want to work with community outreach, and as I said earlier, the general public may not understand what design is all about. I want to work with the community to help secure a future for those who believe in the benefits that designers can bring to the whole community. I want to showcase the abilities and capabilities of the university’s graduates and students and explain what, as graphic designers, they are capable of. Some of them are inventors, some are creative. There are huge events that feature engineers, but there’s nothing for designers. We did something similar at VCUarts Qatar and a lot of students used designs and 3D printers to create kits that people could use, including for t-shirts. A lot of visitors didn’t even know these were designed by students – that’s how genius the creations were.

‫ما هي مخططاتك للمستقبل؟ ما الذي تتطلعين الى تحقيقه؟‬

‫ قد ال يتمكن الناس‬،‫ فكما ذكرت اسبقً ا‬،‫أرغب يف العمل عىل توعية المجتمع‬ ‫ لذلك أرغب يف العمل مع المجتمع يف تأمني مستقبل‬،‫من فهم ماهية التصميم‬ .‫ألولئك الذين يؤمنون بالمزايا اليت ميكن للمصممني تقدميها إىل المجتمع بأرسه‬ .‫أريد أن أعرض قدرات خرجيي اجلامعة وطالهبا وأن أرشح قدراهتم كمصممي غرافيك‬ ،‫ هناك أحداث ضخمة حتتفي بالمهندسني‬.‫ ومهنم المبدعون‬،‫فمهنم المخرتعون‬ ‫ استخدم الكثري من‬،‫شيئا مماثالً يف اجلامعة‬ ً ‫ فعلنا‬.‫لكن القليل يشيد بالمصممني‬ ‫الطالب التصميمات والطابعات ثالثية األبعاد يف إناشء جمموعات ميكن للناس‬ ‫ اندهش الكثري من الزوار بأهنا كانت من تصميم‬.‫استخدامها مبا يف ذلك القمصان‬ ‫ أفتخر بالعديد من زماليئ الذين متكنوا‬.‫ كانت ذات تصميم مبدع وأخاذ‬- ‫الطالب‬ ‫ ختيل لو توسع هذا اإلبداع ليكون عىل نطاق دويل‬.‫من بدء أعمالهم التجارية اخلاصة‬ .‫أكرب بكثري‬

Some of the students went on to even start their own businesses. And it makes me proud that they’ve all come out of VCU. Now, imagine this on a much larger, international scale.

‫ عندما قمنا برحلة إىل روما‬.‫” يف الدوحة‬Maker Faire“ ‫قد نتمكن من تنظيم‬ ‫ كان مجيع المصممني المذهلني يف الثالثينات‬،”Maker Faire“ ‫للتعرف عىل‬ ‫ ولدينا اليوم خرجيون وطالب من نفس المستوى هنا‬.‫واألربعينات من العمر‬ .‫يف الدوحة‬

We could have a Maker Faire event in Doha. When we made a trip to Rome to check out their Maker Faire event, all the incredible designers were in their 30s and 40s. And we have graduates and students of the same caliber right here in Doha.

‫ الكثري من هذه الفعاليات منوذجي‬.‫أرغب يف المستقبل بالعمل مع االفعاليات‬ ‫ أرغب يف ابتكار جتارب مذهلة وعرض ثقافتنا‬.‫ نفس الفعالية سنة بعد سنة‬.‫للغاية‬ ‫ بل أعمل عىل حتسني الطرق اليت‬،‫ ال أرغب يف التحديث‬.‫وتقاليدنا بطرق أكرث إثارة‬ .‫أيضا‬ ً ‫ أريد أن يرى المجتمع أن هذه هي ثقافتنا‬.‫نقدمها‬

The other thing I want to do in the future is to work with events. A lot of them are very typical. It’s the same thing year after year. I want to create incredible experiences and showcase our culture and tradition in more exciting ways. I don’t want to modernize it, just enhance the way we present it. I want the community to see that this, too, is our culture.

Issue 5 — 69

ALUMNI News A LU M N I N E WS

wares and designs by Maryam Al Darwish,

Maryam Al Darwish (BFA ’15), was the guest

Tamader, Aisha, and Noor were also promi-

designer at “EDGE”, VCUarts Qatar's annual

nent at the exhibition. “Echoes”, Bouthayna Al-Muftah’s (BFA ‘09) first solo exhibition took place at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. Othman Khunji (MFA ‘15) was selected for

Noof Khalid M. A. Al Heidous (BFA ‘18),

the VCU Office of Alumni Relations’ 10 Under

Hissa A Al Hail (BFA ’18), Al Jazi Khalid

10 Award. He joins the ranks of 40 other

Al-Thani (BFA ’18), and Sara Haider A. A.

alumni who have accomplished success in

Mashhadi (BFA ’18) were recognized at the

fashion show, which took place at the Ooredoo Stage at Mall of Qatar. Aisha Jemila Daniels (MFA ’19) took part in a group exhibition “Visual Narratives” at Contemporary Art Platform Kuwait. The exhibition, subtitled, “Exploring culture and the self” connected artists investigating different aspects of identity.

their careers and within their communities.

Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s

Ahmed Al Jufairi‘s (BFA ’15) solo exhibition

The 10 Under 10 award recognizes noteworthy

Excellence Awards, which was held under the

titled, “Moveable Feast” took place at the

and distinct achievements made by alumni

patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin

Fire Station. Drawing inspiration from Chagall,

who earned their first VCU degree in the past

Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.

decade. Nominees are evaluated on their professional success, community contributions, or commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with the university. His exhibition titled, “Deconstructing the Sacred”, took place at Education City Mosque gallery area. The exhibition was a response to populist narratives that misrepresent religious practices, misinterpret social customs, and misconstrue cultural behaviors. Naila Al-Thani (BFA ’09) won the Sustainability prize for her work “Seam Unseam” at the Designing Future Techstyle symposium and competition in Hong Kong. “Seam Unseam” was on display as part of the International Exhibition at The Mills, a design and innovation hub in the Tsuen Wan district of Hong Kong, and at the Fashion Gallery at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Maryam Al Darwish (BFA ’15), Tamader AlSultan (BFA ’15), Aisha Al Mohannadi (BFA ’17), Noor Bahzad (BFA ’19), Begum Yigit (BFA ’17), Gihad Ataalla (BFA ’17), and Maryam Yousif (BFA ’18) were involved in various aspects of Shop Qatar Design District at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.

“The Start”, an exhibition by alumna Fatima Mohammed (BFA ’16) was at Workshop 3

Picasso and Van Gogh, the exhibition explored Ahmed’s Parisian experiences when he undertook an artist residency in Paris.

at the Fire Station. “The Start” presented an

Shouq Al-Mana’s (BFA ’17) solo exhibition

overview of her work during her residency at

titled, “A National Statement” took place at

the International Studio & Curatorial Program

Katara Art Center. “Through my art I attempt

(ISCP New York), in early 2019. The exhibition

to emphasize the emotional and patriotic

showcased the beginning of the development

response that was triggered by the blockade

of the petroleum and natural gas industry in

that began on June 5, 2017,” Shouq said. The

Qatar and how it helped the country grow

exhibition curator was Sara Al-Buainain (BFA

and modernize.

’17). Shouq also took part in a solo exhibition

Mona Makhlouf (MFA ’17) won gold in the Jewelry Design category at the Cairo Design

at Galeries Lafayette Doha. “Remember When...” by Ghada Al-Khater

Award. Mona's award-winning design was

(BFA ’12) and Georgetown University in Qatar

titled, “I Carry Your Voice”. The Cairo Design

alumnus Mubarak Al-Thani took place at Art

Award is the first designer platform in Egypt

29 gallery at the W Doha Hotel.

for award-winning design creativity and innovation in Egypt and in the Middle East, bringing together outstanding designers and celebrating the industry’s achievements. Hawa Stwodah (MFA ’16) was appointed Assistant Chair of the Fashion Design + Merchandising department at VCUarts in Richmond. She has taught in the Department of Fashion Design + Merchandising at VCU in Richmond since 2005.

Begum and another designer called Summer

Alumna Aisha Al Sowaidi (BFA ’09/MFA ’13)

Moustafa created the concept, designed the

was one of the speakers at the Qatar Muse-

The “Sketchbooks” exhibition at Al Markhiya gallery at Katara Art Center featured works by Bouthayna Al-Muftah (BFA ’09) and Fatma Al-Remaihi (BFA ‘10). Ahmed Al Jufairi (BFA ’15) took part in an exhibition with his mother, Hanady Al Othman titled “Perfect Duet” at Art 29 at the W Doha Hotel. The exhibition was part of Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture. Kaltham Al Kuwari (BFA ‘17) and Aysha Al Mohannadi (BFA ‘17), co-founded Design House Interiors, an interior design business.

floor plan of the event, produced branding

ums “Dialogues on Public Art” panel discus-

elements and all the design elements such

sion at the National Museum of Qatar. The

as free-standing sculptures, dining areas

panelists included artists Ahmed Al Bahrani

(BFA ’18) was on display at the Project Space

and furniture designs and the design of the

and Ali Hassan who talked about the different

in the Library.

uniquely hand drawn facades, and Gihad

dialogues of public art installations around

worked with the team to produce the facade

the city, why it is important to engage more

drawings. Maryam produced the map graph-

diverse audiences to increase awareness in our

ics for the venue. Pop-up shops displaying

communities and transform places.

70 — Issue 6

“Guardians”, a work by Nour Elbasuni

A LU M N I N E W S

President Rao makes Doha a stop on global alumni tour Dr. Michael Rao, the President of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), paid a visit to VCUarts Qatar in February 2019 as part of a 23-city tour visiting VCU alumni around the world. VCU has more 190,000 alumni worldwide, with VCUarts Qatar boasting more than 700 alumni, representing 50 nationalities.

Jewellery and Watches Exhibition 2019 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. Three original pieces of artwork inspired by David Webb jewelry and the Qatari women that captivate her, were on display throughout the exhibition. In his address to the alumni, Dr. Rao stressed that VCUarts is a community committed to creative innovation. “VCUarts Qatar is unique in Doha and Education City in having the opportunity to lead Qatar

During his visit to Qatar, Dr. Rao met with Her Excellency Sheikha Hind

in design thinking,” he said. He also highlighted the creativity and

bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation.

entrepreneurship shown by VCUarts alumni throughout Qatar and

VCUarts Qatar was the first university in Education City and in 2018 it

around the world.

celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Dr. Rao credited his wife, Monica, with the idea of building VCU’s

In honor of his visit, a special luncheon took place at the univer-

alumni networks. He remembered how, when the first VCU Alumni

sity’s Saffron Hall where the President, and his wife Mrs. Monica Rao,

gathering at VCUarts Qatar took place in 2010, that only several

gathered with faculty and staff. Also present were Dr. Donald Baker,

dozen attendees were expected, but more than 200 alumni turned up

VCUarts Qatar’s Executive Dean; his wife Mrs. Heather Baker;

from throughout the region. That, he explained, was a true measure

and Jay Davenport, Vice President of Development and Alumni

of the impact that VCU, both in Richmond and in Doha, has had on

Relations at VCU. An alumni dinner was later held at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha and more than 70 alumni attended, as well as 20 faculty, some of whom were also alumni from VCU in Richmond. The evening opened with an address by alumna Bouthayna Al-Muftah, who explained to the attendees that the school had brought her to her fullest potential. She noted in her speech that her Foundation Year at VCUarts Qatar became the solid base on which the rest of her educa-

the region. Dr. Rao also recognized the important roles played by the university’s faculty, who, in their care for students and alumni, provide them with the tools to succeed. Executive Dean Donald Baker also addressed the alumni, and announced to the attendees that the Tasmeem Doha art and design conference, which ran from March 13–15, 2019 at VCUarts Qatar, would for the first time, be co-chaired by four alumni, Noha Fouad, Wajiha Prevez, Hadeer Omar, and Yasmine Sulieman.

tion was built. From her first appearance in a group show at Qatar

He also congratulated four graduates from the Class of 2018 who were

Museums’ Al Riwaq Gallery to her international shows in Berlin and St.

recognized at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s Excel-

Petersburg and a solo show at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art,

lence Awards, which was held under the patronage of His Highness

it was, she added, what she learned at VCUarts Qatar, that made her

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar. The

career possible.

graduates were Noof Khalid M. A. Al Heidous, Hissa A. Al Hail, Al Jazi

Bouthayna’s works were on prominent display in 2019 when she part-

Khalid Al-Thani, and Sara Haider A. A. Mashhadi.

nered with internationally renowned jeweler David Webb for the Doha

Issue 6 — 71

FACU LT Y & S TA FF ACH I E VE M E NT S

FAC U LT Y & S TA F F Achievements

Richard Blackwell, Rachel Cohn, and Diane

El-Hammali, Ph.D., was given the Council for

from Qatar Museums), led a workshop in

Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) Award for

metal casting, titled Made by Qatar at the Fire

Excellence for outstanding practices in interior

Station. The workshop took place with support

design education.

from Fire Station Artist in Residence, Qatar Museums, Rassas Battery Recycling Factory, National Factory for Copper and Aluminum, S’Hail Metals, and VCUarts Qatar. MFA in Design Associate Professor Marco Bruno received VCUarts Qatar funding (for Graphic Design Junior faculty Mahmoud

research) to develop strategies to improve

Abbas led a Junior Class in placing their mini

the conditions of mobile street vendors in low-

golf exhibition in the Qatar International Food

income countries.

Festival (QIFF).

Interior Design Assistant Professor Hiathem

Derr, along with Chris Buchakjian (then

Interior Design Assistant Professor Hiathem El-Hammali, Ph.D., and Information Technology Analyst Mona Youssef Kassem, and Chief Technology Officer Mirza Baig took part in the QU Digital Forum at Qatar University. Senior Specialist for Student Development Sarah Faheem served on the board of MENASA NASPA (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia Student Affairs Professionals

Manager of Institutional Planning & Analysis

in Higher Education) as Professional Develop-

Alumni Relations Coordinator Nancy Ahmed

Maureen Buja, Ph.D., has published ap-

ment chair. MENASA NASPA serves Student

from the Student Affairs department received

proximately 40 articles for an online classical

Affairs professionals in the Middle East, North

her Master’s degree in Business Administration.

musical magazine, Interlude.hk

Africa and South Asia. In addition to serving on

Graphic Design Assistant Professor Maryam

A chapter by Art History Assistant Direc-

Al-Homaid received Qatar Museums funding

tor Radha Dalal, Ph.D., titled, “The public

for her research for the “-162°C Trading Power”

space of the Bakewell Ottoman Garden” was

the board she presented twice at their events highlighting student development programs at VCUarts Qatar.

exhibition which took place in Tokyo and Doha.

published in “Travellers in Ottoman Lands”

Liberal Arts and Sciences Professor Ryad Gha-

She also received funding from Qatar National

(Archaeopress Publishing).

nam, Ph.D., received VCUarts Qatar funding

Research Fund for her work on a project titled, “Rapid Prototyping Through The Use Of 3D Wire Printing.”

Art Foundation Associate Professor Nathan Davis had 14 works of art acquired by the British Library and three works purchased by

Community Education Manager Aysha

the Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s Watson

AlKooheji received full and partial scholar-

Library. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at

ships to participate in programs such as the

DesignInquiry, in Devon in the UK.

Art in Culture Strategy Program at Penn State University, the IMKAN Cultural Leadership Training Program at Al Mawred Al Thaqafy in Lebanon, and a Certificate in Museum Studies by Goethe Institute & Sharjah Museums Department/ University of Applied Science (HTW Berlin) between Berlin and Sharjah. Art Foundation Assistant Professor Maysaa Al-Mumin received $15,000 from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture to support production of her film “J’ai le cafard.”

Art Foundation Associate Professor Nathan

banana kick taken by Brazilian soccer player Roberto Carlos in the Tournoi de France in 1997. The aim of the project, which was the idea of two independent school students, was to study the physics and the math behind the ball’s

received VCUarts Qatar funding for creating

curve and to write a system of equations that

unique merchandise for sale at Tasmeem

modelled the ball's path.

Doha 2019. A review by the Times Literary Supplement of “Space Science and the Arab World: Astro-

Interim Chair of Fashion Design Kimberly Guthrie spoke with Crystal Tannoury at the Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition at a Forum

nauts, Observatories and Nationalism in the

titled, “What's the Future for Green Fashion?”

Middle East” (2018), a book by Liberal Arts and

VCUarts Qatar was the Preferred Education

Sciences Associate Professor Jörg Matthias

Partner at the event.

Determann, Ph.D., was described as “fresh, funny and perceptive.” The total number of

Design program spoke on the subject of

citations of Determann’s publications has reached 89. His page on Academia.edu has

on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

been viewed close to 40,000 times and he has

(ADHD) Subjects: A FMRI Study” at the Medi-

over 1,600 followers.

cal Humanities in the Middle East conference.

less than or equal to five. He also created a Matlab program that simulated the famous

Davis and Director Simone Muscolino

Cherif Amor, Ph.D., the Chair of the Interior “Impact of Fluorescent Color Temperature

for research on minimal matrix representations of decomposable Lie algebras of dimension

Associate Professor of Graphic Design Basma Hamdy published “Khatt: Egypt's Calligraphic Landscape” (Saqi Books, 2018), a photographic journey through cities across Egypt documenting beautiful and unique examples of these found written expressions. One re-

Assistant Professor of Fashion Design Donald

viewer called the work “A sumptuous guide to

Earley and Junior students are working with a

a phenomenon that is simultaneously popular

and alumni were on display at Istanbul Design

Kuwaiti coffee chain to develop a new image

and increasingly under threat.” Amazon rated

Biennial. VCUarts Qatar faculty members

for its shop at The Pearl.

the book #29 in its Top 100 Books on Street

Works by VCUarts Qatar faculty, students

72 — Issue 6

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

Photography. She was also a guest speaker for

Art Foundation Associate Professor Jesse

Materials Curator Yasmeen Suleiman curated

a UNESCO Panel on “Where are the Women:

Payne received VCUarts Qatar funding for

two exhibitions at VCUarts Qatar: “Wheel Throwing Demo” and “What’s All This Stuff?”

Exploring the gendered distribution of female

his exhibition “By the Light of the Moon: A

teachers and students in TVET [Technical And

Nighttime Exploration of Disappearing Doha

Vocational Education And Training]”

Cityscapes’ which took place at the Fire Station.

Graphic Design associate professors Levi

Art Foundation Associate Professor Jesse

Hammett and Michael Hersrud received

Payne led a project that included 26 students

the Globe Living/Learning program in Rich-

VCUarts Qatar funding for research for the

from across the university who participated in

mond and was a finalist for the Innovation Cul-

a collaborative art project celebrating World

tural Awareness award. The program brought

Art Day in April 2019 as part of a community

together students from VCUarts Qatar and

“-162°C Trading Power” exhibition which took place in Tokyo and Doha. Fashion Design professors Ali Khan, Nayla Ahmed and Federica Visani received Qatar Museums funding for a project on Contemporary Arab Draping Techniques for women’s clothing. Library Systems Support Specialist Liya Louis presented a peer-reviewed poster on “Data Informed Decisions in the Library” at the AsiaPacific Library and Information Conference held in Australia. Liberal Arts and Sciences Assistant Professor Sadia Mir was awarded CN$17,500 from the Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship for the project “Invisible Worlds: Childhood Experience and Survival of Family Violence,” which focuses on domestic violence against children in Canada. She was also an Artist-in-Residence at the Writing Studio, Banff Center for Arts and Creativity, in Canada. Writing Center Instructor Nicole Mace-Abiad was recently appointed to serve on the Board of the Middle East-North Africa Writing Center Alliance. Nicole is also working on her second master's degree in Psychology through Arizona State University. Serials and Collections Coordinator Iman Mazhar led a five-person task force through a

Richmond to visit a refugee center in Greece

national Airport (HIA), Qatar Museums and

and to volunteer in supporting organizations.

VCUarts Qatar. The students were responsible

The award was sponsored by GoAbroad.com,

for a rotating gif that was shown at HIA

an organization supporting international study,

Arrivals, Departures, and on the flight

volunteer, intern, and teaching programs.

information screens throughout the airport during June 2–13, 2019. User Services Manager Ralston “Stone”

ings of Global Learning in Shaping Globallyengaged Citizens.

Strategic Business Unit Management from HEC Paris in Qatar. Interim Director of Art History Sean Roberts,

Liberal Arts and Sciences Professor Associate Diane Woodcock was awarded second prize at the 25th Annual Artists Embassy Interna-

Ph.D., took part in China's Central Academy

tional’s Dancing Poetry Contest for “Little Auks

of Fine Arts (CAFA) for their 100th anniversary

near the Arctic Circle.”

conference on art education in Beijing and spoke on the topic of “How to Write Global Art History.”

Writing Center Instructor Neihan Yaqoob received peer-reviewed acceptance for a workshop titled “Why Design? Aren’t We Writing

Liberal Arts and Sciences Professor Khaled

Papers?” and a presentation titled “Suspension

Saoud, Ph.D., received funding from Qatar

of the Peer Tutor Program: Why Writing Tutors

National Research Fund for a project titled, “3D

Studying Art & Design Failed to Bring Artistry

Printing of Polymer Composites for Energy and

in Tutoring Sessions?” which will be delivered at

Biomedical Applications.”

the International Writing Centers Association

Art History Associate Professor Jochen

Annual Conference later this year.

Sokoly, Ph.D., curated “Breaking the Rules: The

Liberal Arts and Sciences Assistant

Indian Miniatures of Ajay and Vinita Sharma”

Professor Byrad Yyelland, Ph.D., and Interior

for the Shaikh Faisal Museum.

Design Associate Professor Johan Granberg,

Assistant Professor Zach Stensen, raised over

tive data, including student feedback, in order

QAR 5,000 for Qatar Charity through a mobile

to prepare and present a list for formal recom-

t-shirt printing fundraiser at the Torba Farmer's

mendations for improvement to the library

Market in Education City.

the library's physical space.

funding for research on Current Understand-

department received his Master’s degree in

task force gathered qualitative and quantita-

for 2019-2020 to begin work on implementing

Instruction and Access Services Librarian Jacqulyn Williams received VCUarts Qatar

Pereira from the Technology Services

Painting and Printmaking sophomores, led by

the changes that will improve several areas of

service learning program in collaboration with

engagement initiative between Hamad Inter-

space analysis of the art and design library. The

space. The task force received a revised charge

International Education and Student Programming Specialist LaKisha Tillman coordinated a

Ph.D., received the Golden Film award from the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems Research and Cybernetics (IIAS) for their documentary film, “Living in the Above: Taveres Bastos Favela.” The film, a collaboration between an architect (Granberg) and a

Interior Design Assistant Professor

sociologist (Yyelland) is an ethno-architectural

Mohammed Suleiman was given the CIDA

portrait of life in a small neighborhood in Brazil.

Award for Excellence by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.

Art Foundation Director Simone Muscolino had his artwork acquired by the British Library.

Issue 6 — 73

A R E WA R D I N G AC A D E M I C R E VO LUTI O N

A R E WA R D I N G AC A D E M I C E VO LU T I O N

Cherif Amor

Cherif Amor has had a rich and rewarding academic career so far – and it continues to evolve even now, more than 30 years in. Amor arrived on the VCUarts Qatar campus in 2013, and was an ideal fit for the position of Chair of the Department of Interior Design. After four years, he is now enjoying a shift to the Administrative side of the house, with the recently announced post of interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Qatar campus. Amor formerly served as the director of the Interior and Environmental Design graduate program at Texas Tech University, a department that included three programs – an undergraduate Interior Design Program, an undergraduate Fashion Design Program, and the Interior and Environmental Design graduate program. Amor is a passionate teacher who ensures that his teaching is imbued with research projects that inform and add a dose of reality and truth to the learning experience. “Real world projects, collaborative endeavors, and evidence-based approaches are what fuel my teaching programs, thereby generating classroom environments conducive to learning,” he explains. Both at the graduate and undergraduate teaching levels, his students find pleasure in acquiring, storing, analyzing, retrieving, and applying acquired knowledge. His undergraduate students find themselves engaged in real-life projects that culminate in outstanding competition awards. The majority of his graduate students’ research projects result in both presentations and publications.

74 — Issue 6

‫شريف عمور ورحلة في إثراء التطور األكاديمي‬.‫د‬

،‫ حبياة مهنية أكادميية ثرية وجمزية‬،‫عاما‬ ً ‫ ومنذ أكرث من ثالثني‬،‫ رشيف عمور‬.‫حظى د‬ .‫وال يزال يعمل عىل تطوير حياته المهنية واأل كادميية حىت اليوم‬ ‫ رشيف إىل حرم جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث كلية فنون التصميم يف قطر عام‬.‫وصل د‬ ‫ وبعد أربع‬،‫ واليوم‬.‫ كشخص مثايل لتويل مهام رئيس قسم التصميم الداخيل‬،2013 ‫ رشيف إىل اجلانب اإلداري حيث يشغل اآلن منصب العميد‬.‫ انتقل د‬،‫سنوات‬ .‫الماسعد للشؤون األ كادميية باإلنابة‬

‫ رشيف اسبقً ا كمدير لربناجم الدرااست العليا يف التصميم الداخيل والبييئ‬.‫عمل د‬ ‫ برناجم التصميم‬:‫ وهو قسم شمل ثالثة براجم هم‬،‫يف جامعة تكاسس للتكنولوجيا‬ ‫ وبرناجم الدرااست العليا يف التصميم‬،‫الداخيل وبرناجم تصميم األزياء للطلبة اجلامعيني‬ .‫الداخيل والبييئ‬ ‫ يعمل عىل أن تكون عملية التدريس مشبعة مباشريع‬،‫ رشيف معلم معروف بشغفه‬.‫د‬ .‫حبثية تُعلم وتضيف جرعة من الواقع واحلقيقة إىل جتربة التعليم‬ ‫ والماسعي التعاونية والمناهج القامئة‬،‫ رشيف “ماشريع العالم احلقيقي‬.‫ويوضح د‬ - ‫ فصول دراسية‬- ‫ فهي تعمل عىل توليد بيئة‬،‫عىل األدلة هي أاسس براجمي التعليمية‬ ‫ جيد طالبه (يف المستويني اجلامعي والدرااست العليا) متعة يف‬.”‫مواتية للتعلم‬ ‫ جيد طالب المرحلة اجلامعية‬.‫اكتاسب المعرفة وختزيهنا وحتليلها واستعادهتا وتطبيقها‬ ‫ كما تنبثق العديد من العروض‬.‫أنفهسم يف ماشريع واقعية تنافسية ممزية تتوج جبوائز‬ .‫التقدميية والمنشورات عن ماشريع وحبوث طلبة الدرااست العليا‬ ‫ وتعد أنشطته والمنح‬.‫ رشيف مبماراسته البحثية الموسعة والمبتكرة‬.‫يعرف د‬ ‫والمنشورات والعروض التقدميية اليت تستخدم السلوكيات البيئية وحاسسيات علم‬ ‫ نتج عن ذلك حصوله عىل عدد‬.‫األعصاب يف إعالم الفن والتصميم جديرة بالمالحظة‬ ‫ هذه‬.2017 ‫” عام‬ERDA“ ‫من اجلوائز البحثية المتمزية مبا يف ذلك جائزة التمزي البحيث‬

A R E WA R D I N G AC A D E M I C R E VO LU T I O N

Amor is well known for innovative research practices and the expansive subject areas they cover. His grant activities, publications, and presentations using environmental behavior and neuroscience theoretical sensitivities to inform art and design are notable. This has led to a few distinguished research awards including the 2017 ERDA Certificate of Research Excellence CORE Award. This particular award recognizes rigorous, valuable, and impactful practice-based research that sparks innovation and promotes best practice in environmental design. Some of his other noteworthy awards include the 2016 QF Annual Research Conference: “Neuroscience and Interior Architecture: Impact on Autism”; 2016 Environmental Design Research Association Award and “Service Award Related to Research”. Amor earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Architecture, with an emphasis on the “Semantics of the Built Environment” from the Department of Architectural Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia (2000). Prior to that, he completed his Master’s degree in Architecture (M.Phil in Architecture) with an emphasis on “Architecture and Environmental Design” from the School of Architecture, University of New Castle Upon Tyne, England (1987). Amor is recognized for his outreach and engagement in support of the design community. Even with a heavy load of teaching, research, and administrative commitments, he is a benevolent and altruistic contributor to the disciplines of art, design, architecture and environmental design. He has served as the chair of the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) interior design network. Similarly, he has served as an Ambassador for the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ), as well as a curriculum review consultant for the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC) and as curricular design consultant for Middle East Design Colleges. His dedication to the fields of art, design, architecture, and environmental design is no secret. In the last academic year, he became one of the four International Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) official consultants. These positions are reserved for scholars who have demonstrated a strong appreciation for the accreditation process, an in-depth understanding of art and design disciplines and have exhibited traits such as open-mindedness and dependability. He now looks forward to what his new phase as an interim Associate Dean at VCUarts Qatar holds, “We have a rich and vibrant culture here, with talented and passionate teachers and learners in our midst, ready to take VCUarts Qatar to new places,” he says, “I enjoy working with every one of them, to see what is next. I am excited by the possibilities.”

“We have a rich and vibrant culture here, with talented and passionate teachers and learners in our midst, ready to take VCUarts Qatar to new places”

‫اجلائزة بالذات تعرتف بالبحوث القامئة عىل المماراست الصارمة والقيمة والفعالة واليت‬ ‫أيضا عىل العديد‬ ً ‫ كما حصل‬.‫تثري االبتكار وتعزز أفضل المماراست يف التصميم البييئ‬ ‫ “العلوم‬:2016 ‫من اجلوائز األخرى مهنا جائزة مؤمتر األحباث السنوي لمؤسسة قطر عام‬ ‫ التأثري عىل مرض التوحد”؛ جائزة مجعية حبوث التصميم‬:‫العصبية والعمارة الداخلية‬ .”‫ و“جائزة اخلدمة المتعلقة بالبحوث‬2016 ‫البييئ عام‬ ‫ مع‬،‫ رشيف عىل درجة الدكتوراه يف التصميم البييئ والهندسة المعمارية‬.‫حصل د‬ ‫ كلية العلوم‬،‫الرتكزي عىل “دالالت البيئة العمرانية” من قسم الدرااست المعمارية‬ ‫ رشيف عىل‬.‫ حصل د‬،‫ قبل ذلك‬.2000 ‫ كولومبيا عام‬،‫اإلناسنية جامعة ميسوري‬ ‫درجة الماجستري يف الهندسة المعمارية مع الرتكزي عىل “الهندسة المعمارية والتصميم‬ .1987 ‫ إجنلرتا عام‬،‫ جامعة نيو كاسل أبون تاين‬،‫البييئ” من كلية الهندسة المعمارية‬ ‫ حىت مع وجود عبء‬.‫ رشيف بتواصله وماشركته يف دعم جمتمع التصميم‬.‫يستمر د‬ ‫ فهو ماسهِ م فعال ودؤوب يف‬،‫ثقيل من االلزتامات التعليمية والبحثية واإلدارية‬ .‫ختصصات الفن والتصميم والهندسة المعمارية والتصميم البييئ‬ ‫ منصب رئيس شبكة التصميم الداخيل جلمعية‬:‫شغل العديد من المناصب أهمها‬ ،‫ ومنصب سفري المجلس الوطين لمؤهالت التصميم الداخيل‬،‫أحباث التصميم البييئ‬ ‫وخبري استاشري لمراجعة المناهج الدراسية الحتاد تكاسس الدويل للتعليم ومستاشر‬ .‫يف تصميم المناهج الدراسية لكليات تصميم الرشق األوسط‬ ‫ تم‬.‫تفانيه يف جماالت الفن والتصميم والهندسة المعمارية والتصميم البييئ ليس رسا‬ ‫ كأحد االستاشريني األربعة للمجلس الدويل العتماد‬،‫االستعانة خبرباته يف العام المايض‬ ‫ ختصص هذه الوظائف للباحثني الذين أظهروا تقدير ًا قوي ًا لعملية‬.‫التصميم الداخيل‬ ‫وفهما عميقً ا لتخصصات الفن والتصميم ومتزيوا بسمات مثل االنفتاح‬ ،‫االعتماد‬ ً .‫واالستقاللية‬ ‫رشيف اآلن إىل ما حتمله مرحلته اجلديدة كعميد ماسعد “لدينا ثقافة غنية‬.‫يتطلع د‬ ،‫ مع كل هؤالء المعلمني والمتعلمني الموهوبني والمتحمسني بيننا‬،‫ونابضة باحلياة هنا‬ ‫ “استمتع بالعمل‬:‫حنن عىل استعداد لالرتقاء باجلامعة إىل مراحل جديدة” ويضيف‬ .”‫ وأنا عىل ثقة واستعداد لكافة االحتماالت‬.‫مع كل واحد مهنم لمعرفة التايل‬

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A D E S TI N ATI O N FO R D I A LO G U E

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

Exhibitions at The Gallery The “Younes Rahmoun: Little Worlds, Complex Structures” exhibition, which was curated by Laura Barlow, a curator at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, took place from September 20 to October 20, 2018. Described by the UK’s Guardian newspaper as “one of Morocco’s most important artists”, Rahmoun works across a diverse range of mediums, including installation, drawing, performance and video. His works have been presented at numerous exhibitions internationally including the Venice Biennial, and at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art.

The “Living Meshes” exhibition by artist Siglinde Langholz (November 1 to December 10, 2018) activated interdisciplinary art processes where the audience could touch, be part of the artwork, draw, create 3D-printed objects, smell, and leave traces in the gallery. At the same time, it created worlds across individuals, species and scales, and how they tended toward the flickering of interdisciplinary artistic processes. Siglinde Langholz is an emerging artist from Puebla, Mexico. Graphic Design students and faculty also had the opportunity to work with Langholz on a collaborative project that involved a tour of Purple Island at Al Khor. Dr. Aspa Chatziefthimiou, a microbial ecologist and research scientist at Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar, who is examining the role of desert cyanobacteria, led the tour of the Island. Chatziefthimiou is an expert on local ecology, and she helped the faculty and students understand the different rocks, plants and the desert environment.

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The faculty and students collected samples from Al Khor, and with input from Chatziefthimiou and Langholz, brought the samples back with them to VCUarts Qatar, where they examined the samples with microscopes, and looked at their intricate structures. Using this as a source of inspiration, they created drawings, graphic images, and 3D renderings that then became part of the Living Meshes exhibition. The experience was documented by Graphic Design and MFA in Design alumna Hadeer Omar, who made a video that was also displayed at

the Living Meshes exhibition. From January 16 to February 23, 2019, Comfort Zone I (Home), which was curated by Daniel Berndt, with artists Basma Alsharif, Khalid al 01 02 03 04 05 06

Living Meshes Comfort Zone I (Home) Younes Rahmoun: Little Worlds, Complex Structures Faculty and students collecting samples at Al Khor Faculty and students collecting samples at Al Khor 3D renderings of the samples from Al Khor

Gharaballi and Setareh Shahbazi, featured works between cinema and installation, and centered on the human condition in relation to shifting geopolitical landscapes and natural environments. The exhibition also reflected on comfort on different levels, by taking the notion of home and privacy as a point of departure.

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Minber Exhibition at Art 29 gallery by the Painting and Printmaking Students From late November 2018, Art 29 gallery at the W Doha hotel hosted an exhibition by students from VCUarts Qatar’s Painting and Printmaking program, titled, “Minber”, which translates to platform or pedestal. The exhibition, a collection of artworks created by 15 junior and senioryear students, reflected their individual identities. The works, which ranged from still life, abstract and multimedia works to sculptures, embroidered pieces and retro-themed art encompassed several years of research and creative practices. Each of the artists’ conceptual and aesthetic backgrounds were represented in their works, and the contrast between their practices manifested itself in the way visual language was used. The students whose works were shown were Amna Al-Thani, Aisha Al Abdulla, Amna Al-Muftah, Amira Radhi, Amena Al-Yousef, Deepu 08

Prathyusha, Hana El-Leithy, Joseph Zampetti, Maryam H. Al-Thani, Muneera Al-Thani, Noor Alshebani, Sarah Jayyousi, Salma Awad, Tiflah Al Naimi and Yara Elfouly. The exhibition was scheduled to run until December, but was extended by popular request until January 31. Amna Al-Muftah, a third year student, was interviewed at the time of the exhibition by the Qatar Tribune, and said ,“Artists in Doha are being encouraged to use the resources available to them.” She added that the existence of VCUarts Qatar in Doha has contributed to a growing interest in fine art across the country.

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07 Works by Tiflah Al Naimi and Muneera Al-Thani at the Minber exhibition 08 Amna Al-Muftah 09 Work by Noor Alshebani

A D E ST I N AT I O N F O R D I A LO G U E

Artists in Residence program VCUarts Qatar’s Artists-in-Residence Azim Al Ghussein and asmaa al-issa presented their research and practice in dialogue with one another in their two-person exhibition, titled “intima’ – tanmiyah” at the Fire Station Artist in Residence Workshop 4. The exhibition took place from April 10 to 20, 2019. The work presented was in response to their experiences of living, teaching, and eating over a period of eight months prior to the exhibition. The exhibition marked the conclusion of their post-MFA residency program at VCUarts Qatar’s Painting and Printmaking department.

13 10 11 12 13 14

“intima' – tanmiyah” opening asmaa al-issa Work by Abdul Azim Al Ghussein Work by asmaa al-issa Abdul Azim Al Ghussein

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Lectures at VCUarts Qatar The annual “Crossing Boundaries” lecture series features globally recognized artists, designers and scholars, and intends to highlight the cross-disciplinary nature of art and design practice and research, while the exhibitions bring significant work from artists all over the world. “Cirque du Soleil: Innovation & Collaboration at the Heart of Costume Creation” took place on October 9, 2018 at the Atrium, and October 11, 2018 at Qatar National Library. In the Crossing Boundaries lectures, two of Cirque du Soleil’s key creatives took the audience behind the scenes of Cirque du Soleil’s highly regarded costume workshop that each year produces thousands of intricately designed and highly advanced costumes that are key to its success. They also met with Fashion Design students and talked about materials, technologies and techniques. On November 27 and 28, 2018, producer and filmmaker Oscar Boyson hosted a lecture titled “Learn the rules, then re-write your own alphabet” at the Fire Station Artist in Residence Cinema and Northwestern University in Qatar on notable triumphs of art and ingenuity over commerce and industry in recent history, and in his personal career as a producer and director. The topics of the lecture included the value of culture, the currency of trust versus monetary currency, information as renewable energy, turning nothing into something, and evolving definitions of sustainability within creative pursuits. Visiting designer Taekyeom Lee explored unconventional materials and

digital methods on graphic design at his lectures on February 5 and 7, 2019. In the interactive lecture, Taekyeom Lee shared not only the successes and failures of tool making processes, but his ongoing research efforts to develop, test, and find the place of emerging technologies in creative practices. 17

15 16 17 18 19 20

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Cirque du Soleil lecture Oscar Boyson lecture at Northwestern University in Qatar Taekyeom Lee Qatar Creates: Talks Lawrence Abu Hamdan Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah (center) with students

VCUarts Qatar, in association with Qatar Museums, hosted “Qatar Creates: Talks” in March 2019 ahead of the opening of the National Museum of Qatar. The “Fashion Talks” event was a moderated discussion between fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg and Kim Guthrie, the Interim Chair of Fashion Design at VCUarts Qatar. Award-winning artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan gave his Crossing Boundaries Lectures at the Museum of Islamic Art and VCUarts Qatar in April 2019. His series of live audio essays examined the contemporary politics of listening, and the importance of the “earwitness”. Jordan-born Abu Hamdan brought the audience through the earwitness testimony of survivors from Sayndaya prison near Damascus who were blindfolded or kept in total darkness for extremely long periods, and who developed an acute sensitivity to sound. The prison is inaccessible to independent observers and monitors, and the memories of those who survived it are the only resource available from which to learn of, and document, the violations still taking place there. Through new and dedicated techniques of earwitness interviews created by

Abu Hamdan, the witnesses reconstructed the architecture and events of the prison they experienced through sound. Abu Hamdan’s audio investigations have been used as evidence at the UK’s Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and as advocacy for organizations such as Amnesty International and Defence for Children International.

Lecture by Leading Qatari Architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah Arab Engineering Bureau’s Group CEO and Chief Architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah gave a talk at VCUarts Qatar to celebrate the completion of his new book, “Qatari Style”, which is published by Hirmer Publishers. He spoke about his desire to document the elements of a Qatari house. Dividing interiors into three categories of private (houses), semi-public (Majlis), and public space (museums, hotels, restaurants), Jaidah looked at a variety of Qatar buildings for his research to show how, beginning with traditional design, Qataris have used international travel to move through a transitional period where traditional and modern meet, and now have experience of contemporary design.

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FO S TE R I N G CO M M U N IT Y I NVO LVE M E NT

FOSTERING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Shop Qatar

Designs and Expertise by VCUarts Qatar on Display at Shop Qatar Design District

Begum and another designer called Summer Moustafa, created the

Shop Qatar Design District at Doha Exhibition and Convention

concept, designed the floor plan of the event, produced branding

Center took place from January 5–12, 2019, and designs and

elements and all the design elements such as free-standing sculptures,

expertise by VCUarts Qatar alumni, students and faculty were

dining areas and furniture designs and the design of the uniquely hand

prominent throughout.

drawn facades, and Gihad worked with the team to produce the façade drawings with them. Hagar helped them with the outdoor food

Pop-up shops by VCUarts Qatar alumni Maryam Al Darwish,

festival as well in which she arranged and created a layout for the

Tamader AlSultan, and Copper, by Aisha Al Mohannadi, along with

food trucks. Maryam produced the map graphics for the venue.

Noor Stationary by Graphic Design student Noor Bahzad, and SR by fashion design Professor Sonali Raman were among the 75 pop-up

The Shop Qatar Design District at Doha Exhibition and Convention

shops at the week-long event.

Center was organized by the National Tourism Council.

The pop-up shops at the event showcased unique and varied offerings, as well as customized services and beauty services, designer boutiques, artisanal shops. VCUarts Qatar also had a stand, and corsets designed by fashion design senior students were located prominently at the central, circular runway location where the audience was seated for the main fashion shows. International fashion shows and master-classes were also part of the event and faculty and students from VCUarts Qatar took part in the master classes. Students worked as volunteers in various roles throughout the event, such as backstage for the designers. Interior Design alumni Begum Yigit, Gihad Ataalla, Graphic Design alumna Maryam Yousif, and Interior Design student Hagar Ataalla were involved in various aspects of the amazing exhibition design.

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Continuing Education Program During 2018, the Student Affairs department launched the Continuing Education Program. The program aims to provide creative professionals with lifelong learning opportunities. The program offered the Creative Entrepreneurship course for business enthusiasts, the Green Materials course for interior designers and the Fashion Business Program for Fashion Designers. The Fashion Business Program focuses on business development and aims to provide participants with entrylevel business skills for the fashion enterprise market. The Continuing Education program aims to cultivate an understanding about the potential and value of art and design, as well as attracting, developing and supporting self-directed lifelong learners and creative innovators in Qatar and the region. In the coming year, the program plans to offer Art Therapy, Design Thinking, and The Creative Teacher’s Toolbox.

Alumni Program The Community Education program is a platform for VCUarts Qatar alumni to develop their creative teaching skills. More than 50 percent of the instructors are VCUarts Qatar alumni. A large selection of art, design and craft courses were offered such as animation, sketching, photography, oil painting and much more. Students signed up to various classes and deepened their understanding of art and culture while also learning new skills. The program proved to be beneficial for the alumni as well as for registering new students.

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Young Writers Program The U.S. Embassy in Qatar, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Qatar and VCUarts Qatar, celebrated the winners of the fifth annual “Young Writers Competition” on April 22, 2019 at Qatar National Library. Assistant Professor Sadia Mir was the primary instructor and curriculum developer for the teacher professional development sessions of the Young Writers Program and also of the student writing workshops. The Young Writers Program 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. Professor Mir joined the program in 2014, the program’s founding year. Students from 135 Ministry schools participated in the 2019 competition, making it the largest-ever Young Writers program. The Young Writers Competition is part of the larger Young Writers Program, designed to encourage Qatar’s youth to read, write, and think critically about important topics in their society.

The Gallery School Programs VCUarts Qatar’s Gallery School programs are run by an alumni and

November 29, 2019, when 35 students from Grade 6 visited the “Living

a student, Nourbanu Hijazi and Salma Awad. The coordinators cre-

Meshes” by Siglinde Langholz. In fall 2018, the number of students who

ate educational workshops based on a current exhibition. Michael

attended the community classes totalled 233, 117 of which were Qatari.

E. DeBakey High School – Qatar visited VCUarts Qatar twice. Five

231 students were part of the classes in spring 2019 of which 92 were

students from Grade 12 visited for the first time on October 17, 2018,

Qatari. The figures for late spring 2019 were 153 in total, of whom 80

for the “Younès Rahmoun: Little Worlds, Complex Structures” exhibi-

were Qatari. Summer 2019 saw 155 Qatari students and a total of 210

tion as part of their advanced art program. The second time was on

students attending the community classes.

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VCUarts Qatar Marks 20 Years with Publication of “Cultivating the Arts” Early in 2019, VCUarts Qatar’s leaders, faculty and staff gathered at

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in her message notes that, “The tradition of innovation that led Qatar Foundation to partner with VCUarts two decades ago is as vibrant as ever.”

the university’s Library for the launch of “Cultivating the Arts.” The book is a commemoration and celebration of the university’s 20th

In her message, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani

year in Qatar and is dedicated to the university’s alumni and to the

highlights that VCUarts Qatar’s alumni “have assumed leadership

faculty, staff and administrators who contributed to the evolution of

positions in every sector of Qatar society, from government to retail,

VCUarts Qatar.

infrastructure, entertainment, sport, and media, contributing significantly to the nation’s social, cultural and economic progress.”

The book details the growth of the university from its early days in 1998 when it was originally called Shaqab College of Design Arts, to

“Cultivating the Arts” includes many highlights from VCUarts Qatar’s

2001 when it became VCU School of the Arts in Qatar, and then in

20 years of ground-breaking achievements by its students, alumni,

2002, when it became a branch campus of Virginia Commonwealth

faculty and staff, such as its annual fashion show, landmark exhibi-

University in Richmond, with the first degrees awarded in 2002, and

tions and lectures, innovative designs and visits by famous artists and

on to its notable successes across two decades.

designers. The book shows the university’s many and varied roles in innovation, research, and in cultivating the arts, its ability to ignite the

“Cultivating the Arts” includes messages of recognition and congratu-

imagination of its students, and takes a look at alumni who are shap-

lations from Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the Co-founder

ing the future and who have expanded on their education and created

and Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, and Her Excellency Sheikha

new opportunities for the country. The book closes with “20 Years of

Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of

Excellence”, a summary of the success of VCUarts Qatar as it closes its

Qatar Foundation.

second decade.

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“Cultivating the Arts” was distributed to all of the libraries of Education City’s universities and schools, and is also housed at Qatar National Library. Dr. Sohair Wastawy, Executive Director of Qatar National Library said: “Your gift is a valuable addition to our collections and will help the library carry on with its role as a beacon of enlightenment and knowledge.” Everette E. Dennis, the Dean and CEO of Northwestern University in Qatar described it as “an inspiring publication, beautifully designed (as one would expect, of course) but well- written and a real “keeper” among what are so often boring institutional documents. This one sings and the photos are superb.” Executive Dean Dr. Donald Baker, who signed the first copy of Cultivating the Arts as it was launched, explained how the book covers the field trips, the exhibitions, the fashion shows, and the graduations, as well as the many social events, such as Karak Hour and all the festivities that were held to celebrate the university’s 20th anniversary. He also signed copies of the book for the faculty, students and staff of the university who were there to collect their copies of the book. The book was designed and produced by Akkadia Press, and the editors were Priya D’Souza and Nadia Y. Abudayeh.

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CL A S S O F 2019

Commencement “You are creative scholars who embody the very best of our university and illuminate the very meaning of our humanity. I know you will use your vast talents to benefit humankind.” These words, spoken by Dr. Michael Rao, The president of Virginia Commonwealth University, captured the excitement of the Commencement, which took place on May 6, 2019 at Multaqa, (Education City Student Center). Family, friends, faculty and staff joined together to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates, and to applaud each other’s collective efforts in helping the graduates reach their goals. The keynote speaker at the Commencement was popular Qatari contemporary composer, songwriter and symphonic artist Dana Al Fardan. She told the students, “Today you are stepping onto a new platform; a global marketplace where your talents and skills represent your international currency, and art the international language.” The Class of 2019 co-valedictorians, Hind Ghanim Al Saad and Yeon Geong Hwang, both graphic design graduates, contributed to the evening with a well-received speech in which they thanked their families, fellow graduates, friends and faculty,

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C L A SS O F 2019

and looked forward to what comes next. Al Saad said, “All of you make up our community, and because we were surrounded by you, we grew as people, developed ways of seeing, thinking and reflecting, which completely shifted our perspectives of the world; we started to notice all the small details and see all the connections. It was a creative community of like-minded people, and that was our creative fuel, which made us grow and develop further as creatives, by allowing new perspectives to come in.” Hwang thanked her batchmates, classmates, the university staff and the amazing faculty in her speech. “Sometimes I think our faculty suffers a bit more than us, and for that, we are very thankful,” Hwang said. The university conferred 68 Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Painting and Printmaking, and Art History, and eight Master of Fine Arts degrees in Design. Sixty percent of the graduating students were Qatari. University Honors Program The Honors Program at VCUarts Qatar is designed to fulfill the needs of talented and academically high-achieving undergraduate students. The program offers an advanced liberal education that cultivates

Cum Laude; 10 graduated Magna Cum Laude and six graduated Summa Cum Laude, which amounted to 48 percent of the class graduating with Latin Honors. Additionally, five graduated with University Honors.

interdisciplinary research, creativity, multicultural literacy, self-de-

Honors and Awards

velopment, experiential learning, and community-building. Students

The Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB) presented the 2019 awards for

are expected to complete a number of honors-level courses in a

Design Excellence, and Creative Achievement and Potential to three

diverse range of disciplines that will help prepare them for careers or

graduating and three junior students from VCUarts Qatar at a special

graduate-level learning.

event at VCUarts Qatar’s Libraries on April 11, 2019. AEB’s Group CEO

The context and mission of the program represents a synthesis of the 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 questions, and explore values; the program champions artistic excel-

and Chief Architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, a longtime supporter and friend of VCUarts Qatar, presented the Arab Engineering Bureau Award for Design Excellence in Graphic Design to graduating student Reham Mohamed, and for Design Excellence in Interior Design to graduating students Naurin Najeeb and Yasamin Shaikhi.

lence and self-expression; and as part of VCUarts Qatar and Qatar

The awards were instituted by Jaidah to encourage and assist gradu-

Foundation, the program strives to contribute to the development of

ating students as they start their careers as designers in Qatar and

Qatar through creative innovation and collaboration. The end result of

the region. Jaidah is recognized as a pioneer of a new architectural

this unique convergence is an honors program deeply committed to

movement that combines the far-reaching influences of Islamic art

developing cultural diversity and interdisciplinary study in a context of

with modern styles to create memorable landmark structures that are

academic and creative excellence.

shaping Qatar.

To graduate with the distinction of University Honors, students admitted to the program must complete a total of 24 honors course

“It is important to us to support creative talent in Qatar. Hence we are pleased to offer AEB awards to VCUarts Qatar students in Interior

credits in a variety of different academic and creative fields, as well as

Design and Graphic Design for the 14th year in a row. By supporting

undertaking an Experiential Learning Project. Honors students must

creativity, we are playing a small but important role in raising the

maintain a 3.5 grade point average, and they are required to submit

future generation of leaders in the design industry in Qatar and the

a dossier that details and reflects on their undergraduate education

region. Also, I am pleased to see some of VCUarts Qatar alumni secure

prior to graduation. In 2019, University Honors were conferred upon Aaqifa Altaf, Anusheh Humayun Zaman, Nourin Najeeb Kesavathu P. and Nimrah Kabiruddin. Latin Honors The students showed remarkable academic achievement. From the undergraduate students that graduated in May 2019, 11 graduated

jobs and assume important positions in the government and private sector in Qatar, which is a testament to the quality of education they received at VCUarts Qatar,” he said. The Arab Engineering Bureau Award for Creative Achievement in Graphic Design was presented to Graphic Design junior Destarte Prieto, and for Creative Achievement in Interior Design to Interior Design juniors Raneem Arafeh and Nouf S. Al-Mohannadi.

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BFA + MFA Exhibition Sustainability, space exploration, virtual reality, mental health, migration, boutique hotels, ocean life, and Arabic typography were just a few of the fascinating subjects tackled at the 2019 VCUarts Qatar BFA + MFA Exhibition. The exhibition, which ran until May 18, 2019, 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 and printmaking disciplines. The exhibition, which connected the visitors with the next generation of artists and designers, showcased the creative achievements of all graduating students.

C L A SS O F 2019

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C L A SS O F 2019

Annual Fashion Show The 20th edition of the university’s show, titled “EDGE” was held on April 27, 2019, at the Ooredoo Stage at Mall of Qatar in front of 200 specially invited guests and shoppers and onlookers. The fashion event was sponsored by the Mall of Qatar, Salam International, HEYA, and partnered with Tajmeel Qatar International Beauty Academy, Trinity Talent Qatar, and MARTIANS. The show featured collections from sophomore, junior, and senior students from VCUarts Qatar, as well as three senior students from the University’s Richmond campus. The designs ranged from “luxeleisure,” jumpsuits featuring prints developed in collaboration with the department of Graphic Design, to dresses embellished with messages that challenge the meaning of eveningwear. “We hope that this year’s show presents an unexpected and innovative approach to fashion design from a group of energized students who are ready to define the fashion market in Qatar and the region,” said Kimberly Guthrie, the interim chair of VCUarts Qatar’s Fashion Design program. VCUarts Qatar alumna Maryam Al Darwish, who graduated with a BFA in Fashion Design from VCUarts Qatar in 2015, was the guest designer at the show. A number of awards were given on the night. The Salam International Award went to Ayesha Rafiq for her collection titled, “Apocalypse Now.” This year marked the 90th anniversary of VCUarts’ founding, and the 50th anniversary of the school’s fashion show. 2019 was the 20th anniversary of VCUarts Qatar’s fashion show.

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THANK YOU VCUarts Qatar’s remarkable achievements would not have been possible without the generosity 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 201 9 A R A B E N G I N E E R I N G B U R E AU M A LL O F Q ATA R TA J M E E L Q ATA R I NTE R N ATI O N A L B E AUT Y AC A D E M Y SA L A M I NTE R N ATI O N A L

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 S E N I O R VI CE PR E S I D E NT FO R AC A D E M I C A FFA I R S, VCU R I CH M O N D CO - CH A I R H.E. M R. R ACH I D M O H A M M E D R ACH I D M A N AG I N G D I R EC TO R , Q I NVE S T LLC

MEMBERS M A R K RO B B I N S PR E S I D E NT A N D CEO, A M E R I C A N AC A D E M Y I N RO M E D R. G U N A L A N 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 A RT & D E S I G N U N IVE R S IT Y O F M I CH I GA N D R. 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 K A RO L G R AY S E N I O R VI CE PR E S I D E NT A N D CH I E F FI N A N CI A L O FFI CE R VCU R I CH M O N D N A N CY S COT T I NTE R I M D E A N, VCU S CH O O L O F TH E A RT S, R I CH M O N D D R. A M A L M O H A M M E D A L-M A LK I FO U N D I N G D E A N, CO LLEG E O F H U M A N ITI E S & S O CI A L S CI E N CE S H A M A D B I N K H A LI FA U N IVE R S IT Y (H B KU) M S. WA D H A A L H A J R I FO U N D E R , W W W.WA D H A .CO

E X- O F F I C I O M E M B E R (S) AMIR BERBIĆ D E A N, VCUA RT S Q ATA R M S. AYS H A A L-M U DA H K A D I R EC TO R , S TR ATEG I C I N ITI ATIVE S A N D PA RTN E R S H I P S D E VE LO PM E NT, CEO O FFI CE , Q ATA R FO U N DATI O N

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. TH A N K YO U

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