The exhibition at a glance
Sulālat al-Mustaqbal · Lineage of the Future
What do we inherit from our families, and what do we choose to pass on?
Six sculptural portraits trace four generations through displacement, care, work and renewal, inviting visitors to consider their own family histories.
Six portraits. Four generations. A Greek family’s story of departure, care and renewal, told through larger-than-life sculpture.
Four generations
The exhibition at a glance
- The exhibition
- Six contrasting faces, joined by family ties. Worked surfaces and individual gazes invite visitors to move around the sculptures and look closely.
- Ready now
- Six sculptures, Arabic and English interpretation, catalogue and supporting films.
- For the host
- A gallery experience for adults and families, extended through artist-led workshops in portraiture and digital making.
Selected credentials: Tiffany & Co. commissions; Davy Crockett at the Alamo accepted by the White House as a Presidential Gift in 2025. See selected public works.
Gulf values honoured by the exhibition
Six family portraits connect a Greek story with values expressed in Gulf heritage and in the national visions of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
| Value | In the exhibition | Cultural reference |
|---|---|---|
| Family and care | The Haven and The Companion recognise the daily care through which a family endures. | Saudi Vision 2030 commits to strengthening families as a foundation of a vibrant society. [1] |
| Respect for elders and ancestry | Maria anchors four generations. The portraits give ancestors a visible place in the family’s story. | UNESCO describes Gulf majlis elders as bearers of genealogy and history, passing knowledge to the young. [2] |
| Heritage carried forward | The Crucible gives inherited memories a new form. Hand modelling and digital fabrication join tradition with contemporary tools. | Qatar National Vision 2030 calls for a balance between modernisation and the preservation of tradition. [3] |
| Responsibility to future generations | Sofia’s upward gaze turns to the next generation. Recycled PETG gives discarded material a new use. | The UAE’s Year of the Family 2026 highlights family cohesion and the passing of values to future generations. [4] |
| Dialogue across cultures | A Greek family story, shared in Arabic and English, invites Gulf audiences to recognise experiences across cultures. | Qatar National Vision 2030 supports intercultural understanding and cultural heritage alongside diversity. [5] |
- Saudi Vision 2030, A Vibrant Society: With Strong Foundations (vision2030.gov.sa).
- UNESCO, Majlis, a cultural and social space (2015). Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and UAE.
- Government Communications Office, Qatar National Vision 2030: Our Story, Development Opportunities.
- Office of the UAE President, National Family Growth Agenda 2031 session, 2025 UAE Government Annual Meetings: 2026 designated the Year of the Family.
- Government Communications Office, Qatar National Vision 2030: Social Development.
Encounter a family. Consider your own.
- 01 · Look
- Meet the six portraits before reading their stories.
- 02 · Discover
- Arabic and English labels introduce the people behind the faces.
- 03 · Watch
- Optional films reveal family histories and the making process.
- 04 · Reflect
- What have you inherited, and what would you pass on?
A self-paced visit, with readable bilingual text, seating and captioned film access.
Artist-led programme: make, discover, discuss
Three proposed formats for the workshop visit, which can run over several days.
- Family portrait workshop
- Families · 90 minutes · up to 20. Make a clay portrait or drawing that carries a family memory.
- From clay to digital sculpture
- Students and adults · 90 minutes · up to 25. Discover how hand modelling, scanning and digital tools shape a sculpture.
- Memory and inheritance
- Public conversation · 60 minutes. Explore the family’s story with the artist and a locally selected moderator.
Durations and capacities are indicative. Dates, session numbers, materials and interpretation are arranged with the host. Evaluation: attendance, participation and optional visitor or teacher feedback.
Portraits in a shared space
Illustrative 100 m² layout
1 Grandmother · 2 Mother · 3 Father · 4 Self · 5 Wife · 6 Daughter
Concept only: positions and symbols are indicative. Final plinths, clearances, access, seating and film location depend on the site and technical review.
Minimum four months · minimum 100 m² · indoor or outdoor presentation
Plan secure fixings, lighting, power and sound with the venue. Outdoor siting and film equipment require appropriate protection and technical confirmation.
The sea: departure, livelihood and belonging
The Mediterranean, the Gulf and the Red Sea share a history of lives shaped by the sea.
- Departure
- For Maria, the sea marked a break with home and the beginning of a new life.
- Livelihood
- For Christos, voyages were work: time away from his family to support those at home.
- Connection
- The region’s maritime heritage — the pearling and trading town of Al Zubarah in Qatar, Historic Jeddah as the Red Sea gateway to Makkah, and Khor Dubai’s merchants’ harbour — offers points of connection with these stories of separation, responsibility and return.
Maritime references: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Al Zubarah Archaeological Site; Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah; Khor Dubai (UAE Tentative List). Family histories: George Petrides.