Qatar Museums (QM) has unveiled Aspire House, a new public artwork by Iraqi artist Mehdi Moutashar, marking his first permanent public piece.
The monumental artwork was unveiled by HE the Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi, and QM chief executive Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi.
Commissioned for Aspire Park, the artwork reimagines the essence of home and family through geometric abstraction, a hallmark of Moutashar’s five-decade-long artistic journey.
Aspire House is a legacy project of Moutashar’s 2023 solo exhibition “Mehdi Moutashar: Introspection as Resistance”, organised by Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
Moutashar’s first solo show in Qatar and the region explored his unique use of Arabic calligraphy and ornamental patterns, challenging Western categorisations of his work.
The project is commissioned by the Ministry of Social Development and Family to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family.
“As Mathaf reflects on hosting Mehdi Moutashar’s first solo exhibition in nearly 50 years, it is profoundly rewarding to see his vision continue to resonate through Aspire House,” said Mathaf director Zeina Arida in a statement.
Moutashar’s work blends scientific precision with a deeply personal connection to his past, capturing the fleeting moments of his youth in the Middle East.
Inspired by the intricate ornamentation of local mosques, the shifting shadows of palm fronds, and the simple yet profound lines he once drew in the sand, Moutashar transforms these memories into dynamic, mathematically precise expressions.
“Mehdi Moutashar’s vision beautifully complements the unique character of Aspire Park, creating a setting where people of all ages can experience art in a natural and meaningful way,” said Sheikha Reem al-Thani, the acting deputy chief executive of Exhibitions and director of Central Exhibitions at QM.
Evolving from the artist’s 2007 artwork Three Angles at 135° (a Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art collection), Aspire House incorporates a dynamic interplay of successive, unfolding, and overlapping lines to construct an open, multi-dimensional space. Interwoven with the landscape of Aspire Park, the structure evokes traditional architectural elements such as thresholds, fountains, and courtyards, a symbol of home and sanctuary.
“When I visited the Park Aspire for the first time, I was immediately captivated by the exceptional quality of its spaces: open, moving, inhabited by splendid trees, and dedicated to relaxation,” Moutasher said. “I immediately understood the need to be in deep harmony with the spirit of the place: it was not a question of building any monument but slipping into the current that shaped the space.”
“This is the reason why my construction is traversed by the park as well as its visitors: a fluid artwork – while being made of bricks – whose circulation invites multiple perspectives and endless games,” he added.
Moutashar’s Aspire House evokes architectural elements such as thresholds, fountains, and courtyards, a symbol of home and sanctuary.
Mehdi Moutashar's Aspire House
Moutashar’s Aspire House evokes architectural elements such as thresholds, fountains, and courtyards, a symbol of home and sanctuary.
Mehdi Moutashar's Aspire House
Moutashar’s Aspire House evokes architectural elements such as thresholds, fountains, and courtyards, a symbol of home and sanctuary.
Mehdi Moutashar's Aspire House