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.”
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