Artists find growing market for handmade art in Qatar

The public’s growing interest in various kinds of artworks and unique handmade products provides an opportunity for artists in Qatar to launch and sell their creations.
This was the observation of Thai national Sinchai Zonputh, who has been working as a senior human resources officer of a Qatar-based contracting company since 2008. The 33-year old artist, who is known among his peers as “Ooh,” is a painter and has mastered the craft of recycling discarded paper products.
Zonputh said his artworks have already spawned a loyal following since he joined the QatArt Handmade Community in 2015. The group is composed of Qataris and expatriates dedicated in producing one-of-a-kind handicrafts.
Asked if paper mache and similar other handicrafts have a market in Qatar, Zonputh said: “My work is something unique and can be differentiated from the style of other artist. The market is open for something new and I think my work has a good potential in Qatar.”
Currently, Zonputh’s works are on display at the Souq Waqif Art Centre every Thursday and Friday. But during the cooler months, Zonputh is a mainstay of the QatArt’s “Handmade Market” at Katara’s Building 19 where many other handicrafts and artworks are sold.
He said his works advocate eco-friendly campaigns such as protection of the environment, recycling, or saving the trees and the rain-forests.
“For my current project, I use discarded things as the basis of my work. For example, I use paper clay made from newspapers to create interesting textures on mixed media art.
“I really want people to understand my work and why I use recycled materials as a part of my creations. I always explain to people that creating art from discarded objects is my way of telling the world that we should take care of the environment and protect our planet,” he explained.
According to Zonputh, the idea of creating paper mache and recycled art came to him when he saw pieces of paper in the garbage.
“One day, I saw a bunch of newspapers, paper boxes, cardboards, and some discarded things in the trash can and I thought that I can do something with these materials. I brought them to my studio and started making paper mache and recycled art projects.
“As an artist, I am inspired by so many things. I would have to say that I am inspired by everything around me. For paper-based artwork, maybe what inspired me was the day I saw these pieces of trash in the garbage,” he said.
To inspire other people and bring his advocacy further out to the public, Zonputh said he conducts seminars at the Handmade Market. Aside from these workshops, he said he had already conducted similar trainings in different schools in Qatar, as well as volunteer work for some organisations here.
“Soon, I will have a schedule for my workshops at Katara, which would be held on the weekends during winter. Normally, my workshops are open to young kids, but this year I plan to create some interesting projects using recycled materials that anybody can make,” he said.
He added: “People, nowadays, are more interested in art so, this is a good sign and it will be good opportunity for other artists in Qatar to launch their works as a business. I’m still learning to develop my technique and striving to improve the quality of my craftsmanship. But I hope that one day, if I succeed in developing a small company, I can support my fellow artists who want to launch their own enterprise.”