Doha: Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) announced "A Seat at the Table: Food and Feasting in the Islamic World", a large-scale exhibition exploring the cultural role of food across the Islamic world and within Muslim traditions. The exhibition is organised by MIA in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and will be on view from 22 May till 8 November 2025.
According to Qatar News Agency, the exhibition is curated by Dr. Tara Desjardins, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at Lusail Museum, and Teslim Sanni, Curatorial Affairs Researcher at the Museum of Islamic Art. This exhibition is also a legacy project of the Years of Culture initiative, a programme of collaborations between Qatar and partner countries that seeks to nurture mutual respect and understanding by building long-term cultural, social, and economic ties.
Director of the Museum of Islamic Art, Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, stated: "Food has always been a powerful expression of culture, identity, and hospitality across the Islamic world. With A Seat at the Table, MIA is proud to present an exhibition that not only celebrates the beauty of culinary traditions but also invites reflection on how this food continues to shape who we are today. This collaboration with LACMA, inspired by their seminal Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting exhibition, has allowed us to build a uniquely local perspective, weaving together the historical and the contemporary to tell a story that is deeply resonant and richly layered."
The exhibition features artworks and objects from the collections of MIA, Qatar National Library, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Lusail Museum, and Qatar Museums' General Collections. It highlights the central role dining plays in Islamic cultures and delves into the evolving culinary traditions of the Islamic world, revealing both the distinctions and common threads that have shaped its gastronomic heritage over time.
A Seat at the Table is presented in five sections: "Breaking Bread" focuses on continuity, change, and community, designed as an immersive experience in a gallery representing a tannur, a traditional oven. "Food and Faith" looks at Islamic religious practices and customs around dining, exploring important festivals like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. "Itinerant Ingredients" explores the global trade in spices and ingredients, tracing the expansion of Islam and trade networks. "Dining with the Sultan" explores royal dining traditions where feasts represented wealth and authority. "Contemporary Cuisine: We Are What We Eat" examines contemporary dining customs, focusing on agriculture, the growth of fast-food cultures, and sustainability practices.
In conjunction with the exhibition, A Seat at the Table: Food and Feasting in the Islamic World will offer a series of engaging public programmes designed to further explore the exhibition's themes and deepen the connection with the cultural traditions highlighted.