Stage set for exhibition of emerging artist’s work

Qatar Museums (QM) has said it is all set to showcase the unique works of emerging Qatari artist Bouthayna al-Muftah from tomorrow at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.Titled ‘Bouthayna Al-Muftah: Echoes’, the exhibition is being held under the patronage of QM Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.It will give visitors a chance to explore al-Muftah’s ongoing research and her reflections on the rapid social and cultural changes that have taken place in her surroundings in a short period of time.Al-Muftah’s work interrogates stories and practices from Qatari cultural heritage by archiving collective memories and personal encounters using various artistic media, including drawing, printmaking and installation. The artist’s work will be on display from 5pm tomorrow at Project Space, a platform dedicated to emerging artists’ and curators’ experimentations with new ideas and forms of presentation. Al-Muftah is part of a new generation of dynamic young artists who are using art as a commentary on Qatar’s proud past and ambitious future. Last year, she joined more than 70 Qatar-based artists at the Contemporary Art Qatar exhibition, which was held in Kraftwerk Berlin as part of the Qatar-Germany Year of Culture. The exhibition featured three sections: Articulating the Particular: Contemporary Visual Narratives; Cultural Exposures, Photography and Film from Qatar; and Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport.The first section sheds light on the contemporary art scene in Qatar by showcasing over 100 artworks by more than 35 artists, 19 of whom are Qataris. The second section showcased highlights from QM’s Year of Culture photographic exchange initiative, in which selected photographers undertake creative journeys in Qatar and the partner countries. The third section displayed a selection of photography and films by Brigitte Lacombe and Marian Lacombe, French photographer and filmmaker, respectively, celebrating the strength and pride of female athletes from the Arab world. According to QM, the Contemporary Art Qatar exhibition was a major show in Berlin, which showcased the “biggest selection of contemporary arts from Qatar”. It covered an area of more than 7,500sq m.QM also organised two major exhibitions last year as major highlights of the Qatar-Germany 2017 Year of Culture: ‘Driven by German Design’ and ‘German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks’. The year-long programme is made up of a wide variety of exhibitions and events in addition to literary and art workshops, film screenings, concerts and performances, sports competitions and trade shows. Launched in 2012 under the guidance of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa, Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative is designed to promote mutual understanding, recognition and appreciation between countries.