The Fire Station: Artist in Residence launched an exhibition titled “The Present: The Future of the Past.” This exhibition is a showcase of the creative endeavours of 31 alumni who have participated in Qatar Museums’ Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program. Visitors can experience this exhibition until December 16, 2023, in the Fire Station’s Garage Gallery, Gallery 3, and Gallery 4.
“The Present: The Future of the Past” presents artworks produced during the residencies for the years 2021-2022 (AIR 6) and 2022-2023 (AIR 7). It offers a peek into the inner workings of artists’ studios and their creative processes, from initial concept to final realisation. The resulting artworks span various mediums and provoke thought and emotion. The Fire Station’s AIR program is a nine-month residency designed for artists of all disciplines in Qatar, providing them with support for production, curatorial guidance, and mentorship from experts. The program offers well-equipped studio spaces and unrestricted access to facilities like a fabrication lab, woodshop, and exhibition spaces. Upon completing their residencies, artists are granted the opportunity to exhibit their transformative works publicly at the Fire Station.
Khalifa Ahmad Al Obaidli, Director of Fire Station, expressed, “The Present: The Future of the Past exhibition epitomises the essence of our Artist in Residence program at the Fire Station. Our residency program plays a pivotal role in nurturing Qatar’s art scene, fostering local talent, and cultivating a thriving creative community. As a vital component of Qatar Museums’ Creative Hubs, we actively contribute to the vision of building a robust and sustainable cultural infrastructure, instrumental in shaping the future of art in our nation. We invite everyone to join us at Fire Station to explore the captivating works of these artists.”
Saida Al-Khulaifi, Exhibition Curator of the Fire Station, added, “This exhibition celebrates the power and potential of the artistic process. From what often starts as a seemingly simple idea, a concept can undergo a marvellous transformation, evolving from an intangible thought into a tangible visual or auditory presentation that deeply resonates with viewers. During their nine-month tenure from September to June, artists had the invaluable opportunity to explore this phenomenon and wholeheartedly embrace its transformative power. The exhibited artworks represent diverse experiences, nurtured through numerous stages, and lovingly embraced within the artist’s studio—a realm teeming with imagination, often defying the constraints of physics and reality.”
The exhibition features works by a roster of artists, including Abdulaziz Yousef, Abdulrahman Almuftah, Arman Mansouri, Aya Battiri, Charlene Kasdorf, Fatima Javed, Hind Alobaidli, Lucy Martin, Noor Alkharaan, N&LS, Sharefa Al Mannai, Simon Mortimer, Yousef Fakhroo, Amna Almuftah, Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Voyyyd, Abir Zakzouk, Ali Al-Naama, Farah Al Sidiky, Fatima Al-Yousef, Hazim Hussain, Hemanth Madupu, Johnatan Machado, Mohammed Abdullah Alhamadi, Luke Webb, Maha Al-Sulaiti, Noof Al-Theyab, Noor Al-Kuwari, Sarah Jayyousi, Sheikha Al-Khulaifi, and Wadha Al-Mesalam.
Entrance to this exhibition is free of charge for adult residents of Qatar or GCC countries.
About Fire Station
The Fire Station, established in 2015, is an artist residency program in Qatar, dedicated to nurturing and promoting the country’s artistic community while enriching its cultural landscape. Located within a repurposed fire station designed by Qatari architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, this nine-month program supports creatives across all disciplines. It empowers emerging artists through production assistance, curatorial guidance, and expert mentorship. During their residencies, artists collaborate with global professionals who recognise Qatar’s growing influence in the arts. The Fire Station offers expansive studio spaces, a theatre, a café, and galleries hosting both local and international exhibitions.
Location: The Fire Station’s Garage Gallery, Gallery 3, and Gallery 4
Dates: August 30 to December 16, 2023