QNL hosts exhibition to celebrate Algeria’s most acclaimed artist

Qatar National Library (QNL) in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and in celebration of the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022, has opened a new art exhibition to pay tribute to the self-taught Algerian artist, Baya Mahieddine.The exhibition, titled 'Baya Mahieddine: An Exploration of Colour and Nature,' celebrates her decades-long career and provides a window into her fascinating life from the 1940s until the late 1990s. Baya’s 18 works on display at the exhibition, which runs until March 2023, were drawn from QNL, Mathaf, Qatar Museums and private collections in Qatar.QNL held a media tour attended by president and HE the Minister of State Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari, and Mustafa Boutoura, ambassador of Algeria.Dr al-Kawari said: "Baya has carved a prominent place for herself in the field of modern art and has become one of the most important artists in Algeria, the Arab world, and even globally. The exhibition aims to celebrate her life and career and comes as part of QNL’s mission to continue to spearhead initiatives and host artistic events that position Qatar as a global cultural hub and a guardian of the region’s heritage.”Zeina Arida, director of Mathaf, commented: "We are pleased to collaborate with QNL on this exhibition that aims to share with the audience the work of Baya, an important Algerian artist who is part of Mathaf’s collection. This exhibition is part of Mathaf's mission to increase awareness and understanding of the important work of artists in the Arab world.”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. 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.