Meriam Jelliti
Doha
Qatar National Library (QNL), in partnership with ‘Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art’, on Wednesday opened a new art exhibition featuring the work of the Algerian artist Baya Mahieddine.
The exhibition titled ‘Baya Mahieddine: An Exploration of Color and Nature’, which is now open to public until March next year, comes as a celebration of the Qatar MENASA Year of Culture 2022 and depicts the journey of the artist, providing visitors from all over the world with a glimpse into 18 of her best artworks and how they evolved over the decades of her long career as an artist.
The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of State and President of QNL HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al Kawari, Ambassador of Algeria to Qatar HE Mustafa Boutoura and other representatives of both entities.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kawari said, “Every event is now international, not just local, thanks to the World Cup that our country is currently hosting, and this exhibition is no different.
“The most important thing that distinguishes this particular exhibition is the partnership between Qatar National Library and Mathaf. It is about an Algerian artist who lived in France and who is considered a pioneer to the extent that her art was named after her. She is a different type of art herself, and this collaboration with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art is very special and important for Qatar National Library.”
Considered to be one of the most important Algerian artists of her time, Baya’s career spanned nearly six decades and was marked by the post-World War II period, the Algerian War of Independence and the Algerian Civil War.
Baya took her inspiration primarily from her homeland, where she died in 1998. The dreamlike quality of her work, rich in symbols and ornamentation, was clearly influenced by her Algerian cultural heritage.
Orphaned at the age of five, Baya was drawn to art as an adolescent by observing her surroundings, a mix of Arab and Berber cultures. Baya was highly valued by many of the leading figures of the Parisian avant-garde movement, such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and the famous surrealist André Breton.
Celebrated in Algeria, France and the Middle East, Baya gained international recognition with the first North American exhibition organised by the Grey Art Gallery at New York University in 2018.
Dr Kawari said that QNL is aware of the many interesting events that are currently taking place in the country, especially that the National Day is approaching, so it was decided to go for a simple opening.
He also described the ongoing World Cup as the first in which Arab culture is being highlighted from the opening to the end.
“Qatar turned this World Cup into an introduction to Arab culture, and this is an unparalleled achievement. Certainly, Qatar’s cultural role does not stop with the end of the World Cup, but rather this message will always be carried on,” he noted.
The minister stressed that the mission of the Qatar National Library continues with all its cultural roles such as lectures, seminars and exhibitions.
“From this perspective, I announce that the Qatar National Library will witness a great cultural activity from February next year, by setting a regular cultural salon covering topics taking place at the National Library Theater with the participation of the most prominent intellectuals in the Arab world,” he said.
“The success of Qatar was witnessed by those who stood against the World Cup more than those who believed in Qatar, and it is an Arab achievement, not just a Qatari one. This World Cup witnessed many cultural messages that were not accompanied by any other World Cup, and the development of the media in the country was an important factor in covering this World Cup,” he noted.
