Tasmeem Doha 2024 ‘Under Construction’ Builds on Role of Art and Design in Enabling Change

This year’s theme ‘Under Construction’ highlighted the critical role that art and design play in inspiring and enabling change. The theme also underscored how creative research inspires novel solutions to existing societal concerns

VCUarts Qatar wrapped up its latest edition of Tasmeem Doha titled ‘Under Construction’, last week.

Tasmeem Doha is an international, biennial, art and design conference hosted and organized by VCUarts Qatar since 2004. Each edition of Tasmeem Doha highlights a unique and contemporary theme within art and design, exploring novel concepts, methods and applications through masterclasses, discussions and workshops led by renowned designers and leading specialists from various fields.

This year’s theme ‘Under Construction’ highlighted the critical role that art and design play in inspiring and enabling change. The theme also underscored how creative research inspires novel solutions to existing societal concerns.

VCUarts Qatar’s Dean, Amir Berbić, welcomed the gathering, and said, “For the next few days we will step out of the everyday and into a world of our creation – with renowned artists, designers, practitioners, and thinkers to lead the way. The topics and experiences will speak to the complex and challenging times we are in – the reality that change is a constant, and there is a need for today’s designers, artists and creators to bring new and inventive ways of doing and thinking, and re-imagining our reality through innovation in design and creative production.”  

The opening keynote speech was delivered by Yasser Elsheshtawy, currently a Non-Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington D.C. and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Titled ‘(Re)Constructing Urban Spaces: Unearthing the Palimpsest in Arabia’ the talk focused on the city of Doha, and its rapid expansion in the context of other cities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The opening day also featured a panel discussion on the topic ‘Inner Structures – Outer Rhythms: The Politics of Contemporary Design from the SWANA Region’. It was followed by a number of events including the ‘168:01’ exhibition by Wafaa Bilal, a series of short films that looked back at previous editions of Tasmeem Doha, an exhibition titled ‘Tasmeem Reconstructed’ that displayed memorabilia from previous editions, and an audio-visual performance at the Innovative Media Studio.

The closing keynote speech was delivered by Bernard Khoury. Khoury is the founder and principal of Bernard Khoury/DW5 in Beirut and a previous Tasmeem Doha contributor from 2008. 

Eng. Mohammad Arqoub Al Khaldi, Chairman of the Execution Team of Cities Beautification Projects “Ashghal” stated: “We are pleased to sponsor Tasmeem Doha 2024, which celebrates inspiration and discovery, bringing together various specializations in the field of design, and because we are committed to building the best for the State of Qatar.”

Our sponsorship of the Conference reflects our contribution to promoting and encouraging creativity and the arts, creating a legacy of innovation and collaboration for present and future generations.”

This year, the conference was held at various locations across Doha, including but not limited to VCUarts Qatar’s campus in Education City, M7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha and Expo 2023 Doha in Al Bidda Park.

The three-day event featured workshops by technology gurus, critical theorists and robot makers in addition to practitioners in the core elements of Art and Design that VCUarts Qatar is currently engaging with. The workshops reflected this range – while workshops such as ‘Building a Painting – With Robots’, ‘Digital Craft. Carbon Fiber Bicycle’ and ‘Fologram’ highlighted the use of digital fabrication and virtual reality (VR) in design processes, others such as ‘Building Value from Conflict’ and ‘Reviving Third Places – A Case Study of an Education City Cultural Heritage Site’ placed psychological and cultural elements, tangible and intangible, front and center.

In parallel with Tasmeem Doha 2024, VCUarts Qatar is hosting an exhibition titled ‘Inner Structures – Outer Rhythms: Contemporary Arab & Persian Graphic Design’ featuring works by more than 30 graphic designers from the SWANA region. The exhibition is on display at The Gallery at VCUarts Qatar until April 6, 2024, and is curated by Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès, Ph.D.

‘Under Construction’ was organized during the 25^th Anniversary year of VCUarts Qatar. To mark the uniqueness of this year, Tasmeem Doha 2024 welcomed returning speakers and workshop leaders and VCUarts Qatar alumni, all of whom led or were involved in previous editions of the conference.

Tasmeem Doha 2024 ‘Under Construction’ took place with the generous support of Lead Sponsor Ashghal, Sponsor Sasol, and Community Partners Clay Encounters, Qatar Auto Museum, Earthna, and FROMM.

Photographs by Karen Dexter and Sunny Dave.