The Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, ("MEMAAW"), is a free online scholarly resource which provides literature on modern art of the Arab world.

In collaboration with Qatar Museums and Qatar Foundation, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art initiated this long-term project aimed at presenting artists' biographies and academic, thematic, research based-essays that standardize data on art of the Arab world and encourage multiple perspectives on modernism.

The MEMAAW provides comprehensive documentation and offers a platform that supports knowledge exchange and networking between researchers and scholars around the world. All entries are peer-reviewed, translated, and credited to their respective authors.

The MEMAAW launched June 2014 with an initial body of content representing artists from Mathaf's permanent collection. The encyclopedia is a work in progress and will continue to develop to include all artists from Mathaf' s permanent collection, and in subsequent phases, will include Arab artists beyond the collection, as well as historically contextualizing and thematic essays on their work.

The MEMAAW project is a non-commercial, non-profit effort that does not sell any of the works in the archive or share them for any commercial purposes.

The MEMAAW aims to:

  • Generate a unique art historical product for Modern art of the Arab world, which implements the vision and mission of Qatar Museums Authority in general, and of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in particular;
  • Identify and highlight artists from the collection and beyond, and provide comprehensive biographies of their lives, artistic styles and techniques, accomplishments, contributions, influences and artistic circles/groups;
  • Encourage, inspire and support academic research in the area of modern art history through making accessible resources, information and bibliographies;
  • Conduct research that historically contextualize artwork from Mathaf's collection highlights and contextualizes the legacy of modernism in the Arab world through exploring the various themes and subjects invoked by modern artists from the Arab world;
  • Provide a resource of standardized artists' names and a comprehensive glossary of art  terminologies and vocabularies;
  • Publish and make accessible scholarly content on modern art and the Arab world in both Arabic and English;
  • Serve as a platform to support cultural exchange, network and/or collaborative research between scholars from different parts of the world, and facilitate online communication among communities around the world interested in studying modern art;
  • Serve as the main official encyclopedic system on modern art to centralize all relevant artwork, essays and articles;
  • Provide public access to primary research material and resources;
  • Encourage other museums, galleries and collectors to share their collections on the secure encyclopedia platform;
  • Act as a starting point for creative research and ensure a rich future for further study of art histories from the Arab world.​

Terms of Use of this Site / MEMA​AW

 
This website is owned and operated by the Qatar Museums Authority, ("QMA").
 
By using or accessing this site, you irrevocably and unconditionally consent to be bound by the terms and conditions / terms of use of this site, as amended from time to time at QMA's sole discretion.
 
You hereby warrant that you are:-
  • 18 years of age or older, and/or
  • possess all required written approvals and consents including legal guardian or parental consent for use of this site and shall only use this site for lawful purposes and in a lawful way that does not breach any applicable laws.

Intellectual Property ​Rights


The names, images and logos identifying QMA, and/or any of its Museums, affiliates or third parties and their products and services are proprietary marks of QMA and/or its Museums, affiliates and/or third parties. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by any means, licence or right under any trademark or patent or any other intellectual property right of QMA, and/or its other Museums or any other third party.
 
All copyright trademarks and other intellectual property rights in this site and all material or content supplied as part of the site shall remain at all times the property of QMA and/or any of its Museums, affiliates or third parties and/or their licensors. In accessing this site or any other sites owned by QMA, you agree that you do so only for your own personal, non-commercial use. You may not permit or assist in any way any third party to copy, reproduce, download, post, store (including in any other website), distribute, transmit, commercially exploit or modify in any way the material or content without the prior written permission of QMA and the owner of the Intellectual Property Rights.
If you are the copyright owner of an image, document, or other work in MEMAAW, and do not agree to its inclusion please notify us so that we may take the appropriate action. Please send an email to: mathaf_info@qma.org.qa
  • Your full name and address
  • Telephone numbers and email address
  • Identify  the material that has allegedly been infringed as well as what right is being infringed

Third Party Sites /​ Links

QMA is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party websites or material you access through this site. If you decide to visit any linked site, you do so at your own risk and it is your responsibility to take all protective measures to guard against viruses or other destructive elements.

Disclai​mer / Limitation of Liability

You agree that your use of this site shall be at your sole risk and responsibility.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, QMA, its officers, directors, and agents disclaim all warranties, express or implied, in connection with the site.

The information and other materials included on this site may contain inaccuracies and typographical errors. QMA does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information and materials or the reliability of any statement or other information displayed or distributed through the site (including, without limitation, the information provided through the use of any software).  All information provided in this site is for information purposes only and is not intended to be any kind of advice whatsoever including but not limited to legal advice.  We do not advise you to take any action based on the information provided in this site. You acknowledge that any reliance on any such statement or information shall be at your sole risk.

In no event will QMA and/or third parties be liable for any damages including, but not limited to, indirect or consequential damages or any damages including, but not limited to, errors or omissions, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever arising from use, loss of use, data or profits, whether in action of contract, negligence or other action, arising out of or in connection with the use of the site.

You agree to indemnify and keep indemnified QMA and all of its employees, affiliates, subsidiaries and associates from any and all claims, damages, expenses, costs and liabilities arising in any manner from your access to and use of this site.

Privacy

When you access this site QMA may collect personal information (such as your name, contact details, academic background) that you supply to us. Such personal data may be used by QMA to communicate with you; and may be shared with QMA, its Museums, affiliates and/or when there is a legal obligation. By providing such information, you hereby consent to such use and sharing of your personal data and accept that such use and sharing will not give rise to any legal liability to QMA or any of the Museums, affiliates.

Variation to​ Terms and Conditions

QMA reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions/terms of use, change, suspend or terminate the MEMAAW at any time, at its sole discretion, without notice, and without any liability whatsoever howsoever arising.

Severab​ility

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is deemed to be void, invalid, unenforceable or illegal, the other provisions shall continue in full force and effect. You and the QMA are deemed to have agreed to new terms in substitution for such invalid provisions. These new terms shall be interpreted, as regards their contents and effect, as closely as possible to the original text as written but in such a way that rights can indeed be derived from them.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions and any disputes related to them or to the MEMAAW are subject to the laws of the State of Qatar. All disputes arising out of these Terms and Conditions or MEMAAW shall be exclusively settled by the Courts of the State of Qatar.​​