Fire Station to Present First AISP Exhibition

Fire Station will present the inaugural Artists Intensive Study Programme (AISP) exhibition, curated by Fire Station Artistic Director Wael Shawky. Running from November 8 until February 6, 2027, the exhibition will feature new projects by 22 artists from Qatar and 14 other countries, developed through nine months of sustained research, critical engagement and artistic exploration.

Spanning Fire Station’s five galleries and the Plaza, the exhibition highlights AISP’s commitment to nurturing emerging artistic talent and encouraging international exchange.

Working across diverse media and interdisciplinary practices, the participating artists explore cultural, social, historical and material conditions through approaches that move between personal and collective narratives.

“The exhibition speaks to the mission of the programme, connecting emerging artists from diverse backgrounds alongside internationally recognised artists and practitioners, creating a space for critical dialogue and expanding contemporary intellectual discourse,” Shawky said.

The studio lies at the heart of the programme and is conceived as a space where ideas take shape, directions shift and new layers unfold through the creative process.

The works trace a range of artistic investigations and reflect how creative practices evolve through exchange and discovery. They explore subjects including migration, memory, belonging, public space, cultural heritage and the relationship between people and their environments.

These investigations take shape through sculpture, moving image, sound, immersive installations, painting and mixed-media practices.

The participating artists are Hissa Jassim M. A. Alkuwari, Noora Al Hardan and Hamad Jassim Alfayhani from Qatar; Jude Samman and Akka Hamdan from Jordan; Farah El-Shawarby and Dalila Hassanein from Egypt; Aiza Ahmed and Saadia Batool from Pakistan; Deniz Bedir and Amentia Siard Brochard from France; Amanda Assaley from the United States; Leena Kim from the Republic of Korea and the United States; W. Rajaie from Malaysia; Mahesh Mothe from India; Rab from Vietnam; Bokyoung Jeong from the Republic of Korea; Latifa Khalil Yaqoob Alkhayat from Bahrain; Rund Alarabi from Sudan; AZ OOR from Morocco; Jagdish Moktan from Nepal; and Alla Abdunabi from Libya and the United Kingdom.

Throughout the programme, an international community of mentors contributed to the artists’ development by introducing new perspectives and encouraging them to broaden their artistic approaches, experiment with new methods and refine their practices.

AISP was launched by Fire Station as the successor to its Artist in Residence (AIR) Programme, introducing a new model centred on intensive study, critical thinking and professional artistic development. The programme is distinguished by its focus on research and sustained engagement, encouraging participants to examine and expand their practices critically while developing new bodies of work.

The exhibition forms part of the wider Qatar Creates Fall/Winter 2026/2027 season of exhibitions, public art presentations and initiatives intended to encourage global cultural exchange and dialogue. Featuring openings from September through November, the season includes dozens of exhibitions.

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