About

Tasmeem Doha is the international art and design conference held biennially at VCUQatar. Over the past eight years, Tasmeem has gathered scholars and practitioners of art and design to discuss critical issues and engage with students and local communities.

The 2013 conference addresses the dual themes of hybridization—interdisciplinary or collaborative work - and making - the production of an outcome or deliverable to be disseminated in the final phase of the conference.

Creativity and the act of making are key components in forming Qatar’s sustainable future, and art and design have an important role to play in this ongoing transformation. In order to create a tenable knowledge society, a reflection upon creative processes is crucial. The intent of Hybrid Making: Tasmeem Doha 2013 is therefore to open up a discussion of the creative process, makings in societies, and social makings, with a focus on Doha and the region.

Doha is currently undergoing a tremendous transformation that exemplifies the concept of hybrid making. What was not long ago a small pearl fishing community, has in only a few decades transformed into a world-class tourism and events destination, a preeminent center for culture and art, and a home to 1.7 million inhabitants. Despite these impressive and far-reaching transformations, very little is actually produced in Qatar. Goods, products, produce, architecture, art, artifacts, knowledge and other manifestations of creativity are, for the most part, imported. As a consumer rather than a maker, Qatar is heavily dependent on other parts of the world - not only for its day-to-day existence - but also for its identity.

The conference is organized into three phases: Phase one is a production period that can last up to five days on site (although work may begin earlier); phase two involves one day of rest or preparation; and phase three features two days of dissemination in a more traditional, symposium-style conference.

Important dates:

1. Production Phase: (workshops and laboratories): March 10-14, 2013
2. Rest or Preparation Phase: March 15, 2013
3. Dissemination (Conference) Phase: March 16-17, 2013