Tribune News Network
DOHA
Qatar Museums has officially opened ‘Seeing Is Believing: The Art and Influence of Gérôme’, a significant exhibition that delves into the art and legacy of the renowned French painter and sculptor Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904).
In honour of the 200th anniversary of the artist’s birth, the exhibition is organised by the upcoming Lusail Museum in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and curated by Emily Weeks, guest curator at Lusail Museum; Giles Hudson, curator of Photographs at Lusail Museum; and Sara Raza, guest curator at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
On view until February 22, 2025, the exhibition showcases over 300 remarkable works, organised into three interconnected sections that aim to invite a reconsideration of Gérôme’s art and artistic impact through both historical and contemporary lenses.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, accompanied by Dr Julia Gonnella, director of Lusail Museum, and Zeina Arida, director of Mathaf.
Seeing Is Believing provides a comprehensive exploration of Gérôme’s life and travels throughout the MENA region, shedding light on his profound impact on European perceptions of the Middle East and North Africa. The exhibition showcases iconic paintings from the Lusail Museum’s exceptional collection of Orientalist art, works from Mathaf’s collection of Arab modern art and Qatar Museums’ general collections alongside notable loans from prestigious institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Islamic Arts Museum in Malaysia, as well as private collections and art galleries.
In a groundbreaking approach, the exhibition pairs Gérôme’s historical works with contemporary art works and newly commissioned pieces from contemporary artists, including Babi Badalov and Nadia Kaabi-Linke. This dynamic integration invites visitors to engage critically with Gérôme’s legacy and consider its relevance in today’s global art narrative.
The exhibition ensures a diverse range of perspectives on Gérôme’s complex legacy, highlighting the technical mastery of the artist’s work.
The exhibition unfolds across three interconnected sections: A Wider Lens, A New Gérôme presents new research on Gérôme’s life, artistic techniques, and travels, showcasing works that illustrate his influence on subsequent generations of artists; Truth is Stranger than Fiction highlights the relationship between Gérôme’s paintings and contemporary photography, offering insights into how the medium influenced his artistic practice and perception of the East; and I Swear I Saw That situates Gérôme’s work within a contemporary, post-colonial context, featuring modern interpretations that challenge traditional narratives and provoke discussions about identity and power structures.