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Lezima Gomes
Doha
Qatari artist Bouthayna al Muftah is proud of her heritage and wishes to preserve it for the generations to come. Inspired by some of the world's most revered masters of the modern era such as Cy Twombly, Franz Kline, she uses her artistic skills to showcase various elements of Qatari culture.
She recently exhibited nine of her paintings at the Currents exhibition held by W Doha's new art space Art29 and Emergeast. The artworks were part of her series called Yeebhom which translates to 'Bring them back'.
Speaking about the creations, she said, ''The series is about women and how they would sing songs to the sea as their husbands, sons and brothers used to venture into the sea for pearl-diving, not knowing whether they would return. They sang passionately to the sea, asking it to keep its waters calm, so that their loved ones could return home safely."
The series with a deep sense of nostalgia was Bouthayna's attempt at archiving an important aspect of Qatar's history now rarely found even in books. ''The inspiration for this series was to highlight the songs sung by the women, to preserve some aspects of our culture. Qatar is rooted in tradition and culture and I try to find elements of our culture that are on the wane. I do my research by talking to older people who know about our heritage. The paintings are like a deconstruction of the song," she explained.
Most of her paintings follow a monochromatic theme, explaining which she said,"The monochromatic scheme is something that I do a lot and it reflects me as a person as well. I really find myself in black and white. Also, because the series tries to depict the past, I felt that monochrome is something that really fits with the stories and since it's minimalistic, it really brings out the contrasts. Although it looks simple, there is process involved as well as layers, which is not easy. I do work with colour but I enjoy the black and white more.''
With a graphic design degree from VCUQ, Bouthayna, who began her journey as an artist at an early age, said that she had loved art since she was a child. ''I really feel that it helps me express myself, and it was my surrounding that always inspired me. I always believed that heritage is a very important element in how a country evolves. It is something that is truly important to me, and one of my favourite things about my home country. Many places around the world tend to lose these signatures of their roots with the advancement of technology. I want my work to remind others of who we are, where we came from, and not to lose ourselves in the process of getting there,'' she said.
She may have evolved as an artist but one thing that remains constant is her keen interest in her culture. Her previous exhibition, two years ago, at the Qatar Museums' Al Riwaq Gallery, was a showcase of paintings titled 'Faces', which also had a similar concept. In the series of creations, she tried to depict old jewellery and local personalities. Bouthayna illustrated portraits of women once seen in monochromatic photographs through her use of a black-and-white palette, along with abstract drawings. She said, '''Faces' did not depict any certain person or individual. My concept did not revolve so much around the people as much as that they portray an idea or a memory of being in that time or place. Each face tells its own story that which each individual can relate to in his or her own way.''
Bouthayna's images are a wonderful confluence of age-old Arabic themes and 20th Century modernism. She has already exhibited her work in Greece, Dubai and US and has received overwhelming response.
Speaking about her future plans, she said, ''Growing up, I spent a lot of time in London and one of my favourite galleries is the Saatchi Gallery. It has always been a dream of mine to see my work in those galleries that took my breath away. I don't know where my journey will take me, but I feel the more you think about the future and plan ahead, one tends to lose all inspiration and flow as an artist. So I don't want to think and rethink about it. I hope to produce some good work and I look forward to expanding my artistic horizons and continue to strive towards my goals.''
