Katara Cultural Village has opened the “Progress and Procession Museum” exhibition to feature artworks and paintings and calligraphy.The exhibition by Qatari artist Khawla Mohamed Abdulaziz al-Mannai was opened by Katara general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti in the presence of representatives of diplomatic missions, artists and art enthusiasts.To run until September 13 at Hall 2 of Building 18 at Katara, the exhibition features nearly 80 diverse artworks combining textiles, realistic, abstract and impressionistic painting along with Arabic calligraphy.It documents al-Mannai's career from her debut in 1990 to 2025 while reflecting the stages of artistic life she has gone through from study and learning to creativity and participation in local and international exhibitions.The exhibition highlights the richness of her artistic experience and the diversity of her styles and techniques.Through her paintings, she presents multiple artistic schools that reveal the interweaving of memories and personal experiences.It also addresses cultural themes with a local flavour such as horses, women, the lighthouse and the sewing machine, opening windows onto the past.The exhibition draws inspiration from other elements influenced by her exposure to diverse global cultures while highlighting the importance of art in building bridges of communication between civilisations.The works on display reflect al-Mannai’s precision and patience as well as the depth of her philosophy, which combines creativity and skill.Thus, the exhibition provides an opportunity for visitors to gain a closer insight into the artist’s creative journey and discover her artistic vision.Al-Mannai studied art in Qatar, learning textile science at Helwan University in Egypt before developing her artistic style while studying abstract art at the University of the Arts in Britain.She believes that artistic style is born of the moment and the idea, and therefore expresses her art in a variety of ways.She has participated in numerous exhibitions both inside and outside Qatar representing the country at international art forums.Among her most notable works is the painting *A Woman from the Past, which was exhibited in Morocco, Britain and France in collaboration with the former ministry of information and the Amiri Diwan.Throughout her career, she received several painting awards from Qatar and the Gulf states and was honoured in Kuwait in 2019 for her research on *Sadu weaving.Al-Mannai was also honoured by the ruler of Sharjah in recognition of her efforts in collecting folk tales.A number of her works has been acquired by prestigious museums and institutions, while two of her textile paintings are on display in a Swiss museum.These works were created with love and dedication, especially those that depict the names of God and verses from the Holy Qur'an.
