"Embracing Narrative Creation: How a Middle Eastern Collector Employs Curating to Counter Stereotypes"
In the heart of New York, a sanctuary for visual stories is taking shape. This sanctuary goes by the name of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Art (IAIA), founded by Qatari curator and collector Mohammed Al-Thani in 2017.
Al-Thani's curatorial practice is focused on creating a space that fosters artistic familiarity with Arab and Islamic identity. His approach prioritizes subtlety, silence, and emotional connection over grand scale, inviting viewers to feel art’s narrative through brushstrokes and spatial experience.
The IAIA serves as both a gallery and a platform for artists, curators, scholars, and art practitioners. It houses a comprehensive and growing permanent collection of art from the Arab and Islamic worlds, with a mission to surprise and deepen public engagement with this region’s contemporary art.
One of Al-Thani's recent exhibitions featured the US institutional debut of Turkish-American artist Bilgé, an innovator in American Minimalism, bringing recognition to her conceptual and delicate paper-based works. This points to the institute’s impact in expanding contemporary art narratives and revisiting marginalized figures, situating Arab and Islamic art and artists firmly in global conversations.
Mohammed Al-Thani's curatorial practice is a form of soft activism. He believes in storytelling through art, and his endeavors offer a platform for artists, curators, scholars, and art practitioners from the region. His gallery in Manhattan is a sanctuary of intended creativity, not a display of random depictions.
Al-Thani believes that something as simple as paper can carry big ideas and emotions. He recommends visitors to sit with pieces like 'Bursting Echoes' by Nabil Kanso, a piece that mourns war and insists on remembrance. He advises the average passerby to open their heart to art without prejudice, emphasizing the importance of cultural intimacy over cultural translation in his practice.
Mohammed Al-Thani expresses hope that visitors will be inspired by the exhibition of Bilgé's work. He dreams of global museums curating Arab and Muslim artists' works alongside others to foster dialogue. His aim is to rewrite contemporary art histories and reintroduce forgotten voices.
The IAIA's role in New York — a global art capital — amplifies the visibility of Arab and Islamic contemporary art in a context often obsessed with spectacle and scale. By prioritizing storytelling and cultural heritage through art, Al-Thani and the IAIA contribute significantly to cultural preservation, cross-cultural understanding, and the diversification of contemporary art discourse.
References: 1. Artnet News 2. The Art Newspaper 3. The New York Times 4. ArtAsiaPacific
- The Institute of Arab and Islamic Art (IAIA) in New York, with its focus on Arab and Islamic art and identity, is disrupting the traditional narrative of contemporary art by showcasing the works of artists like Bilge, who brings Minimalism innovations to the table.
- Al-Thani, the founder of IAIA, emphasizes the emotional connection and storytelling through art as key elements of his curatorial practice, which he considers a form of soft activism.
- By prioritizing cultural heritage and storytelling, Al-Thani aims to rewrite contemporary art histories and reintroduce forgotten voices, contributing significantly to cultural preservation and cross-cultural understanding.
- As a global art capital, New York benefits from the IAIA's presence, as it amplifies the visibility of Arab and Islamic contemporary art, challenging the prevalent obsession with spectacle and scale.
