How will Arabic survive in the digital age? Doha exhibition aims to find out

Media Majlis Museum looks at how the language helped shape the world, and how it can adapt to a tech-driven future dominated by English

Saudi-based British artist Simon Mortimer’s series of paintings uses regional iconography with Arabic proverbs. The Media Majlis

How has Arabic moulded culture? Why is Arabic struggling in a tech-driven world? How will Arabic exist in the future?

These are among the fundamental questions being explored at the mixed media exhibition at the Media Majlis Museum, Northwestern University, Doha.

The Limits of My Language Are the Limits of My World is an expansive display that combines art, media and technology to delve into the historical impacts, current representations and future of Arabic.

“Arabic, a language with a rich and historically significant legacy, faces both challenges and opportunities in today’s digital age, which is predominantly shaped by English,” museum director Alfredo Cramerotti tells The National.

“Highlighting these issues now is vital for understanding the language’s cultural heritage, while also navigating its evolving role within a globalised world.”

The exhibition is curated in a large open space and while the works are not sectioned by different mediums, styles or concepts, four themes form the basis of the narrative inspiration for the show.

Always Another Side? is the first theme explored. Here, Arabic is reframed to visitors by focusing on its cultural richness and diversity while illustrating its complexities and the often negative stereotypes associated with the language.

The second theme, An Influential and Powerful Language?, is an exploration of how Arabic has shaped politics, religion, science, culture and linguistics not only within the region but around the world.

The exhibition was curated around four themes that explore different facets of the Arabic language. Photo: The Media Majlis

Does Media Representation Matter? is the third facet exploring where the language sits within the tech-driven space including the availability, accessibility, quality and quantity of Arabic content and media.

Is Arabic a Language of the Future is the final theme addressing whether the current efforts to preserve, protect and conserve Arabic are efficient enough and how they can be improved.

“Each theme is a different question that was developed through the curatorial process, encouraging audiences to also question everything,” curator of the exhibition Amal Zeyad Ali says.

“By organising the exhibition in this way, we’re able to cover a lot of ground while also giving visitors the freedom to engage with the themes that resonate most with them.”

All the artists are from or are closely connected to the region and Arabic. Many of these themes were already present in their work, but some of the displayed art was commissioned for the show.

Take Breaths of a Dialog as an example. The sculptural piece by Jordanian artist Hala Amer explores the emetology of the Arabic word for orange, showcasing its relationship to the East and the West.

The Language of Time by Tunisian artist Karim Jabbari is a large, beautifully lit poetic installation of ink on paper that celebrates ancient Arabic poetry and calligraphy.

There is also the work of British artist Simon Mortimer’s series of paintings where he uses regional iconography and metaphors along with Arabic proverbs to explore the language from the perspective of a non-speaker.

A diversity of artists, styles and experinces was important to enrich the conversation around Arabic throughout the exhibtion. Photo: The Media Majlis

The section of digital content is also equally diverse. There are music videos and comedy skits from comedians Maz Jobrani and Mo Amer, animations from the Qatar Foundation and a filmed debate, titled Where do you stand? and moderated by Qatari stand-up comedian Hamad Al-Amariwhich, which looks at Arabic within the context of modern society.

Ali believes that having a diverse set of artists from different backgrounds, styles and experiences with the language was crucial to enriching the conversation around Arabic.

“We aimed to convey the many nuances of Arabic, a language spoken by hundreds of millions of people with diverse experiences and viewpoints," she says. "This diversity allows us to present a more comprehensive and authentic representation of Arabic, highlighting its richness and the different ways it is understood and expressed across the Arab world."

Ali points out that while working with these artists and bringing the show together, she found that Arabic had a limitation for many artists. In order for many of them to lean into their roles as creatives they had to evolve beyond their mother tongue.

“I noticed that many of the creatives we worked with struggled to find a way for Arabic to be at the forefront of their lives and many coped with this by taking on or learning another language out of necessity but not desire," she says. "The identity of the Arabic speaker is often shaped by being bilingual or more, hinting at a far deeper global issue."

Part of the exhibition looks at whether current efforts to conserve Arabic are efficient enough and how they can be improved. Photo: The Media Majlis

Thorough and expansive, the exhibition has many access points for visitors to not only appreciate the intricacy and influence of Arabic, but also pose questions about the challenges the language is facing.

Cramerotti says: “The goal is for visitors to recognise the importance of both preserving and evolving Arabic, seeing it as a vital part of their personal identity and the broader cultural landscape.”

The Limits of My Language Are the Limits of My World runs until December 5 at Media Majlis Museum, Northwestern University, Qatar