On Monday, 29 July 2013, I received a phone call on behalf of His Excellency Eng Issa Bin Mohammed Al Muhannadi Chairman Qatar Tourism, inviting me to exhibit the artwork of Idalet Pauw at the 7th Annual Middle East Hospitality Congress to be held on the 1st and 2nd of October 2013 in Doha. This is the only invitation to exhibit that has been extended to a single artist at this exclusive (by personal invitation only) international congress.
“Qatar, a tiny Persian Gulf country with enormous wealth and cultural ambitions to match: it is buying art at a level never seen before. More than $70 million for Rothko’s “White Center” in 2007, a high-water mark for that artist. More than $20 million later that year for a Damien Hirst pill cabinet, then a record for a living artist. And $250 million for Cézanne’s “Card Players” in 2011, the highest known price ever paid for a painting. Given the secrecy of the art market, few knew at the time who had laid out such unprecedented sums. But it has become increasingly clear that those masterpieces and many more have been purchased by Qatar.” - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/23/arts/design/qatar-uses-its-riches-to-buy-art-treasures.html
