The Crafts of Qatar: The Art of Al Sadu Textile exhibition presents an installation consisting of a wooden structure and Al Sadu textiles from Qatar produced by local community of women weavers. Part of the textiles are door panels made for The Majlis: A Meeting Place, a multi-layered project that comprised an architectural object, an exhibition, and a public programme. Its initial unveiling took place at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale, where The Majlis was installed on the grounds of the San Giorgio Maggiore Monastery. In 2022-2023, the project continued with an exhibition held at the National Museum of Qatar, including the main buildings of the Old Palace.
One of the main components of The Majlis exhibition is the Al Sadu weaving craft practised by Bedouin women. Al Sadu is a horizontal weaving style: it features ancient geometric patterns that echoes colours and shapes of the desert. Al Sadu weaving went beyond handicraft or artisanal and cultural practice: within the traditional nomadic lifestyle, Al Sadu played an integral part in the making of traditional Bedouin tents. As such, it was architecture as well as an expression of tribal and gender identity; for centuries, women weavers were the architects of the everyday living environment of the people of Qatar.
The wooden structure of the installation refers to the use of traditional wooden beams that compose a simple construction, easy to assemble and disassemble. Historically such structures were often complemented by palm leaves or textiles: these wooden beams shaped the architectural environment of traditional Qatari houses, as the length of a space could not exceed the length of a beam.
The Majlis. A Journey to Qatar film tells a story about the people behind the creation of The Majlis: A Meeting Place exhibition, and their passion for crafts, architecture, and national traditions that Caravane Earth aims to preserve and revitalise for future generations.
