Bait Al Zubair will have a series of cultural activities – art, music, film, debates and seminars throughout 2016 supporting the creative sector in the country, says Paul Doubleday, General Manager of Bait Al Zubair Foundation in an interview with Oommen John P.
Can you highlight Bait Al Zubair’s work in Oman?
Bait al Zubair opened in 1998 to showcase the best of Omani heritage and culture to Omanis and visitors alike. Since then we have been growing the collection and the complex itself to be the foremost collection of Omani heritage, art and culture in the country.
Although Bait al Zubair is now much more than a museum, our mission is to preserve, protect, present, promote and advance Oman’s rich cultural heritage through our carefully assembled collections.
We have become known as the premier arts and culture hub in Oman offering a wide range of cultural experiences to people, both local, resident expatriate and tourists, of all ages. We provide support for both established and up-and-coming young creatives to develop, learn and explore as well as to exhibit, perform or install their works in order to broaden the knowledge and awareness of Omani heritage and contemporary creativity.
What are the rare collections that are on display at the museum?
Most of the collections are very rare indeed. I think the collection of jewelry and silver is some of the finest in the world and our collection of Omani art is probably the largest on public viewing in the country. There are a number of individual items which catch the visitors’ eyes, such as the Omani dress collection which showcases the differences in dress around the country and the collection of maps and photographs are striking.
What are some of the exclusive exhibitions that have been organised?
Bait al Zubair works with a wide range of national and international partners in museums, visual arts, music and education instituions. Most recently, we have been working with the Ministry of Heritage and Culture in Oman to host the Fifth GCC Archeological Exhibition which showcased archeological treasures from prehistory onwards. In terms of visual arts, we will be hosting an exhibition from the Italian Museum of The Sea in Genoa throughout December 2015. The landscapes and seascapes of north east Italy pictured in the exhibition reflect the mountains and rocky coastlines of Oman and the artists colour palate reminds one of the hues of the pomegranate and the date harvest. Throughout all of our work, we invest in cultivating creativity amongst Omani young people. Working with Omani state schools and colleges we provide tailored education programmes for free and encourage young Omanis to be the custodians of Omans’s future culture.
How has been the public response to the exhibitions at Bait Al Zubair Museum?
The response to our varied cultural programme is excellent. Throughout the year, we have well over 85,000 visitors to Bait al Zubair as well as over 6,000 school children who engage with their heritage and art. Feedback from our visitors is amazing and makes us proud with our visitors’ book full of complementary comments – most people would like us to be larger and offer more and more.
Are there any specific initiatives to promote art in Oman?
We have been working with the Ministry of Education on their new initiative to up skill newly qualified teachers. Working in partnership, over 140 Omani art teachers have been trained to engage their students in gallery exhibitions. Earlier this year, over 1000 children explored the Cobra exhibition from Holland and learned how artists from the 1940s created new work. In December, a further 700 Omani children will create new works based on the Gian Marco Crovetto exhibition from Italy which will be open to the public from December 9, 2015 to January 2016.
What are the future plans of Bait Al Zubair Museum?
We are expanding our galleries currently and will be showcasing the best of Omani costume in the coming season partnering with the Centre for Omani Dress. We will also be bringing regional creativity to Oman with Loud Art, an exhibition and series of debates, workshops and discussions around creativity and its economic impact, exploring how young people can harness their creativity for economic benefit. Throughout 2016, we will have a series of cultural activities – art, music, film, debates and seminars supporting the creative sector in the country as well as creating a destination venue where people will ask – ‘what’s on at Bait al Zubair this week …’