As Qatar’s cultural sphere continues to expand, one individual has set their mind to chronicling the nation's journey. Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums and sister to the ruling emir, recently debuted the book The Power of Culture. The tome, currently on sale, is both a guide to Qatar’s artistic channels and a memoir.
Now, with support from the Qatar Creates organization, Sheikha Al-Mayassa is launching a podcast of the same name. Each edition will feature a one-on-one interview between the host and leading creatives. The inaugural episode was released last Sunday featuring Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jacques Herzog, who is in the midst of designing the forthcoming Lusail Museum, a global think tank and art center set to be located in Lusail City.
“I strongly believe that culture is the most powerful means of bringing people together, sparking the kind of dialogue that enables us to learn, grow, and cooperate, and inspiring ideas that reverberate across the creative industries,” said Her Excellency in a statement.
Future guests on the podcast include artists Sophia Al Maria, Olafur Eliasson, and Jeff Koons; architects Alejandro Aravena, Rem Koolhaas, and Fatma Ibrahim Al Sehlawi; and curators and museum directors Julia Gonnella, Zeina Arida, Abdulla Yousef Al Mulla, and Massimiliano Gioni, as well as arts patrons like Lord Jacob Rothschild and Marie-Josée Kravis.
“2022 was a historic year for Qatar, when our nation had the opportunity to share with the world our culture, heritage, and vision for the future … The Power of Culture shares the evolution of Qatar’s creative journey through conversations with regional and international trailblazers and sheds light on the importance of innovative and actionable plans to support communities around the world,” explained Al-Mayassa.
Each 30 to 45 minute conversation will be available across streaming platforms, and dives into the guest’s background, their work in the arts at large, and their specific contributions to projects in Qatar. The podcast and book are both part of Qatar Creates’s mission to help achieve the country’s Qatar National Vision 2030 goals, which aim to strengthen the nation’s existing arts infrastructures.
With museums designed by the likes of Jean Nouvel and I.M. Pei, as well as a plethora of public artworks and additional projects underway, the nation is solidifying itself as an international art hub—a process that has taken off in recent years, largely under Sheikha Al-Mayassa’s stewardship. Her latest releases are a chance not only for reflection, but to chart the next step in this rapidly accelerating undertaking.
