Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi joined the Middle East Initiative as the Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar. One of the ways he has engaged with the Harvard community and shared his expertise during the fall semester is through his study group titled “Investigating the Politics of Modern Middle Eastern Art.” The study group provided students and fellows from across Harvard with the opportunity to understand Middle Eastern politics from a unique perspective: through the study of the region’s art production. Read more »
Arts & Culture
‘Building Sharjah’: Book Documents the Rise of a Modern Gulf City
A new book titled “Building Sharjah” traces the architectural history of the city of Sharjah and the social and political contexts of its urbanization from the mid-20th century, from before the discovery of oil off its shores until the present day. Read more »
Insights from Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi: On Cultural Majlis and the Transition to the Digital Sphere
An insightful conversation between Khaleejesque and Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi about his Cultural Majlis platform, which has provided inspiration to so many artists and creatives during the lockdown. Read more »
AAIFAA celebrates and reflects during Arab American Heritage Month
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi discusses political undertones of iconic artworks of the 20th century in the Arab world, during an Arab Americans In Foreign Affairs Agencies (AAIFAA)-hosted virtual event in honor of National Arab American Heritage Month, April 14. Read more »
Remembering Dr Ramzi Dalloul
My most enduring memory of Dr Ramzi Dalloul (1935-2021) was at a dinner I hosted in my house in Dubai back in October 2014. I posed a question to Dr Dalloul asking him: “Can you tell us your philosophy behind collecting Arab art?” What I received was a 15 minute speech, parts of which are etched in my memory. Read more »
In Conversation with Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi
Mathqaf’s co-founders sat down with the Emirati founder of Barjeel Art Foundation and lecturer, Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, to talk about his philosophy of collecting, establishing Barjeel Art Foundation, cultural diplomacy, and teaching modern and contemporary Arab art. Read more »