Inaugurated in 2008, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha, Qatar, under the leadership of its Chairperson H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, holds one of the largest and most impressive collections of Islamic Art in the world, with works spanning across three continents and over 1,400 years.
Housed in one of the most exciting museum constructions of the modern era, a flagship building designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect I.M. Pei, which has since become one of Qatar’s iconic landmarks.
Now twelve years following its opening, MIA has embarked on a significant revamp of its premises which includes major facility enhancements. Above these enhancements, they have also included a full rehang of its permanent galleries: a significant step that reimagines the collection in its entirety, fully ready to shift to a more modern and inquisitive audience.
Our talk, A Journey to New Shores, will provide you with the historic background of this extraordinary museum, its numerous outreach activities and will offer a first-hand glance of the future galleries.
DATE
11 JANUARY 2022
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TIME
20:00 HKT (Tuesday)
13:00 CEST (Tuesday)
12:00 BST (Tuesday)
15:00 Doha, Qatar (Tuesday)
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SPEAKER
Dr. Julia Gonnella
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MODERATOR
Li-Chun Hu
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INFORMATION
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About the speaker
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Dr. Julia Gonnella is the Director of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. She joined Qatar Museums in April 2017. Inaugurated in November 2008, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is Qatar Museum’s flagship museum and one of Qatar’s best visited sites with one of the world’s leading collections of its kind.
As director, Dr Julia is responsible for the full leadership of this museum, its formative management as well as its full programming. Previously, Dr Julia worked in the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin. One of her principal research interests focused on the Citadel of Aleppo.
As a scholar of Islamic art and archaeology, she authored or edited ten books and over forty articles, including exhibition catalogues. She also has been teaching at Berlin and Bamberg universities.
Dr Julia earned both her B.A. in Islamic Art and Archaeology and M.A. in Social Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Art (SOAS) in London. She received her Ph.D. from the Eberhard-Karls-University in Tübingen.
About the moderator
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Li-Chun Hu is an independent art consultant specialising in Chinese ceramics and works of art. She has a background in classical music and industrial design before receiving her Master's in Art Market & Appraisals in England. Li-Chun's profession takes her to international Chinese art auctions, and she continues to give advisory services to private collectors, dealers, and regional auction houses around the world. Her connoisseurship, experience, and market acumen help her source the highest quality objects for a global client base.
