ROM Welcomes H.E. Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi
for 10th Annual Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture
President of Sharjah Art Foundation will talk on “Art and Culture in the Gulf”
Lecture takes place on November 10, 2015 at 7:00 pm
TORONTO, October 27, 2015—The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) will present its annual Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture on November 10, 2015 at 7:00 pm featuring H.E. Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President of the Sharjah Art Foundation. In her talk, “Art and Culture in the Gulf”, Al Qasimi will discuss her experiences injecting contemporary approaches into a region with a traditionally conservative culture to make Sharjah a globally recognized creative hub.
Al Qasimi visits Toronto at a time when the City’s arts and culture community is thriving. Her talk focusses on the evolution of the Sharjah Art Biennial, founded in 1993, into a diverse and program-filled foundation that supports artists worldwide. In addition, Al Qasimi will look at the importance of location, community engagement and education, research and commissions and the Foundation’s focus on publications and conferences. The lecture will be followed by a Q&A between Al Qasimi and Murray Whyte, Toronto Star art critic and cultural journalist.
Born in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, Al Qasimi was shaped by the region’s burgeoning artistic and cultural landscape and has played an active role in its redefinition. An artist herself, Al Qasimi has expanded the Gulf’s art and culture outreach to a wider audience through her work as the President of the Sharjah Art Foundation and organizer of the Sharjah Bienniale. A leader in the global art community with a focus on local engagement, her experience includes curating the UAE’s National Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015 and roles on the boards of several leading art organizations.
“It might not be as flashy as Dubai or Qatar — but Sharjah has become a creative hub, thanks to a sheikh with a penchant for botany and his daughter, Hoor Al Qasimi, whose talent lies in gentle transgression.” New York Times - February 9, 2015
Tickets to the Eva Holtby Lecture are available at www.rom.on.ca and priced at: ROM Members ($18.00 plus HST), General Public ($20.00 + HST) and Teachers and Students ($15.00 + HST).
The Eva Holtby lecture is generously supported by the Holtby and Schury Families.
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Contact
Jesika Arseneau, Publicist
jesikaa@rom.on.ca
416.586.5558
ROM Contemporary Culture
Following a 20 year history of culturally diverse programming, the Institute for Contemporary Culture at the ROM (ICC at the ROM) has become one of the Museum’s five Centres of Discovery and is now ROM Contemporary Culture. ROM RCC is a catalyst that engages today’s leading creators and thinkers who challenge us to look at our world anew, show us historical linkages, and point us to future possibilities. Through innovative exhibitions and contemporary programs, the centre provides insight and inspiration to help our community make sense of the modern world and connect with one another.
About the Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture
Supported by the Holtby and Schury Families and now in its 10th year, the Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture brings powerful voices to the Museum to discuss provocative and engaging contemporary ideas.