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Doha art show explores link between digital, creative world

Doha - The art festival will explore the complex relationships between the digital and the creative world.

The "International New York Times Art for Tomorrow Conference" kicked off in Doha with flamboyance. The show saw some of the fascinating names land down here to celebrate the festival of art.
The conference was opened by Shaikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums along with Arthur O Sulzberger, Jr, Chairman and Publisher of The New York Times Company.
"Technology, creativity and the city" is the theme of this year's edition of Art for Tomorrow Conference.
The art festival will explore the complex relationships between the digital and the creative world.
Speakers from the world of art, including Jeff Koons, Zaha Hadid, and Shaikha Al Mayassa spoke during the conference.
Art for Tomorrow brings together world-famous artists and architects, with leading museum directors, urban developers, policy-makers and financiers to address critical issues affecting the art world and their impact on the creative cities of tomorrow.
The major topics of discussion include how can true, untrammelled, artistic creativity be harnessed in the service of social and economic wellbeing? What is the civic responsibility of the collector in the digital age? The future of the Museum, virtual or 'real', and its contribution to urban or wider cultural contexts.
The conference touched upon the impact of digital technology on the practice, dissemination and acquisition of art and the role of art in developing or regenerating a nation's or city's authentic identity.
The exhibition featured an interesting selection of art installations featuring luminaries such as Prince Nikolaos of Greece, one of first connected artists in the world, who blends photographs with music and sound effects to further enhancing the viewing experience of the audience.
"I think it is very important for people to come together to exchange ideas. The more that we get together and exchange ideas, the better our society will be, whether it has to do with politics, art or society. We can only benefit from exchanging ideas and understanding each other," Prince Nikolaos said.
His seascape photographs are one of the highlights at the Doha exhibition. His 'H2Orizons' installation, which was created in collaboration with Soundwall, is a multidimensional triptych combining images he took of the Aegean Sea in Greece and music he himself curated. Soundwall, founded in 2013, creates wireless connected canvases, a powerful computer that enables a range of functionality that gives the artist new modes of expression and the audience a better experience. In particular, the canvas emanates vibrant sound. Shaikh Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani, a prominent Qatari artist, scholar and art collector, is also featured at the exhibition.
He is a figure known for cultivating and preserving modern and contemporary art in the Middle East and North Africa.
Louise Hunter, Managing Director of Summerhouse Media and curator of the exhibition, described the entire exhibition as "diverse, interesting and intriguing."
Another exciting feature of the exhibition is the Google Art Institute which allows visitors to delve into the world's cultural treasures, putting over 200,000 artworks and six million photos at their fingertips before they take a journey in virtual reality.
Other artists at the Art Lab are Ali Hossaini, Omar Khalifa, Androulla, Michael, Pia MYrvoLD and Laurence Winram.