Culture has long served as a powerful connector between peoples, ideas, and histories. One initiative leading this cultural diplomacy is Years of Culture, developed by Qatar Museums under the guidance of Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The initiative strives to bring people together through the arts, shared heritage, and curated dialogue, showcasing the potential of culture to bridge divides and spark new forms of understanding. One of its most striking events in recent years was the exhibition titled LatinoAmericano: Modern and Contemporary Art from the Malba and Eduardo F. Costantini Collections, hosted at the National Museum of Qatar from April to July 2025.

Years of Culture: A Gateway to Global Collaboration

At its heart, Years of Culture is designed to foster mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration between Qatar and other nations. Each annual or biennial edition features a partner country and curates a series of cultural exchanges, performances, exhibitions, talks, and public engagement projects. These events are not merely for display; they are immersive, designed to create dialogue and stimulate meaningful cultural encounters. The programme actively demonstrates that culture is not a static product but a living, breathing process of shared experience and reflection.

With the Qatar Argentina Chile 2025 edition, this commitment extended into new territory—both geographically and artistically—bringing Latin American contemporary art to the Gulf region in an unprecedented way.

Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires

To understand the significance of this exhibition, one must consider the reputation and impact of the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, also known as MALBA. This museum has become a major institution in Latin America, home to some of the region’s most influential modern and contemporary artworks. Founded by Argentine businessman and art collector Eduardo F. Costantini in 2001, MALBA holds an impressive collection that captures the diversity and vitality of Latin American artistic expression.

The museum’s collection includes works from celebrated artists like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Wifredo Lam, Tarsila do Amaral, and countless others whose pieces have shaped the art movements of the region. MALBA is not simply a museum; it is a dynamic cultural space that hosts literature festivals, film screenings, education programmes, and cutting-edge exhibitions, all while promoting Latin American perspectives globally.

LatinoAmericano: A Landmark Exhibition in Qatar

The exhibition LatinoAmericano: Modern and Contemporary Art from the Malba and Eduardo F. Costantini Collections marked a historic moment in the cultural relationship between Latin America and the Arab world. Presented at the National Museum of Qatar, the show brought together approximately 170 works by over 100 artists, representing countries across Latin America including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, and more.

The works spanned a timeline from the early 20th century to the present day, showcasing not only the development of artistic styles but also the shifting social and political realities that these artists responded to. The exhibition featured a wide array of media: paintings, sculptures, photography, video installations, and archival materials, creating a layered and immersive experience for visitors.

Curated by María Amalia García of MALBA and Issa Al Shirawi from Qatar Museums, the exhibition was organized thematically into five key sections. These themes highlighted identity, nature, urban transformation, political resistance, and cultural memory. This structure helped audiences from diverse backgrounds navigate the historical and emotional contexts of the pieces, encouraging reflection on how shared human experiences—like migration, resistance, or identity—manifest differently across regions.

Among the most iconic works displayed were Frida Kahlo’s Autorretrato con chango y loro (1942), Diego Rivera’s Baile en Tehuantepec (1928), and Jorge de la Vega’s Rompecabezas (1967). The museum's courtyard featured a striking outdoor installation by Argentine artist Marta Minujín titled Sculpture of Dreams, which added a participatory and playful dimension to the experience.

Cultural Exchange as a Form of Dialogue

The exhibition was more than a display of artistic talent. It was an act of cultural translation and engagement. Hosting a major Latin American exhibition in Doha offered visitors a rare opportunity to explore the richness of Latin American heritage through a visual and thematic lens. At the same time, it opened the door for new questions: What connects Latin America to the Arab world? How do histories of colonialism, revolution, and modernization compare across continents?

Such exhibitions encourage viewers to examine their own cultural assumptions, and they offer artists a platform to speak to new audiences. This kind of dialogue is precisely what Years of Culture seeks to achieve—moments of understanding that transcend language and geography.

Strengthening Global Institutional Partnerships

Bringing a collection of this scale from the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires to the Middle East was not just a curatorial achievement—it represented a deep institutional collaboration between Qatar Museums and MALBA. It showed the commitment on both sides to create space for global conversations through art. For MALBA, the exhibition broadened its global reach; for Qatar Museums, it offered audiences a chance to engage with one of the most vibrant regions in the global South.

The collaboration also points to the potential for long-term partnerships that can continue to explore untapped areas of cultural overlap and exchange.

Broadening Public Participation

Years of Culture ensures that its exhibitions are not confined to elite or academic audiences. Public programmes and educational components ran alongside the exhibition, including guided tours, lectures, workshops, and community events. These offerings made the experience accessible and inclusive, reinforcing the initiative’s belief that culture should be open to all.

Outdoor installations like Minujín’s work also played an important role in extending the reach of the exhibition beyond the gallery walls, encouraging casual interaction and public engagement.

Looking Forward

The success of LatinoAmericano in Qatar underscores the power of well-executed cultural diplomacy. It illustrates that when institutions take risks and commit to deep collaboration, they can open new doors—both for artists and for audiences. This kind of event reaffirms that art is more than aesthetics; it is a means of understanding complex realities, and sometimes, a way to heal and connect.

The exhibition also demonstrates that audiences in Qatar and the broader Middle East are hungry for diverse cultural perspectives. Bringing Latin American voices into this conversation was both timely and enriching, and it paved the way for future initiatives under the Years of Culture umbrella.

In a time when the world is increasingly fragmented, efforts like this—built on mutual respect, curiosity, and artistic excellence—remind us that cultural exchange is one of the most meaningful tools we have. Through it, we not only appreciate the art of others; we learn something about ourselves.