Katara Football Art expo ends with award ceremony

There were as many as 52 Doha-based artists who took part in the live painting contest during the exhibition that had five pavilions, Japan-Korea (2002), Germany (2006), South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014) and Russia (2018).Khalid al-Sayed, director of Cultural Affairs and Events at Katara, and Rashmi Agarwal, founder and president of MAPS International, were the judges for the live painting competition. The first prize went to Anandakrishnan, Servin V Antiquina was second and Ulan Rakhatbek, third. The first three prize winners received their shields, certificates and cash prizes from al-Sayed. The organisers also gave away five consolation prizes to the artists. Agarwal handed over the prizes and certificates to all the participants.Speaking on the occasion, al-Sayed appreciated the participants for showcasing their artistic talent and coming up with creative ideas. The exhibition succinctly depicted cultures of the five countries that hosted the FIFA World Cup in the 21st century. He also appreciated MAPS International for organising the exhibition.Agarwal thanked Katara for providing the opportunity to the artists. The exhibition also included various cultural and music events. First prize winner Anandakrishnan said that it was an immensely enjoyable experience for him to paint live during the KFA exhibition. “It is always beneficial to be among good artists. I painted South African fans cheering their team. I used acrylic colours on canvas.”