21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Qatar Tribune
QM chairperson opens expo on cultural role of food in Islamic world
QNA
Doha
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani inaugurated the exhibition 'A Seat at the Table: Food & Feasting in the Islamic World' at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
The exhibition is 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 till November 8, 2025.
It is curated by Senior Curator of Decorative Arts & Design at Lusail Museum Dr Tara Desjardins and Curatorial Affairs Researcher at Museum of Islamic Art Teslim Sanni.
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.
Director of Museum of Islamic Art Shaika Nasser Al Nassr 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 the present. 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.
The exhibition also 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.
Al Nassr said that the exhibition is presented in five main sections that reflect the diversity of culinary traditions in Islamic societies and highlight the richness of this cultural heritage throughout the ages.
Al Nassr explained that the exhibition offers an immersive experience, beginning with the 'Breaking Bread' section, which focuses on the concepts of continuity, change, and the spirit of community through representing the tannur, a traditional oven used by different cultures from around the world to bake various types of bread, including Arabic bread, Iranian flatbread, and Yemeni Lahoh bread.
She added that the 'Food and Faith' section explores Islamic customs related to food, displaying manuscripts and artifacts bearing Quranic verses. It also highlights Islamic occasions associated with food, namely Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.
Moreover, the 'Itinerant Ingredients' section explores the history of global exchanges that arose as a result of the spice trade and the transfer of food ingredients along ancient trade routes, all the way to Qatar. It also showcases the intertwined historical relationship between food and medicine in Islamic civilisations.
Al Nassr added that the 'Dining with the Sultan' section offers a glimpse into the traditions of banquets in the courts of kings, where royal banquets were a symbol of wealth and influence, the grander the occasion, the more elaborate the dishes. Attending these lavish banquets required the wearing of fine clothing and the use of luxurious utensils, along with entertainment shows that added to the palace atmosphere.
The final section, 'Contemporary Cuisine: We Are What We Eat,' exhibits modern food habits through 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 in food production and consumption.
