After drawing more than 14,000 visitors, MetaWhat?, a major interactive exhibition on the metaverse by The Media Majlis at Northwestern University in Qatar, has concluded its successful eight-month run.
The exhibition, which first opened in August 2023, explored the pitfalls and opportunities of the metaverse in an ever-changing digital media landscape. It unpacked the metaverse’s impact on the world and the ways users can craft their own virtual worlds, reimagining new ideals outside the rigid structures imposed by the West.
“We achieved many milestones and worked on some incredible projects under the umbrella of MetaWhat?. It’s wonderful to see the high level of interest reflect the sheer amount of hard work that went into building an exhibition we’re truly proud of,” said Jack Thomas Taylor, associate curator and manager of exhibition planning at The Media Majlis. “We’ve raised the benchmark for exhibitions and now we can’t wait to come back in the next academic year with something that’s even better and more engaging to audiences.”
As part of the exhibition, visitors had the opportunity to watch "Remember this place: 3120'46''N 3446'46''E," a virtual-reality film produced by Media Majlis. The film premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival and was also screened at international film festivals in Geneva, Paris, and London. Additionally, visitors could watch the Qatar debut of Gaia, a planet Earth replica by the celebrated British installation artist Luke Jerram. This exhibit was on display for a portion of the exhibition.
Alfredo Cramerotti, who joined The Media Majlis in January as its new director, said he is very proud of what the museum has achieved. He added, “I am thrilled to see that over eight months, thousands of people could interact with the fabulous MetaWhat? exhibition formats, through experiences, activations, and programming.”
Also this academic year, The Media Majlis welcomed more than 5,000 visitors at its three-week pavilion on the traditional Arabian majlis at the inaugural Design Doha biennial and sponsored the International Museum Construction Congress in Oman. In May, it will participate in the 2024 American Alliance of Museums’ Annual Meeting and MuseumsExpo.
To learn more about The Media Majlis at Northwestern University in Qatar and its programs, visit mediamajlis.northwestern.edu
