The Sower at Design Doha: Biennial
As part of the Design Doha Biennial 2026 and the Mexico–Qatar Year of Culture 2026, Fernando Laposse presents The Sower, an exhibition exploring the connections between culture and agriculture, and the role of design as a tool for preserving biodiversity and the knowledge associated with it. Laposse invites visitors on a physical journey through three defined spaces that chronicle material and cultural links between the two countries in the Past, Present and Future.
PAST
The first chapter explores historical connections between Mexico and Qatar through the Manila Galleon trade route, which connected Mexico with the Philippines during the Spanish Empire. Drawing on this shared history, Laposse presents a series of sculptural lamps evoking the sails of the galleons. Made from Chinese silk organza dyed with cochinilla, a vibrant red dye derived from an insect that feeds on Mexican prickly pear cactus, and embroidered with pearls from the Gulf, the lamps bring distant territories into dialogue through materials once connected by trade. A table cast in transparent resin, with suspended pearls, extends this exploration, evoking the Qatari divers who once retrieved them from the Gulf seabed.
PRESENT
The chapter presents materials central to Laposse’s practice, shaped by his decade-long collaboration with Tonahuixtla, a small farming community struggling to preserve a traditional way of life amid the pressures of global trade and climate change. A cabinet made from agave fibre stem and a table crafted from native corn husks from broader efforts to reintroduce forgotten plant varieties, with support from Mexico’s largest seed bank, regenerate eroded soils and develop new craft practices using these materials. A credenza made from avocado skins highlights the darker side of the avocado trade, which fuels deforestation and violence in Mexico. Three documentaries dive into Laposse’s vision of design as a practice that must engage with the complexities of our interconnected world.
FUTURE
As a gift from Mexico to Qatar, which is seeking to strengthen its food sovereignty, Laposse concludes his exploration with a seed bank of Mexican plant varieties from semi-arid regions, selected for their potential to grow in Qatar’s arid climate. Grounded in the idea that preserving plant diversity also means safeguarding the knowledge that sustains it, the installation pairs each seed with educational content on its culinary, cultural and medicinal uses, accessible via a designated scanning console.
Cabinets evoking safety-deposit boxes and suspended lamps made of Loofah, a material originary from the Middle East widely used in Mexico, transform the space into a hybrid of bank vault and library. Here, seeds become precious resources and knowledge is shared. The project also opens up the possibility of collaboration between the two countries. Once cultivated and adapted to local conditions and practices in Qatar, the seeds could eventually return to Mexico, potentially better suited to more arid conditions and helping local farmers respond to the challenges of climate change.
