(New York, September 21, 2022)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that Qatar Museums has provided a generous gift in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the opening of The Met’s Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia, which The Met intends to use to support, among other things, the Department of Islamic Art as well as capital projects within the Museum. In recognition of the support, a gallery presenting art from the Umayyad and Abbasid Periods (7th–13th centuries) will be named the Qatar Gallery.
Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met, commented: “The Met is deeply grateful to Qatar Museums for this extraordinary act of generosity. This gift is the latest instance of the longstanding relationship between our institutions and marks the start of a broad collaboration encompassing the exchange of exhibitions, programs, and scholarly cooperation. This critical support is especially meaningful as we mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of The Met’s renovated galleries, which continue to be a source of great interest and inspiration for our millions of yearly visitors.”
Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, said, “The establishment of the Qatar Gallery at The Met highlights the collegiality between our institutions and our desire to advance a crucial goal we hold in common, of heightening appreciation everywhere for the art of the Islamic world. We are proud to come together with The Met to honor the beauty, depth, and variety of a global tradition that spans fourteen centuries.”
As part of the collaboration, works from The Met’s collection will go on view at the I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art in Doha on October 26 in the exhibition Baghdad: Eye’s Delight. Focusing on the art of the Abbasid period—one of the two classical periods featured in the Qatar Gallery at The Met—Baghdad: Eye’s Delight is the inaugural special exhibition in the thoroughly reimagined Museum of Islamic Art, which reopens on October 5 with a complete reinstallation of its renowned permanent collection.
About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programs. QM preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
About The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met presents art from around the world and across time for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum's galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.
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September 21, 2022
Contact: Annie Bailis
Communications@metmuseum.org
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