Katara showcases Qatari artist’s work in New Delhi

Some 24 paintings by renowned Qatari artist Hassan al-Mulla are on display in the Indian capital of New Delhi at a week-long exhibition running until May 7. The exhibition, organised by Katara – the Cultural Village in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Doha and Qatar embassy in New Delhi and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, expresses the artistic vision of al-Mulla, one of the leading innovators who played a significant role in establishing the Qatari art movement.“I worked through these paintings by the inspiration of the ocean and the selection of a part of the nature to express my thought and conscience with the use of some symbols and popular models, in addition to Arabic calligraphy as a basic artistic value of Islamic culture,” he said.Al-Mulla’s paintings emphasise his interest in the beauty of local culture. His career began from his early childhood years as he lived in old houses, fishing boats and the natural environment, and the people who settled in his memory were the heroes of the scenes he kept and his soul that influenced him deeply in his paintings. The artist does not follow a certain art school and his ideas, which do not know boundaries, have been edited by familiar painting traditions, frameworks, technique and tools that characterise it.Born in 1951 in Doha, al-Mulla completed his art studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baghdad and was an active and leading member of the Qatar Fine Arts Society. He participated in a number of art and culture exhibitions and festivals at the local and international levels. He had his first solo exhibition in Doha in 1988.“Katara continuously supports the Qatari creativity in various fields, both inside and outside Qatar through co-operation agreements with many centres, institutions and cultural foundations to introduce Qatari artists’ works,” Katara general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti.He added that the exhibition of “the venerable Qatari artist al-Mulla will be the best ambassador reflecting the rich Qatari culture.”Dr al-Sulaiti pointed out that this event is not only a painting of a Qatari artist, but an integrated artistic vision that summarises the great experience of al-Mulla in the world of fine art and colours, and deserves a lot of contemplation and appraisal.” “It will also give visitors the opportunity to learn about the cultural characteristics of Qatari society,” he added.Dr al-Sulaiti thanked the Indian embassy, Qatar embassy in New Delhi and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts for their co-operation in realising this exhibition. Katara supports intercultural co-operation and communication between peoples and strengthen relations among creators of different nationalities.