Q Life Magazine Q Magazine (US) May 2016 | Page 63
Beyond the Museums |
| Work by Ali Hassan
Ali Hassan
Multi-award winning Qatari
artist Ali Hassan has been
practicing his craft in Qatar since
the early ‘70s, and is now inspiring
a new generation.
Since his time developing Arabic
calligraphy on Qatar’s first
magazine, 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 is currently working on
a project for Hamad International
Airport 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
firsthand 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.”
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