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Doha, October 15 (QNA) - Qatar Museums on Wednesday announced the presentation of two major exhibitions celebrating the life and career of I. M. Pei (Ieoh Ming Pei [1917–2019]), the architect behind the Museum of Islamic Art and one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. The exhibitions will open to the public on 30 October 2025.
Titled I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, the first exhibition will be presented at Al Riwaq Gallery in collaboration with M+ Hong Kong, marking the first full-scale retrospective of Pei's seven-decade career. Meanwhile, I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle, organised by the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in collaboration with the future Art Mill Museum (AMM), offers an in-depth exploration of Pei's design for one of Doha's most celebrated cultural landmarks.
Together, the two exhibitions will offer an unprecedented dual perspective on the internationally acclaimed architect. Curated and organised by M+ in 2024, the travelling exhibition I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture brings together more than 400 objects, including original drawings, architectural models, photographs, films, and archival materials from institutional and private collections that reveal Pei's unparalleled vision.
Pei's work spans an extraordinary global reach—from the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., to the modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, each of which features prominently in the exhibition.
HE Acting Deputy CEO of Exhibitions, Public Art, and Rubaiyat Qatar at Qatar Museums Sheikha Reem Al-Thani said: "Qatar Museums is honoured to host I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, a landmark exhibition offering profound insights into the life and impact of one of the most influential architects of the modern era".
She added: "We are grateful to M+ Hong Kong for their pivotal role in bringing this exhibition to Doha, exemplifying international collaboration and the exchange of ideas across cultures".
"By presenting Pei's work within our evolving cultural landscape, Qatar Museums reaffirms its commitment to advancing global dialogue in art and architecture.
Additionally, we are excited to announce a series of architecture workshops with esteemed architects and universities. These workshops will provide unique educational opportunities, fostering a deeper understanding of architecture's transformative power and its capacity to shape both space and society," Her Excellency stressed.
I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art highlights the architect's journey to define "the essence of Islamic architecture" and his creative process in developing the Museum, commissioned in 1999 by the Father Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Through original sketches and models, photographs, archival documents, early acquisitions from MIA's collection, and a newly commissioned film, the exhibition traces the conception and realisation of MIA.
Director of the Museum of Islamic Art Shaika Nasser Al Nassr said: "The culminating masterpiece that I. M. Pei created for our museum has been a source of wonder and inspiration for everyone who has stepped into its breathtaking spaces and is now a symbol of Doha recognised around the globe. We are deeply grateful to all the contributors to this exhibition, who have enabled us to tell the story of a building that is now essential not only to our museum but to the world."
The two exhibitions, on view through 14 February 2026, will be accompanied by a comprehensive public programme featuring talks by architects and scholars, curator-led tours, workshops, and educational activities for families and school groups.
Together, these initiatives offer a rare opportunity to experience the full breadth of I. M. Pei's creative legacy, from his transformative global practice to his enduring influence in Qatar.
The exhibition I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture is presented in six thematic sections that explore how Pei engaged with his work within diverse social, cultural, and biographical contexts. The sections are: Pei's Cross-Cultural Foundations; Real Estate and Urban Redevelopment; Art and Civic Form; Power, Politics, and Patronage; Material and Structural Innovation; and Reinterpreting History Through Design.
Launched by M+ Hong Kong, I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture was first held in Hong Kong from June 2024 to January 2025, before beginning its world tour at Power Station of Art in Shanghai from April to August 2025, where it welcomed more than 163,000 visitors.
Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, expressed her pride in continuing the exhibition's journey in Doha in collaboration with Qatar Museums, noting that the Doha presentation carries a special resonance as it highlights one of Pei's most significant projects, the Museum of Islamic Art, which reflects his profound sensitivity to place and culture.
She added that this international partnership underscores a shared commitment to bringing Pei's legacy to global audiences, fostering meaningful cultural dialogue, and inspiring new generations in alignment with M+'s mission.
Meanwhile, I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle takes visitors behind the scenes of one of the 21st century's most celebrated architectural masterpieces.
The exhibition is curated by Aurélien Lemonier, Art Mill Museum Curator of Architecture, Design and Gardens, and Zahra Khan, Art Mill Museum Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, in close collaboration with Dr Mounia Chekhab Abudaya, Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
The exhibition traces Pei's creative journey as he sought to distil the "essence of Islamic architecture" and embody it in the design of the Museum of Islamic Art, which opened in 2008.
Through architectural models, archival documents, timeless artworks, and specially commissioned filmed interviews, I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art offers an unprecedented look at the bold vision and meticulous craftsmanship that shaped this cultural landmark of the Gulf.
The presentation unfolds across seven sections, beginning with rarely seen materials from the 1997 International Architecture Competition, held to select an architect for the Museum of Islamic Art, including drawings and archival photographs of proposals by Zaha Hadid, Charles Correa, and Rasem Badran.
Pei's search for inspiration took him across the Islamic world, culminating in a visit to Cairo's Ibn Tulun Mosque, whose geometric progression from square to octagon to circle became a guiding principle for the MIA's design.
Also on view are paintings and photographs from Qatar Museums' collections that depict historical sites, which informed Pei's vision and which he studied extensively. These include a 19th-century watercolour The Gateway at Fatehpur Sikri and an albumen print by Nasser Al Din Shah titled The Tomb of Zobeidah, Wife of Harun Al Rashid.
Among other exhibition highlights are Pei's original sketches and early models, rediscovered in his New York office and donated by The Estate of I. M. Pei to Qatar Museums. These include the intricately detailed Sectional Model of MIA and the Partial Facade Model of the Main Entrance of MIA, revealing how the architect translated concept into form.
The exhibition also presents a selection of early acquisitions that reflect the depth and richness of Islamic art and the vision of MIA in representing the "essence" of Islamic Art. On display are a 10th-century astrolabe, one of the earliest recorded in the world, from the collection of renowned collector Jassim Al-Homaizi; a finely carved Norman ivory chess piece (12th century) from Sicily; an elegant mosque lamp made for Sultan Al Nasir Muhammad bin Qala'un in 14th-century Cairo; and MIA's distinguished copy of Kitab suwar Al Kawakib Al Thabita (The Book of Fixed Stars) by Abd Al Rahman Al Sufi.
Running concurrently with I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, Qatar Museums will launch a new programme titled Architecture and Design, Turning Vision Into a Universal Dialogue. This series of initiatives forms Qatar Museums' new platform for architectural discourse, encompassing exhibitions, workshops, lectures, film screenings, and academic collaborations. The programme will establish a global forum celebrating architecture, expanding dialogue, reimagining possibilities, and envisioning the future.
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture and I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle are presented as part of Evolution Nation, an 18-month campaign honouring Qatar's cultural journey over the past 50 years since the founding of the National Museum of Qatar.
Curated by Qatar Creates, the national movement positioning Qatar as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity, Evolution Nation highlights the country's cultural milestones and future aspirations. Within this framework, the Years of Culture initiative celebrates Pei's transcultural vision, with his Museum of Islamic Art in Doha standing as a symbol of cultural exchange between Qatar and the world. (QNA)
