Q Life Magazine Q Magazine December 2016 | Page 65

Beyond the Museums | | Work by Ali Hassan Ali Hassan Multi-award winning Qatari artist Ali Hassan has been practising his craft in Qatar since the early 1970s, and is now inspiring a new generation. Hassan has exhibited his work in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Paris, London, Berlin and Tokyo, as well as all across the Middle East. He has worked with UNESCO, been featured in the world’s top hotels and galleries, and designed the logo for the 2010 ‘Doha Capital of Arab Culture’. He passionately believes in Qatar’s distinctive cultural identity as a source of inspiration for artists. “Every country’s culture is unique and Qatar’s art culture is uniquely Qatari. Any creativity in Qatar must reflect the Qatari identity, or what it means to be Arab, or the essence of Islam. There’s everything here—the Museum of Islamic Art, Katara, the Qatar National Museum, sports, hospitality, shopping! Doha has a fantastically international character. It’s all here in our art.” Hassan recently undertook a project for Hamad International Airport, producing an iconic horse sculpture that reflects Qatar’s desert landscape. “Qatar is fostering an environment for creativity. Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa’s leadership is taking Qatar’s artistic community into the future. It’s authentic. It’s in the art, architecture, and music. It’s done great things for the country.” He has high hopes for the next generation of Qatari artists. “Having taught at Virginia Commonwealth University and Qatar Foundation, I’ve seen first- hand that the next generation is in good hands. Studying art in Qatar used to be uncharted territory; now young men and women are studying really diverse subjects at Qatar Foundation’s Education City and other universities. The investment in education is amazing for our arts scene. This next generation is something special.” 65