This panel brings together art history faculty from VCUarts Richmond and VCUarts Qatar to discuss themes from the upcoming eleventh Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art (Islam and Visual Culture in Contemporary Asia, VCUarts Qatar, November 8–10, 2025). Led by symposium co-chairs Hala Auji (VCUarts) and Radha Dalal (VCUarts Qatar), the conversation highlights cross-campus collaborations and research shaping the symposium’s theme. They will be joined by Michelle Yee (VCUarts) and Monica Merlin (VCUarts Qatar, via Zoom), this year’s symposium advisors.

This panel is part of Qatar Week, an annual series of events that takes place on the VCUarts Richmond campus every October. Organized by VCUarts Qatar and VCUarts Richmond, the week showcases the Qatar campus and its students, alumni, faculty, and researchers. Qatar Week’s events also serve as an opportunity for both campus communities to connect, network, and explore new areas of collaboration.