ARTS & CULTURE
Portrait Of A Nation By Ashlee Starratt Images courtesy of Qatar Museums
In honour of Qatar National Day, we shine the spotlight on a local Qatari artist whose long-established body of work continues to resonate across the region. Yousef Ahmad has become a renowned voice among Qatar’s arts community and his latest solo exhibition, Story Of Ingenuity, is currently on display at Katara’s QM Gallery.
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onsidered a pioneer in Qatar’s modern art circles, Yousef Ahmad has been chronicling the nation’s cultural roots through his artwork for nearly 40 years. Upon graduating from art school in Egypt at Cairo’s Helwan University he took his first governmental post in Qatar in 1976 as Head of Art and Exhibitions at the Ministry of Information. During this time, Yousef honed his skills in the art of calligraphy – which would become one of his preferred mediums, exploring its shape and form across a variety of textures and formats. After continuing on to pursue a masters degree in painting in the US, the nature of his pieces began to change, becoming larger in scope and incorporating his own unique use of colour and mixed-media materials. He also taught art
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s to the Yousef Ahmad's body of work speak its natural beauty simplicity of early life in Qatar and x 50cm, gouache TRADTIONAL TAILOR (1973), 80 s collection on paper mounted on wood, artist’
appreciation at Qatar University for more than 20 years, forming the art group The Three Friends with Mohammed Ali Abdulla and Hassan al-Mulla. Additionally, his work with Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani collecting pivotal works of Arab art from around the world, formed the basis for the collections at the Orientalist Museum and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
Yousef’s distinctive use of material collages throughout his work draws architectural parallels between the elements of a piece – wood, canvas, colour – and the natural landscape of Qatar. His latest exhibit Story Of Ingenuity, embodies his scope of work spanning three phases of his artistic development – from early oil paintings including his renowned depiction of Al Zubarah Fort, to conceptual artworks and mixed-media calligraphic pieces. Yousef’s love for Qatar’s natural beauty is evident in the themes he chooses to explore – celebrating the serenity and solitude of its sea, sky and desert. “As a local artist who has had the privilege to train abroad, I find so much in our environment that excites and inspires me,” he says. “What’s more, the opportunity to share my works with the people of Qatar is inspiring and humbling, and I hope that my journey encourages future generations of local artists to follow their creative dreams.” n Yousef Ahmad: Story Of Ingenuity is on display at the QM Gallery, Building 10 at Katara until February 14, 2015.
Handmade Qatari Artwork 19, Size 120cm diameter, in black wooden palm leaf paper rolled and fitted covered by frame with coated metal black net l Art Foundation Plexiglas. Artwork courtesy of Barjee
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