Tribune News Network
Doha
THE journey of ‘Red Bull Curates: Dhow Art’ came to an end recently with the unveiling of six dhows. The dhows were in the spotlight at an exhibition held at the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum (FBQ Museum) in celebration of creativity and heritage. This initiative came to life in partnership with FBQ Museum, Vodafone Qatar and Doha Fire Station.
The project welcomed a selection of Qatar’s promising as well as established talents to express art on an untraditional canvas, the dhow. Led by curator Khalifa al Obaidly, director of Doha Fire Station, these artists were chosen to turn their inspirational designs into a reality.
Art and creativity enthusiasts gathered to witness the six real life-sized dhows as they were finally revealed, portraying the artists’ inspiring imagery. In celebration of culture and arts, the presentation also featured several local and international performances throughout the evening.
The exhibition was attended by Sheikha Alanood bint Faisal bin Qassim al Thani, Austrian Ambassador to Qatar HE Dr Willy Kempel, Director of FBQ Museum Kees Wieringa, and Qatar’s leading media and opinion leaders.
Sheikha Alanood welcomed everyone and congratulated the artists who worked hard to bring these dhows into life. "We are very excited about such an initiative by Red Bull that falls in line with the FBQ Museum’s vision of creating a community for artists,” she stated.
Ambassador Willy Kempel described it as "a wonderful project” and expressed his support for the initiative and the art scene in Qatar.
Commenting on his appreciation of the project, director of the museum, Kees Wieringa stated, "When the idea initially came through from Red Bull, I heard of art, culture and heritage separately. But looking at the dhows now, I see contemporary art that speaks of heritage displayed at the museum. It all fits together perfectly”.
Through the six dhows, Mubarak al Malik depicted the dramatic farewell of a sailor and his family while Muna al Bader captured the joyful scenery of traditional Qatari weddings. Fatima al Naimi told the tale of a dhow’s suspenseful journey as Fahad al Maadheed brought together the symbolic horse and camel. Noor Abuissa illustrated Qatar’s old traditions of pearl diving through her contemporary brush strokes whereas Jamila al Ansari cast a colourful take on Qatar’s past and it’s present.
"I knew we we’re going to surprise the entire scene. There’s a lot in store for everybody, not just art enthusiasts,” explained Dhow Art’s curator, Khalifa al Obaidly.