Qatar Foundation unveils 'Artful Minds' exhibition

Qatar Foundation (QF) is launching Tuesday "Artful Minds”, an exhibition in partnership with the International Artists Doha (IAD), celebrating the intersection of art, health, and wellness.The exhibition, running until October 30 at Multaqa Gallery, is open to the public.A total of 31 artists from diverse backgrounds have participated in the event which sheds light on the importance of mental health and encourages audiences to break the stigma surrounding mental health, and encourages open conversations about all-round wellbeing."Art has an exceptional ability to heal and empower us as it provides a unique tool of self-expression. The Artful Minds exhibition embodies this concept,” Ameera al-Aji, community art lead at the QF, said."A diverse group of 31 artists are participating in the exhibition, including those specialising in medicine and engineering,” she said. "This diversity enables us to adapt their artistic styles to capture the nuances of mental health.”"Their artistic works range from abstract expressionism to pure realism reflecting the challenges individuals face, including mental challenges,” al-Aji added.She stressed on the importance of having more conversations about mental health."The more we talk about mental health, the more we raise the level of awareness about it,” al-Aji said. "At the QF, we aim to discuss and motivate community members to break the stigma surrounding mental health by organising workshops that are open to the public during ‘Artful Minds’.”Hala Aljaafari, a Syrian visual artist and interior designer based in Qatar, is participating in the exhibition to help raise awareness on mental health."In our society, mental health remains a non-negotiable topic, and through my artwork, I wanted to contribute to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health,” she explained.Aljaafari’s artwork – an oil painting titled *Breaking Bread – emphasises the importance of social connections in the lives of individuals who face mental health challenges."Social interactions play a pivotal role in enhancing or deteriorating mental health for the individual,” she said.As part of the "Artful Minds” exhibition, the QF invites community members to join the public workshop on October 13, from 4-6pm, at Multaqa Gallery, Multaqa to enjoy a day of creativity, self-expression, and healing.Registration for the public workshop can be done by e-mailing qftrail@qf.org.qa