QAIC

Experiencing Oud
With Micah Anderson (Oudimentary)
Moderated by Saskia Wilson-Brown

Micah Anderson presents a scent-enlivened experience that takes for its topic the historical and spiritual practice of burning aromatics. Rooted in their experiences in Qatar – as well as in Micah’s decades-long dive into scent’s relation to spirituality, meditation, and the embodied self – this reflective session will present several smell experiences with an emphasis on Oud – or Aloeswood – an aromatic, resinous heartwood that is found in trees from the Aquilaria genus nature to Southeast Asia. Join us for an overview of the history, science, and culture of aloeswood as a psycho-spiritual aid, enlivened by smell experiences that will provide attendees with an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and impact of scent.
Photo: Micah Anderson speaks about oud, as Saskia Wilson-Brown watches on.
Credit: QAIC

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Qur’anic Garden Perfume workshop
with Rubia Chaudri

Rubia Chaudri leads a workshop exploring the scents of the Qur’anic Botanic Garden based in Education City, Doha. Discussing and smelling some of the plants mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH), she will then demonstrate how these can combine for perfumery, using her perfume Nomad Sun as a teaching tool. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about important historic aromatics, as well as gain a first insight into the practice of making perfume.
Photo: Rubia Chaudri leads a blending session
Credit: IAO

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Arabic Calligraphy workshop
with Razwan Ul-Haq

Traditional Arabic Calligraphy has a connection with perfumes. In 2021, Razwan Ul-Haq explored this connection through an Arts Council England Project, where he researched how perfume could be embedded in his traditional and contemporary calligraphic work. In this workshop, Razwan will introduce the participants to Arabic Calligraphy in the Nastaliq script. Participants will use hand-mixed ink and bamboo pens in order to engage with or respond to a selection of important natural perfume materials.
Photo: Razwan Ul-Haq prepares pigment for calligraphic use.
Credit: QAIC

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Tincturing for Artists workshop
with Regina Mamou

Regina Mamou’s art practice incorporates materials and their scents, and is often expressed through the act of aromatic preservation. She collects site-specific and puts them through this historic process of tincturing them, so that the aromatic components may be retained and stored. In this intimate discussion and workshop, Regina shares her work, and how scent has impacted her art practice. Using aromatic materials that she collected in Qatar, she will explain the process of tincturing, and the impact of the aromatic traces left by places, people, and materials.
Photo: Regina Mamou explains the tincturing apparatus.
Credit: IAO

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