Doha, October 13 (QNA) - Qatar Museums on Tuesday announced the exhibitions and events program for the inaugural edition of Rubaiya Qatar, a new international visual arts quadrennial running from Nov. 21, 2026, to Apr. 30, 2027.

Held under the patronage of HE Chairperson of Qatar Museums Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, the event is organised by ALRIWAQ Arts + Architecture.

Rubaiya Qatar aims to inspire and empower new generations of artists and thinkers, drawing on Qatar's vibrant cultural scene.

Events will take place at ALRIWAQ Arts + Architecture, the Museum of Islamic Art, Katara QM Gallery, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and public spaces across the country.

The inaugural edition explores global environmental issues, the social, political, economic and cultural significance of water, and Qatar's maritime heritage. Its exhibitions and public art installations bring together more than 120 artists from over 45 countries.

HE Deputy CEO of Qatar Museums for ALRIWAQ, Public Art and Rubaiya Qatar, Sheikha Reem Al-Thani, said the initiative reflects Qatar Museums' commitment to providing platforms for artistic research, experimentation and long-term production.

She added that through exhibitions, public art and audience programmes, Rubaiya Qatar would encourage sustained collaboration and artistic innovation, strengthening Qatar's role as a meeting point for ideas shaping future generations.

Director of Rubaiya Qatar Sheikha Al Anoud Al-Thani described the launch as a milestone for Doha, saying the city had become a platform for bringing contemporary art from the region and beyond to global audiences. She said the quadrennial would highlight non-Western perspectives, support ambitious new commissions, and place environmental and historical research at the heart of its curatorial vision.

The flagship exhibition, "Unruly Waters," curated by Tom Eccles, Ruba Katrib, Shabbir Hussain Mustafa and Mark Rappolt, features more than 30 new commissions by artists including Bani Abidi, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Sophia Al Maria, Majid Al Remaihi, Mohamed Bourouissa, Alia Farid, Ayoung Kim, Charles Lim, Naeem Mohaiemen and Yuko Mohri.

Opening on November 21 at ALRIWAQ Arts + Architecture, with additional presentations at the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, the exhibition explores the relationship between water and humanity, examining how winds, ocean currents and trade networks have shaped cross-cultural connections throughout history and the Gulf's place within them.

It brings together films, sculptures, paintings, installations, performances, community initiatives and workshops, alongside historical artefacts, including objects from the 10th-century Cirebon shipwreck, contemporary commissions and works from the Museum of Islamic Art collection.

Another exhibition, "Our Common Currents," opens at Katara QM Gallery on Nov. 22, featuring 12 international artists and collectives, four new commissions and works on loan. It examines humanity's relationship with water and its uses in daily life, agriculture and industry, alongside sustainability and environmental change.

Curator Lina Patmali said the exhibition explores humanity's interconnectedness with the natural world, linking Qatar with diverse geographical contexts and building on Qatar Museums' commitment to environmental sustainability.

New commissions include a site-specific sculptural installation and courtyard garden by Australian artist Taloi Havini, a work by Greek collective Latent Community exploring Qatar's varied landscapes, and a film by Mexican artist Miguel Fernández de Castro examining purity through the relationship between Arabian horses, desalination and salt.

"Seething Sea" will open at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art on Nov. 22. Curated by art historian Wadha Al Aqeedi, it brings together more than 50 artists and over 80 works from the museum's collection and loans, alongside a new commission by Jasem Al Sanea.

The exhibition explores the Gulf's longstanding relationship with the sea through faith, folklore, ritual and craft, bringing together works by three generations of artists from across the Gulf.

Al Aqeedi said the exhibition reflects how Gulf communities have lived from the sea and understood it through folklore, while inviting visitors to consider what the sea has given and the losses it faces.

The program will also introduce major public art installations at locations across Qatar, including MIA Park, the future Art Mill Museum, Barzan Towers, the National Museum of Qatar metro station, Al Khor and Al Qubaib plaza.

Complementary activities will include artist talks, lectures, performances, film screenings, tours and workshops, bringing together more than 130 artists, curators, thinkers, educators and cultural practitioners from Qatar and around the world. (QNA)