Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi speaks to Rolling Stone with rare candour about the mission that has shaped his life’s work: breaking ground on Barjeel’s first dedicated museum in Sharjah, set to open in January 2028; co-editing a landmark book bridging Arab and Indian art; and reflecting on the Arab Spring, a moment he calls the most consequential of his lifetime. Read more »
Arts & Culture
The Sheikh and His Canon
“Our task here is to rescue artworks, archives and stories before they disappear in yet another war.” Sultan Sooud al-Qassemi uses his fortune and his connections to track down the Arab world’s masterpieces. Read more »
Investing in Knowledge: A Scholarship in Memory of Bassem Sabry
AUC partners with Friends of Bassem Sabry to establish the Bassem Sabry Arab Citizen Endowed Scholarship in economics. Read more »
Discovering the Soul of West Asia: The Collection of the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah
Are you curious about discovering art from different parts of the world? One of the beauties of digitalization is that you can travel in space and time without setting a foot in front of your door. Thanks to Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, you might choose to explore the diverse world of West Asia by getting lost in the foundation’s constantly growing online art collection. Read more »
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi on art: L’institutrice by Gazbia Sirry
Barjeel Art founder Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi looks at the role of the educator in Arab society through a 1954 painting by Gazbia Sirry. Read more »
Treasures of the House – Sama Dubai
This documentary episode introduces Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, and his journey as an art collector and cultural figure. It highlights how Barjeel preserves and showcases over 2,000 works of modern and contemporary Arab art, promoting regional heritage to local and international audiences. Read more »