Download the IKT Symposium 2025 programme as a PDF file

DISRUPTURE: Perspectives from the Arabian Peninsula

Part 1 Hosted by NU-Q / mm:museum Doha
Thursday, April 10, 2024, 1:30pm – 4:30pm  

1:30-4:30: Lunch and coffee available throughout the sessions

1:30: I. Opening Session Part 1 (Doha): Unveiling the Story

• Welcome remarks by Marwan M Kraidy, NU-Q Dean & CEO

• Overview of the agenda and speaker by Alfredo Cramerotti, Director of mm:museum at Northwestern Qatar and Symposium Co-Chair

1:45: II. Keynote Address: Things Bigger Than What Can Be Seen

• Keynote Speaker: Oraib Toukan, Artist and Researcher

•  Q&A Session (10 minutes) [moderator: Rana Kazkaz, Filmmaker and NU-Q Faculty]

Set up Section III 

2:30: III. Panel Discussions: Museum in the Making (2x 50 min each)

• Panel 1: Rethinking institutions (40 min)

  • Chaired by Zeina Arida, Director of Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art

Speakers:

• Lina Ramadan, Writer and Guest Curator, Qatar Museums

• Meriam Berrada, Artistic Director, Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden Marrakech and Tasweer Photo Festival, Doha

•  Caroline Hancock, Art Mill Museum Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

•  Sheikha Alanood Hamad Al Thani, Director of Rubaiya Qatar [remotely]

Discussion (10 min)

• Moderated by Zeina Arida

• Panel 2: Unlearning and relearning (40 min)

  • Chaired by Alfredo Cramerotti

Speakers:

•  Tirdad Zolghadr, Writer and Curator of Academic Engagement Mathaf

•  Nadine Khalil, Independent Art Critic and Curator

•  Effat Fadag, Artist, Curator and University of Jeddah Faculty

•  Miguel Blanco Carrasco, Arts and Culture Executive and Advisor at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City

•  Holiday Powers, Art Historian, Curator and VCUarts Qatar Faculty

Discussion (10 min)

• Moderated by Alfredo Cramerotti

Set up Section IV 

4:20: IV. Closing Remarks (10 min)

•  Acknowledgment of speakers, participants, and organizers for their contributions, with Alfredo Cramerotti and Maya Allison, Symposium Co-Chairs 

Part 2 Hosted by NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
Saturday, April 12, 2024, 9:00am – 1:00pm 

9:00-9:45: Coffee and Registration

9:45: IV. Opening Session Part 2 (Abu Dhabi): The View from the UAE

•  Welcome remarks by Awam Amkpa, NYUAD Vice Provost of the Arts, Dean of Arts and Humanities

•  Overview of the agenda and speakers by Maya Allison, Executive Director of the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Galleries and Symposium Co-Chair

10:00: V. Keynote Address: Museum Booms and Micro-ecologies

•  Keynote Speaker: Manal Ataya, Museums Advisor to the Sharjah Museums Authority

•  Q&A Session (10 minutes) [moderator: Terri Geis, Art Historian, Curator and NYUAD Faculty]

Set up Section VI 

10:45: VI. Rapid-fire case studies: Behind the Scenes (10 minutes each)

• “Archive”

  • Salwa Mikdadi, Founder of Al Mawrid: Arab Center for the Study of Art, with Bana Kattan, Curator, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project

• “Curatorial Practice”

  • Reem Fadda, Director Cultural Foundation and Director oof Culture Programming at Department of Culture and Tourism, Curator of the Public Art Biennial Abu Dhabi

  • Munira Al Sayegh, Curator, Founder of Dirwaza Curatorial Lab

  • Katia Arfara, Curator, NYUAD Faculty

• Discussion

  • Moderated by Andreas Valentin, NYUAD Faculty and Co-Program Head of Art & Art History

 Set up Section VII

11:40: VII. Rapid-fire case studies: Out Front (10 minutes each)

• “Institution”

  • Stephanie Rosenthal, Director, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project, with Hussein Mustafa, Senior Curator, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project

  • Tina Sherwell and Terri Geis, Co-Directors of the MFA at NYU Abu Dhabi

• “Place”

  • Pradeep Sharma, Director of Arts, Culture, and Heritage, Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation

  • Vilma Jurkute, Executive Director of Alserkal Initiatives

  • Bill Bragin, Executive Artistic Director, NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center

• Discussion

  • Moderated by Faisal Hassan, Director of 421 Arts Campus at MiZa

12:40: VIII. Closing Session: Change horizon (15 minutes)

•  Summary of key insights and actionable takeaways from the 2-part symposium by Lesley Gray, Principal and Head Curator, Barker Langham

•  Acknowledgment of speakers, participants, and organizers for their contributions, with Alfredo Cramerotti and Maya Allison, Symposium Co-Chairs

1:00–2:00: LUNCH with Delegates and Speakers and Community