MIA exhibition explores cultural role of food across Islamic world

Qatar Tribune

03-05-2025

Tribune News Network
Doha
The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) has announced 'A Seat at the Table: Food & Feasting in the Islamic World', a large-scale exhibition exploring the cultural role of food across the Islamic world and within Muslim traditions.
The compelling exhibition is organised by MIA in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and will be on view from May 22 to November 8.
It is curated by Dr Tara Desjardins, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts & Design, Lusail Museum, and Teslim Sanni, Curatorial Affairs Researcher, Museum of Islamic Art.
This exhibition is also a legacy project of the Years of Culture initiative, a programme of collaborations between Qatar and partner countries that seeks to nurture mutual respect and understanding by building long-term cultural, social and economic ties.
Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, director, Museum of Islamic Art, said, 'Food has always been a powerful expression of culture, identity, and hospitality across the Islamic world. With A Seat at the Table, MIA is proud to present an exhibition that not only celebrates the beauty of culinary traditions but also invites reflection on how this food continues to shape who we are today.
'This collaboration with LACMA, inspired by their seminal Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting exhibition, has allowed us to build a uniquely local perspective, weaving together the historical and the contemporary to tell a story that is deeply resonant and richly layered.'
Featuring artworks and objects from the collections of MIA, Qatar National Library, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Lusail Museum and Qatar Museums' General Collections, the exhibition highlights the central role dining plays in Islamic cultures. Additionally, the exhibition delves into the evolving culinary traditions of the Islamic world, revealing both the distinctions and common threads that have shaped its rich gastronomic heritage over time.
Dr Tara Desjardins and Teslim Sanni said, 'This exhibition explores culinary traditions and practices from the emergence of Islam to the present day, highlighting key historical developments and contemporary challenges that shape our relationship with food. It also examines how trade and the introduction of new ingredients transformed dishes, and how feasting and dining etiquette defined courtly culture.'
The exhibition has five sections:
Breaking Bread:
This section focuses on continuity, change and community. Designed as an immersive experience, this section is installed in a gallery representing a tannur, a traditional oven used by cultures around the world to bake breads, including pita, Iranian flatbread, and Yemeni bread lahoh. Breaking Bread emphasises the universal pleasure of dining and how it brings people together.
Food and Faith:
This part looks at Islamic religious practices and customs around dining. Through manuscripts and objects featuring Quranic verses about food, it also discusses two of the most important festivals in Islam, both of which are connected to food: Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which traditionally includes the sacrifice of an animal.
Itinerant Ingredients:
The third section explores the global trade in spices and ingredients. It traces the expansion of Islam and trade networks across both nearby and faraway regions, including the introduction of foods such as wheat and barley grains and date seeds into Qatar, as well as the link between food and medicine.
Dining with the SultancSize:>
The section explores royal dining traditions where feasts represented wealth, power, and authority. The grander the occasion, the more elaborate the dishes, prepared with the finest ingredients. These opulent banquets were accompanied by extravagant attire, objects and entertainment, reinforcing the splendour of the ruler's court.
Contemporary Cuisine:
We Are What We Eat: The fifth section examines contemporary dining customs. This section explores three key themes: agriculture as a tool for nation-building and a way to shape identity; the growth of fast-food and food-truck cultures; and farm-to-table practices that emphasise a return to 'slow food' and sustainability.
Each section includes a video of a contemporary chef preparing a dish that reflects his or her traditions. In addition, an extensive series of interactive displays will invite children and families to engage in hands-on activities related to the sections of the exhibition.
In conjunction with the exhibition, A Seat at the Table: Food & Feasting in the Islamic World will offer a series of engaging public programmes designed to further explore the exhibition's themes and deepen the connection with the diverse cultural traditions highlighted.