For the first time ever, a Los Angeles-based art gallery is featuring the works of two renowned Qatari artists in an exhibition titled Unveiling Qatar - Hidden Thoughts. Curated by Marisa Caicholo and presented by the ADC & Building Bridges International Art Exchange in Santa Monica, California, the exhibition showcases the modern works of artists Amal al-Aathem and Yousef Ahmad and is supported in part by Qatar Foundation International (QFI).
This week, QFI students from LA-based partner schools joined the exhibition organisers for a day of art workshops on Unveiling Qatar, which explores the underlying expressions of culture within artwork. Artists Amal and Yousef reveal culture through their artwork by using hidden expressions and Arabic calligraphy, respectively.
In workshops organised by the ADC, high-school students from QFI partner schools in Los Angeles will learn more about the meaning behind the artwork and how to employ various techniques to express their own identity and culture. The workshops will prepare students for an educational programme to Qatar this month.
From March 22 to 31, the students will join their peers in Qatar on an educational programme in Doha.
Named ‘Áber: Expressions of Culture, Identity and Language’ and organised by QFI, the trip will see the students participate in an Arabic language curriculum and work on a collaborative, cross-cultural artwork with their Qatari peers.
Áber is an Arabic word, which means to express one’s feelings and thoughts, or to move across from one side to the other. During the trip, the students, along with their Qatari peers, will embark on a journey of learning, gaining critical skills in cross-cultural communication and the opportunity to enhance their worldviews. They will learn about their different cultures and examine their own perspectives through daily interactions, educational activities and cultural excursions.
In addition, with the facilitation of LA-based professional artist and photographer Cynthia Herrera, the students will create a collaborative, contemporary artwork that integrates the themes of language, culture and identity. The finished pieces will be featured in an exhibit at Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf) as well as a later event in Los Angeles.
“This project creates a space for dialogue about language, identity and culture among youth,” said Herrera. “The hope is that through youth collaboration, we will be able to represent not only culture and community, but also create lasting ties.”