Returning from her three-month residency at the prestigious International Studio and Curatorial Programme (ISCP) in New York, USA, Qatari artist Sara al-Obaidly presents an exhibition titled 'What Remains' at the Fire Station. The exhibition, which will be open to the public from September 25 to October 12, is a self-initiated project born out of al-Obaidly’s journey across the island of Madagascar in 2016.
Travelling from the capital Antananarivo to the west coast and ending her trip in Belo Sur Mer, al-Obaidly covered over 800km by land, river and sea. This previously unseen body of work combines photographic works, sound design, film, and installation.
'What Remains' is an exploration of what mankind will leave behind once we have fully exploited Earth’s natural resources in the name of progress. The work asks profound questions about human civilisation’s impact on our environment.
Al-Obaidly hopes to initiate dialogue with a serious message and a call to action, encouraging visitors to self-reflect, spurring all of us to contemplate and re-evaluate our relationships with and connection to the natural environment in this modern world, and the footprint we will leave behind. Al-Obaidly is a Qatari interdisciplinary artist, whose self-initiated projects explore the varying political, philosophical and social issues we face today and attempting to capture images that present a truth.
Through her portraitures, al-Obaidly records intimate moments of human emotion, exposing an unshielded and authentic reality. The artist’s work has been exhibited internationally in museums and galleries including: Qatar Contemporary: Art and Photography at Manege, St Petersburg (2018); Contemporary Art Qatar at Kraftwerk, Berlin (2017); National Portrait Gallery, London (2016 & 2014); Museum of Islamic Art Park, Doha (2015); and Qatar Museums (QM) Gallery – Al Riwaq (2014).
She was in residence at the Fire Station in 2015, and more recently at the International Studio and Curatorial Programme in New York. Created under the patronage of QM Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the New York Residency programme, in partnership with ISCP, is an extension of QM’s Fire Station: Artist in Residence programme in Doha.
The programme at ISCP supports the creative advancement of contemporary artists and curators, and promotes cultural exchange.
During their residency, the participating Qatari artists are fully immersed in the New York art scene – they are invited to participate in a number of activities in and outside of ISCP, which include visiting critics, field trips, public talks and open studios.