Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) recently organised an event to recognise Brynn Higgins-Stirrup, a former Artist-in-Residence Fellow who had her sojourn in Doha abruptly shortened by the pandemic.

The Painting + Printmaking (PAPR) department developed and released a print catalogue of works that Higgins-Stirrup created during her 9-month residency in Qatar. Titled Figure Drawn, the catalogue is meant to serve as her solo exhibition scheduled to take place at the Fire Station in early 2020, but was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Higgins-Stirrup artwork 1In addition to images of Higgins-Stirrup’s creative output, a critical essay about her work and a transcribed conversation between her and PAPR Assistant Professor Michael Perrone, complete the catalogue. The publication will also feature artwork created by students taught by Higgins-Stirrup during her AIR Fellowship, and later, as an adjunct faculty.

The PAPR department also organised a physical exhibition (by the same name as the catalogue) of a portion of Higgin-Stirrup’s artwork at The Gallery of VCUarts Qatar, which will run from 15 November to 6 December.

Higgins-Stirrup, who flew down to Doha for the release of the catalogue and launch of the exhibition, was an Artist-in-Residence in the PAPR department of VCUarts Qatar from August 2019 to May 2020, following which she has been serving as an adjunct faculty member in the Department from September 2020 to present.

Higgins-Stirrup lives and works in Montreal, Canada as a visual artist. She has completed residencies in Japan, India, US and Canada. She said that living in Doha had an impact on her work. There were certainly some visual elements that seeped in, she recalls.

For example, the integration of Western and Islamic texts on optics, as both regions carry such strong lineages of scientific development and diagrammatic drawing.

I was able to access some of these texts at the new National Library of Qatar and the Museum of Islamic Art and enjoyed the chance to engage with those artifacts’ materiality.

Higgins-Stirrup teaching a studio class

Artwork by Higgins-Stirrup. Procession, Watercolor on printed paper with ceramic Her fellowship at VCUarts Qatar was also her first foray into teaching.

She said that though she had studied and worked as an independent artist in culturally diverse contexts, teaching was new to her. Having grown up in rural Canada, she said she found it exciting to teach for the first time in this new context, with smaller and more intimate classes and students who could share experiences very different from her own.

I could teach my students the skills and knowledge to become contemporary artists and they could share Doha with me.

Higgins-Stirrup also observes how such opportunities afford artists an opportunity to experience different cultural and artistic perspectives. New experiences are a privilege, she said, helping artists expand and add nuance to their work.

For instance, teaching and creating artwork in Doha gave me insights into the Islamic history of optics which preceded Western traditions, originating in Iraq under Ibn al-Haitham in the 11th century.

In a way, Higgins-Stirrup said that the catalogue rounded off the creative journey of her residency in Doha. She said it’s exciting to return to Doha and get together with faculty and students after this period of global instability – in a way it was an occasion to celebrate the department’s work together with mine.


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