Doha:The Design Doha Biennial has announced the return of its international artist residency program, Crafting Design Futures. This initiative involves four designers from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, collaborating with leading Mexican artisans as part of the 2026 Qatar-Mexico Year of Culture partnership.
According to Qatar News Agency, participants in the residency will work in family-run workshops to learn traditional techniques passed down through generations. They will explore ways to incorporate these techniques into contemporary design, thereby sustaining traditional knowledge through creative exchange.
The resulting works will be showcased from October 8 to November 1 in the "Vision y Tradicion" exhibition at Mexico Design Week, held at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. This program, founded by Mexico Design Week and Mexico Territorio Creativo, aims to connect contemporary designers with Mexican artisan communities through research, collaboration, and cultural exchange.
Design Doha Director Fahad Al Obaidly highlighted the success of the first residency in Morocco, noting that significant designs emerge from creative collaboration rather than isolated work. Al Obaidly emphasized that the program facilitates knowledge exchange and relationship building, crucial for inspiring future designers.
This year's projects will use media such as clay, engraving, ceramics, metalwork, and hand-hammered copper. Each collaboration seeks to reinterpret traditional knowledge through contemporary design, offering new expressions to time-honored techniques and encouraging designers to engage authentically with crafts.