W Doha unveils new art destination: Art 29

W Doha Hotel & Residences will be opening Art 29, which spans the hotel's 29th floor, and will showcase the works of emerging local, regional and international artists.

“We have established ourselves not just as a luxury hospitality brand but also as an entity that is proactively engaged in the community," said W Doha general manager Safak Guvenc, in a statement.

He added: "We have seen growth in the arts and cultural realm of Qatar and the region as a whole. Hence, we have taken this huge step of being the first hotel to dedicate a full space to showcasing these talents. Whether they are budding or established artists, they have a platform to be seen here at Art 29. This is only the beginning of our efforts and the wider public can expect us to strengthen this further in the coming months with more exhibitions lined up.”

The first exhibition at Art 29 begins today, March 19, until March 26 and features photography and videography from students at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ). Titled “Shifting Spaces & Forgotten Walls”, the exhibition showcases small businesses located on Al Shagab Street in Qatar’s Old Al Rayyan Area.

The initiative, by a group of graphic design students and faculty from VCUQ, is an attempt to engage with the wider community in Qatar. The exhibition will be available for public viewing daily from 9am to 7pm; entry to Art 29 is free to the public

Following the VCUQ exhibition, Emergeast (an online art gallery) will be taking over Art 29 from April 19. The online gallery, which aggregates works by Middle Eastern artists under one platform, aims to connect the art-loving public to the heart of the Middle Eastern art scene.