QM to present Ektashif: Uzbekistan, featuring new works by Qatari artists inspired by their travels through Uzbekistan

Qatar Museums (QM) will showcase Ektashif: Uzbekistan, an exhibition opening on September 3 at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). This exhibition, spanning until November 28, presents new works by seven Qatari artists inspired by their travels through Uzbekistan. Organized by MIA in collaboration with the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ektashif programme provides international travel opportunities to artists seeking to explore the diversity of Islamic world's artistic traditions.

Previous editions of the programme have taken Qatari artists to India, Turkiye, Spain, and Morocco, where they honed their skills in traditional Islamic arts. This year's artists, including Aisha al-Muhannadi, Abdulla Fakhroo, Leena al-Aali, Maryam Abel, Ameena al-Boinin, The Nourah, and Hameed al-Qahtani, spent time in historical sites and participated in workshops with master craftsmen in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara.

Their artworks, featured in Ektashif: Uzbekistan, draw from these travel experiences, demonstrating the lasting impact of Uzbekistan's Timurid monuments, ceramic traditions, and living craft practices on the visual language of Islamic art across Central Asia. MIA's Director, Shaika al-Nassr, emphasized the program's mission to offer Qatari artists direct engagement with the diverse heritage of Islamic art, spanning thirteen centuries and stretching across continents.

The exhibited artworks highlight how these enduring traditions continue to inspire contemporary artistic practices.