Qatar
Scripting her journey in Qatar's cultural heritage
Bouthayna al-Muftah’s art finds beauty in Qatar’s cultural memory
Arabic calligraphy has been part of Bouthayna al-Muftah’s visual world since childhood. For the Qatari multidisciplinary artist, the flowing forms, rhythms and intricate details of the script have evolved from a familiar childhood presence into an integral part of her artistic language, shaped by her close observation of the culture and environment around her.
"I feel like I had an interest from a very young age; the majors that I wanted to study were available at the right time, and me being here, surrounded by my environment, was really amazing.
"And during my time at university, I really started to look at everything very closely, whereas before, you know, a lot of things were being overlooked, and that was when I really fell in love with the beauty of Arabic typography,” says al-Muftah in Qatar Museum’s latest Evolution Nation series.
Her university years became a turning point, sharpening her attention to cultural references, gestures and details that had previously felt familiar. Working across photography, printmaking, typography, performance and installation, al-Muftah has since developed a practice rooted in memory, language and the changing social landscape of Qatar. Arabic script appears throughout her work, at times immediately recognisable and elsewhere fragmented, enlarged or reconfigured until the written form becomes an image in itself.
That fascination connects her practice to a much older artistic tradition. Arabic calligraphy was inscribed in 2021 on Unesco’ Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising a practice that uses Arabic script to convey harmony, grace and beauty. Its legacy remains visible across Qatar today. At the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Arabic calligraphy appears across manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, textiles and glass, showing how the written word has long served artistic as well as functional purposes. The tradition also continues through public art and educational workshops that introduce audiences to its evolving forms.
Al-Muftah’s own interest in this visual heritage extends beyond calligraphy alone. Memory, family, heritage and the visual culture of Qatar and the region continue to shape her practice, with historical objects sometimes becoming deeply personal references that connect past artistic traditions with her own experiences and creative work.
One such object is a Mamluk perfume sprinkler from the national collection, currently on view at the MIA.
Perfume sprinklers, known as qamaqim, the plural of qumqum, were characteristic of Mamluk glass production. The example connected to al-Muftah is a free-blown glass sprinkler with a globular form, a long narrow neck, and enamelled and gilded decoration.
The object also carries a personal connection for al-Muftah. "The Mamluk perfume sprinkler from the National Collection resonated deeply with me, and the object holds significant personal and artistic meaning due to a past installation I created titled Hollow Fragments back in 2019. I chose this piece because of the connection it holds within my family, a sentiment I think is shared by many families in my community and the region.”
Her ability to draw from familiar cultural references reached audiences around the world in 2022, when she designed the official posters for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. It was the first time a series of posters had been created for the tournament.
The main poster showed traditional headwear being thrown into the air, a gesture associated with celebration and football fandom across Qatar and the Arab world. Seven supporting posters focused on the region’s passion for football and the place the game holds within family and community life. The commission placed a Qatari visual language before a global audience while retaining references rooted in local culture and everyday experience.
Moreover, al-Muftah said that creativity remains closely tied to curiosity and to the experience of making itself. "I think there is a future with creativity, you should definitely enjoy the journey and enjoy the process.”