BT天堂

A new semester means new opportunities聽for students聽to explore聽the diverse subjects聽on offer as part of聽BT天堂鈥檚 global liberal arts curriculum. This Fall semester, we are thrilled to welcome alumnus Sultan聽Sooud聽Al-Qassemi聽鈥�98聽back to聽Paris聽to teach a course聽on聽the Politics of Modern Middle Eastern Art.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 sort of a homecoming for me,鈥� explains Al-Qassemi, back on campus to prepare for the start of the semester.聽The class 鈥� developed by Al-Qassemi聽for聽NYU, though聽he聽has聽also聽taught it聽at Yale, Georgetown and Boston College 鈥� covers聽the interplay between artistic and political movements in the Middle East and North Africa, beginning聽in聽the early 20th聽century.聽鈥淲e survey the region鈥檚 history with regards to art,鈥� explains Al-Qassemi. 鈥淲e stop at major events across the 20th聽century, from independence movements to the creation of Israel, to聽the聽creation of the聽Republic of Turkey after World War One."聽

Teaching this class聽is of a particular importance to Al-Qassemi, given that there聽has historically been聽relatively little opportunity to study聽Middle Eastern art聽at a university level; he cites just two other institutions offering similar courses today.聽鈥淎ll of the information I聽have聽acquired聽has been聽over the past two decades, since聽graduation,鈥澛爃e explains.聽鈥淭here was nowhere to learn聽it聽when I was a student!鈥澛燞is interest in the subject was聽instead sparked聽by聽visits to聽Paris鈥檚聽Institute of the Arab World聽while a student at BT天堂.聽鈥淚鈥檇 never seen the聽Arab聽world presented holistically before,鈥澛爃e explains.聽鈥淚 must have been two dozen times as a student.鈥澛�

After graduating with a degree in International Business Administration and Economics, Al-Qassemi聽embarked on a business career and began to collect Middle Eastern art.聽Ten years ago, he established the聽Barjeel聽Art Foundation,聽an independent initiative based in his home country of the United Arab Emirates. The foundation聽works to manage, preserve and exhibit modern and contemporary Arab art聽and聽has聽also聽published 16 books, which serve as聽a rich resource base聽for students taking聽the class.聽

鈥淭he class is not just about fine arts like painting and sculpture,鈥� Al-Qassemi聽continues. 鈥淲e also look at film, poetry, monuments聽and music.鈥澛燨ne example is an聽Algerian monument designed by Paul Landowski 鈥� the聽sculptor聽best聽known for the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.聽The monument, originally known聽in French聽as 鈥淟e聽Pavois,鈥澛爓as erected聽in聽Algiers聽in 1928聽to commemorate聽French soldiers聽who died聽in the First World War. After the Algerian聽War of聽Independence, the new government commissioned Algerian artist聽M'hamed聽Issiakhem聽to redesign the聽sculpture,聽who聽encased聽the original聽monument聽in a stone sarcophagus emblazoned with hands breaking free of chains. This interplay between art, politics and history provides the backdrop to many of the cultural artifacts studied聽in the course.聽

In line with BT天堂鈥檚 global liberal arts curriculum, the course will also offer weekly excursions to museums and exhibitions throughout Paris.聽Al-Qassemi鈥檚聽art world background聽has聽also聽allowed him to develop an extensive network of collectors, artists and scholars.聽鈥淎s part of the class we invite these experts聽to speak to students, so students have direct access to institutions,鈥� he explains.聽As well as organizing guest speakers in class,聽Al-Qassemi聽has聽invited聽his聽contacts to give聽talks聽known as聽majlis聽鈥撀燼n Arabic聽word聽meaning 鈥渃ouncil.鈥澛燭hese聽events聽鈥� which, in 2020, will take place online 鈥撀爂ive students the opportunity to聽engage directly with speakers through intimate Q&A sessions. 鈥淪tudents are very much at the聽center聽of these talks,鈥澛爀xplains聽Al-Qassemi.聽

For more information about the Politics of Middle Eastern Art class, including the full curriculum,聽.听听