In the mid-1980s a young student caught the attention of Yousef Ahmed, a professor at Qatar University.
As Ahmed taught his class the appreciation of art, history and basic drawing skills, he sensed this one student's innate desire to study and practise more.
Art: The National looks
Last Updated: 22 June, 2011 UAE
Exhibitions, reviews, news, features and all things art
Art
The relationship would expand and turn to collecting when the student, a member of Qatar's royal family, called on his mentor to help him amass works for what would become the regional hub that is Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
In addition, Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani, the vice-chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority and Mathaf's patron, asked Ahmed to "go digging" to find local artists.
"When I found [the artists], I told them all: 'One day, these pieces will be in a museum'," said Ahmed. "Some didn't believe me. They were at the beginning of their lives and art was a hobby for them. They didn't expect their pieces to be on a wall in a museum." It has taken more than 20 years for Ahmed's insight to be realised.
On Sunday, Mathaf opened Swalif, the third exhibition since its December launch. For the next 11 weeks, 78 artworks by 23 native Qatari artists will hang on the white walls of a former school, which is the museum's temporary home. Displayed across three galleries, Swalif (which means stories, in the Qatari dialect) is expected to catalyse local interest in art where previous exhibitions have not.
The exhibition covers the period from 1965 to 2006, with the works appearing in chronological order. Many paintings are a simple reflection of what artists have personally witnessed, from fishing to falconry, burqa-clad women to men making the traditional bisht (cloak).
Ahmed, who is also the show's curator, has six of his own pieces on display.
"It's very important for our knowledge," he said. "If you want to read about the history of a country, first of all, you look at its art. Art captures the history."
The museum's director, Wassan Al Khudairi, said the show was an opportunity to highlight the importance of local artists.
Since the opening last year, despite good attendance figures, Al Khudairi conceded that "there are pockets of our community that we may not be reaching".
The museum is in Doha's Education City, where most of Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned's project, Qatar Foundation (QF), is based. American universities, a science and technology park and a television station have been built on the QF desert, a location some have yet to visit.
"We're hoping through this exhibition that we can capture the attention of people who may not be interested in art but are interested in their culture and their heritage. Hopefully, this can be the beginning of a relationship with these communities," Al Khudairi said.
About 500 people attended Sunday's opening - at least half of them Qatari. Just two of the exhibiting artists are women - Wafika Sultan Saif Al-Essa and Wafa Al-Hamad.
"There are a lot more women but we were limited by the collection," explained Mariam Helmy, the assistant curator. "We're not calling it a representation, we're showing a glimpse of our collection."
The team, which spent four months pulling Swalif together, was advised to use artwork from Sheikh Hassan's personal inventory of 6,000 pieces. Loaning art or purchasing more was forbidden.
One of the younger artists, 40-year-old Abdul Rahman Mohamd Almutawah, said he is honoured that two of his pieces are included. One depicts a serene, simple scene; blue skies and water form the backdrop to a dhow perched on shore in Al-Wakrah, a quiet city by the sea.
"The happiness of creating a piece of art is when you see a positive reaction from the people," he said. "The painting's about the past. Since we are living in a modern world, it's an honour for me to bring a piece of the past to the present."
For the 54-year-old artist Mohammed Al Jaidah, Swalif is where the younger generation can discover their history.
"I want the people to compare between the old times and now," he said. "I hope art will be taken more seriously now that they have somewhere to come."
Mathaf's second and previous exhibition, Sajjil, was less local, offering 200 modern works by artists from across the region.
The exhibition represents "big changes" since the opening of Mathaf, said Muneera Spence, the chairperson of the graphic design department at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ) - which has a student body that is more than half Qatari.
"One is that our alumni is working in the museum," she said. "The second is that our students have something to look at."
Standing in the museum's lobby on opening night, Jose Parada, a Spanish physiotherapist, said he was less than dazzled by the offerings.
"The art and the artists are pretty normal," he said. "But the concept of this building and the fact there are more women than men who came to the event is inspiring."
Gian Peretti, an Italian interior designer, struggled to name a favourite piece.
"There is more potential and more to do. Things are developing," he said. "It's nice to see there is a strong community of artists, though. It's a group and they know and respect each other."
Perhaps it was Maryah Al Dafa, a young Qatari, whose observations demonstrated that Swalif could well achieve its main goal.
As she made her way to the end of the exhibition, she stopped to look at an eye-catching piece: a giant black and white dress made entirely from feathers. Made by Sheikh Hassan in 2006 and worn by Sheikha Mozah in a photo published in Time magazine, the falcon-inspired garment closes the exhibition with a bang.
"I know it sounds cliché, but this exhibition is a good example of showcasing modernity and tradition," she said. "Art opens your eyes to a lot of things. It's important to capture your culture."
Swalif runs at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art until October 29
Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
Europa League group stage draw
Group A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Astana, Slavia Prague.
Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Young Boys, Partizan Belgrade, Skenderbeu.
Group C: Sporting Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, Istanbul Basaksehir.
Group D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna , Rijeka, AEK Athens.
Group E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta, Apollon Limassol.
Group F: FC Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff Tiraspol, FC Zlin.
Group G: Vitoria Plzen, Steaua Bucarest, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, FC Lugano.
Group H: Arsenal, BATE Borisov, Cologne, Red Star Belgrade.
Group I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria Guimaraes, Konyaspor.
Group J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk, Ostersund.
Group K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte Waregem, Vitesse Arnhem.
Group L: Zenit St Petersburg, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg, Vardar
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5-litre%2C%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E410hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E495Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Estarts%20from%20Dh495%2C000%20(Dh610%2C000%20for%20the%20F-Sport%20launch%20edition%20tested)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
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%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-cylinder%2C%204.8-litre%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E280%20brake%20horsepower%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E451Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh153%2C00%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
