Culture Minister opens Bahrain Fort Expo

An interactive exhibition celebrating the iconic Bahrain Fort through history opened today. Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa inaugurated the expo, being held under the theme “Qal’at Al Bahrain through the Ages”. French Ambassador Christian Testot and other cultural figures also attended the inaugural ceremony. The exhibition is an interactive art installation project, conceived by French artist Marie-Françoise Rouy and French composer and sound designer Luc Martinez, with Guest Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota. The minister welcomed the attendees and thanked the work team, with a special mention to Dr. Nadine Boksmati-Fattouh, Culture Ministry Advisor for Museums, Tourism, Archaeology and Bahrain Fort Management. French artist Marie-Françoise Rouy addressed the inaugural ceremony, stressing the importance of resuscitating the historically-laden Bahrain Fort. She paid tribute to Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa for having confidence in the work team. Scheduled as part of the Year of Art 2014, the expo is an artistic scenography which aims to enhance the visitors’ experience of Qal’at Al Bahrain site and raise awareness about its historical significance. The project consists of six engraved-glass steles and three art installations. The steles, placed in the lower courtyard of the fort, introduce the visitors to the history of the site and its historical development. Three installations (Enki’s Well, Madbasa and Threads of Memory), placed in different rooms of the fort, represent an artistic interpretation of the site using cutting-edge technologies.