QATAR : Resistance and postcolonialism at the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha

With shows that range from political stances to introspective research, Doha’s Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art proves itself to be one of the most authoritative voices for Arab narratives and the Global South in art.

The first impressions viewers get when walking inside the space set up like a unitary installation by Algerian artist Kader Attia, are a big haunting archive, a disquieting museum storeroom. It’s called “The Repair from Occident to Extra-Occidental Cultures” at this particular museum in the Qatari capital. A number of cabinets on the perimeter of the room showcase objects from colonial times: photographs of French admirals and Arab royalty, plus memorabilia, knives, cutlery and weapons.

Pinned rather aggressively on the shelves with metal rods are books from 1800-1900, like La France d’Outre MerOccident Noir and The Age of Napoleon, alongside satirical illustrations from magazines. A particularly disturbing one depicts a naive white nurse taking care of wounded African soldiers, who are depicted with malicious grins on their faces. Whether it’s the representation of racist stereotypes, anthropological studies or orientalist perspectives, the selection of materials by Attia shows different aspects of the relationship between coloniser and colonised, and how models of thought carried on in both Western and non-Western cultures.

Among the more harrowing pieces in the installation are several heads sculpted in wood, reminiscent of African statuettes. The features of these faces are distorted, reminding the viewer of the cubist or expressionist effect, that Picasso, Bacon or more recently Marlene Dumas have largely employed in their work. Looking at the anatomy and war surgery books on the shelves — which explain how to reconstruct exploded faces damaged during WW1, and how to attach prostheses — it seems clear that the distortion in the faces references the war wounded. The artist is hinting at the process of repairing historical wounds and abuses by the West towards its colonies, something central to the postcolonial conversation.

The presence of books like Primitive Art and Psychoanalysis summarises one more aspect of the artwork: how the encounter with the “other” is sublimed and transformed in art, and the deep psychological underpinning which lies behind every form of orientalism.

It’s precisely the link between all these seemingly distant concepts that make Kader Attia’s installation so powerful.

The artist leaves it to the viewer to come to terms with that thick, inextricable matter where racist stereotypes, modernism, colonialism, tribal art, sexuality, anthropology, war, imagination and the subconscious meet in a dangerous mix.

The intention of the work, however, is clear. He is examining this magma with a critical eye, in order to move forward and heal the historical wounds from these power dynamics.

Attia’s work is just a small part of the large and rich collection at Mathaf, but it contains one of its most fundamental themes: the creation of an alternative to the non-Western narratives and discourses for history and art history. This seems to be the main mission that the museums in Qatar are highlighting. While in the Western world museums as institutions are increasingly losing their relevance, in the Global South — namely, the parts of the world previously excluded by a Western narrative — museums are fundamental parts in the development of their own art system. In fact, it’s up to these institutions to construct alternative narratives to the West’s by using museums as a central tool.

The permanent collection of Mathaf is a case in point. Offering an excellent survey of 20th and 21st century modern and contemporary art from the Arab world and the Middle East (which is tellingly called “West Asia”), it is highlighting the strong connections of local Qatari and Arab artists with the wider world in Africa, Asia and Europe.

The permanent collection has evolved from an initial donation of a thousand works collected over the past 25 years by Sheikh Hassan Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani. Today, it’s continuing to grow, and hosts more than 9,000 artworks by pioneer Arab artists.

A particularly interesting section of this collection is dedicated to women artists, that has works like “Icons of the Nile” by Egyptian artist Chant Avessidian. This consists of a series of prints and paintings on cardboard representing, in a stylised way, Egyptian icons from modern times, including a number of iconic women.

At the moment, Mathaf is also hosting a temporary exhibition called “Arab Modernism”, which looks at how this current is being articulated in Arab countries, compared with its counterparts around the globe. In the show, we can see not only how Arab artists took visual elements, and techniques from the rich and diverse heritage of the Arab-Muslim world — particularly calligraphy and ornamentation — but also how they mused on the concept of Tajreed. The Arabic term for abstraction, in fact, also means “to strip away” and “purify”, referring to a process of revealing and clarifying through the artistic process itself.

In one room with ochre walls, we can observe how the calligraphic sign was declined to break the division between word and image, opening a space between calligraphy and geometric abstraction. We also find beautiful abstract patterns that intermingle in a big painting by Algerian artist Rachid Koraichi, which is almost tribal in its use of the calligraphic sign and the juxtaposition of primary colours. Etel Adnan, on the other hand, has a much smaller work, part poem, part drawing, where words on paper become abstract lines.

Palestinian Samia Halabi has one painting on show called “The Red One”, an exquisite juxtaposition of touches of colour, which are melodious and musical. Egyptian artist Mounir Canaan, meanwhile, plays on the cubist and modernist usage of pieces of cardboard and wood to create a vibrant image where different plans intersect, creating an effect which is at once aggressive and dynamic.

One of the most beautiful works in the show, though, is by Iraqi artist Hanaa Malallah.

“Secret of Fold Up Squares”, as the name suggests, consists of a series of folded pieces of canvas, burned at their centre. In one of these small squares, almost hidden in the canvas, is a piece of gold, a visually striking and highly evocative detail.

The show lets us observe how shared linguistic and cultural foundations in the Arab world generated a kind of abstraction in the region that stretches far beyond the Western definition of it, or as a simple reaction to academism and realism in art.

A smaller show, “Introspection as Resistance”, is collateral to the Abstraction exhibition. It is dedicated to the mathematical and geometrical work of Iraqi artist Mehdi Moutashar. He has been known as a poet of exactitude and rigour, and his work has been inspired by Abstraction, Minimalism, Op Art and the work of Klein – in its usage of his trademark blue – which is again blended with calligraphy and Arab ornamental patterns.

Overserving graphic motives on the hyper-white walls of the museum, brightly lit, the viewer gets the impression of being catapulted into a different dimension that doesn’t belong to this world, but to computer intelligence.

An early experimenter in geometric abstraction, Moutashar’s work brings mathematical precision and science into art. Looking at the mathematical principles of the universe is, for the artist, a form of introspection. It’s an introspection that bypasses individuals, to connect us with some sort of spiritual truth, a universal order. The artist exemplifies an incessant inquiry and a tireless resistance towards the disorder of the world.

In this sense, the show represents the perfect counterpoint of Kader Attia’s work. Where one acknowledges the impossibility of neatly separating history, imagination, wounding and the mending of wounds, Moutashar launches himself into a Sisyphean attempt to order the work through mathematics.

With these shows, Mathaf proves itself to be one of the most authoritative voices in the Gulf when it comes to speaking about Arab art and its original trajectory. A process of reparation – at least for the art – seems to be possible. One exhibition at a time.

source/content: middleeastmonitor.com (headline edited)

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QATARI Dairy Company ‘Raw’a’ Wins Fine Taste Award for 2023, Brussels, Belgium

Gulf Food Production Company “Raw’a“, one of the leading companies in the State of Qatar in dairy production, won the Fine Taste Award for the year 2023, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of food and beverage industry worldwide, presented by the International Taste Company Institute in Brussels, Belgium. The evaluation was conducted by a committee of more than 200 international chefs with 86 Michelin Stars awarded to the finest chefs and restaurants around the world after competing with more than 120 international products.

136 hours of blind tasting

Rawa is the first Qatari dairy company to receive the award for good taste, after it was subjected to an organoleptic assessment that includes the visual, aromatic, flavour and textural aspects, in addition to the final mouth texture. The evaluation process took place over 136 hours of blind tasting conducted on hundreds of products from around the world, with the aim of selecting the best among them.

Award-winning product

The award-winning product is yogurt consisting of four grains and fruits containing (wheat – barley – oats – rye – apple fruit – coconut fruit). It is a healthy choice full of wholesome fruits and grains . It is the consumer’s first choice in market’s and best seller.

Mr. Mohammad Ali Al-Kuwari CEO of Raw’a, stated that Gulf food Co. pursues a strict strategy related to the quality and safety of its products and revolves around adopting several practices in its factories, including, for example, the activation of several internal audits on dairy products. In addition, the quality of these products is periodically tested.

The company is always keen to perform the above in order to ensure the safety of its products and their compliance with the highest standards of quality and taste before they reach the consumer.

It also pays great attention to developing its products with the support of a specialized research and development team to ensure that the company is compatible with the latest technologies that guarantee quality and taste while maintaining the characteristics that Qatari consumer is accustomed to in our range of products.

Source and cover image credit: Press Release

source/content: iloveqatar.net (headline edited)

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Qatar’s Ashghal Wins Nine International Safety Awards by the British Safety Council (BSC) 

 For the third year in a row, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), represented by the Roads Projects Department (RPD), won nine international safety awards from the British Safety Council (BSC) for the Local Areas Infrastructure Programme projects during 2021. 

The awards include the Roads and Infrastructure Project in Umm Slal (Package 1), Roads and Infrastructure in South of Al Meshaf (Package 3), Roads and Infrastructure in Al Ebb and Leabaib (Package 2), Roads and Infrastructure in Umm Ebairiya Village, South Umm Al Amad, and North Bu Fesseela (Package 1), Roads and Infrastructure in North and East Al-Kheesa (Package 2), Roads and Infrastructure in Al Kharaitiyat and Izghawa (Package 3), and Roads and Infrastructure in Al Wajba East (Packages 1 & 3) in addition to the Roads and Infrastructure Project in South Al-Meshaf (Package 7) and Roads and Infrastructure Project in North of Ain Khaled received International Safety Award. 

It is noteworthy that in 2021, RPD conducted 1440 focused worker welfare inspections, obtained licenses from the Ministry of Public Health for 14 worker clinics and managed to get around 26977 workers medically screened for chronic diseases. This keen attention to implement top operational Health and Safety standards led RPD to achieve an Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) of 0.10 for the 88.7 million-man hours worked in 2021. This reflects both the magnitude of work handled by the department and its commitment to health and safety and workers’ welfare on its project sites.

Eng. Saoud Al Tamimi, RPD Manager, said: “Winning nine international health and safety awards for the third year successively, after winning 4 awards in 2020, and 3 in 2019, which were presented to the new and existing subdivisions projects, reflects Ashghal’s commitment to maintain health and safety in its construction projects, and the leading position which the Authority plays in the Qatari construction industry in terms of spreading awareness and best Health and Safety practices.” 

Eng. Al Tamimi also pointed out that “having Ashghal’s projects continuously winning safety awards from international institutions is an acknowledgment of the high level of safety in the Public Works Authority’s projects and a proof of its keenness to safeguard the workers’ health and lives, as safety is an important pillar of Ashghal’s project implementation strategy, and a culture that Ashghal strives to spread and uphold.”

Now in their 64th year, the International Safety Awards recognize and celebrate organizations from around the world which have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the scheme’s independent judges their commitment to preventing workplace injuries and work-related ill health during the previous calendar year.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, congratulated Ashghal on their success in winning the awards, saying, “The British Safety Council applauds all winning projects on their achievement. The award is in recognition of their commitment and hard work to keep their employees and workplaces free of injury and ill health. The vision of British Safety Council is that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work – anywhere in the world. Achieving this requires more than complying with legislation; it means people committed not only to health and safety but also more and more to workplace wellbeing and impelling others to follow suit.”

source/content: thepeninsulaqatar.com (edited)

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Eng. Saoud Al Tamimi, Roads Projects Department Manager at Ashghal.

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December 18th. Qatar National Day

On 18 December 1878, Sheikh Jassem bin Mohamed bin Thani succeeded his father as the ruler of Qatar.

With that, Qatar became a country with a vision… a country that would find unity, grow rapidly, and reach toward ever-higher heights.

National Day, also known as Founder’s Day, celebrates the rise of Sheikh Jassem as the father and founder of the State of Qatar.

It was founded in 2007 to give people an occasion to honour the history and identity of their country, and to commemorate those who have worked and continue to work to make Qatar a great nation.

The 18th of December is a special day – a day of unity for the people of Qatar. 

source/content: qatarnationalday.qa

December 18th, 2021

H.H. the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani participated in Qatar’s Arda (traditional sword dance) held at Amiri Diwan Yard to celebrate Qatar National Day.

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pix: iloveqatar.net / Qatar News Agency

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Qatar Swimming Team Wins Age Groups Title at 28th GCC Aquatics Championships : August 21st, 2021

Qatar’s national swimming team claimed the title of age groups competitions at the 28th GCC Aquatics Championships on Friday, 20 August 2021. The competitions will conclude at the Hamad Aquatic Centre on Sunday, 22 August 2021.

Team Qatar swimmers claimed 24 medals on the second day including 12 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and two bronze medals taking their tally of medals to 52 including 30 gold medals, 15 silver medals, and 7 bronze medals.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait finished second and third respectively. Bahrain UAE and Oman were the other teams in the competition.

Qatari swimmers also emerged on top in all three age categories. While Ziad Morsi (three gold two silver) was the best in the 11-12 years category, Abdullah Al Ghemri (13-14 years) was unstoppable in all six races he took part in.

Omar Ashraf, who set a Gulf record on the opening day, took home five gold and a silver in the 15-17 years group.

The Qatar Swimming Association president Khaleel Al Jabir was thrilled with the overwhelming display of strength.

“This is the first time in the competition’s 28 editions that a country is winning 30 gold medals. We left everyone far behind, and it shows the strength of our programme. I congratulate the boys on a job well done, and we’ll strive to make them more competitive at higher levels,” said Al Jabir.

source/content: iloveqatar.net /
source and cover image credit: Qatar Olympic Committee

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Image Credit: Qatar Swimming Association Twitter: @Qatar_swimming / iloveQatar.net

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Mutaz Essa Barshim Wins 2nd Gold Medal For Qatar, Tokyo 2020 Olympics : July 2021

Mutaz Essa Barsham. Track and Field Athlete. High Jump.

Mutaz Barshim high jumper claims a first ever gold medal in the track and field with victory in the men’s high jump.

 High jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy share gold medal

The pair had a choice of a jump-off for one gold or shared medals, and they chose the latter because of their longtime friendship.

Both high jumpers were perfect until the bar was set to the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters (7 feet, 10 inches). Each missed three times.

Earlier Wins:

  • National record holder
  • Asian record holder with a best mark of 2.43 m (7 ft 11+12 in).
  • Winner, gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London
  • Winner at 2019 World Championships in Athletics in Doha.
  • Winner bronze at the London 2012 Summer Olympics
  • Winner silver at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio
  • Winnr gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics Tokyo.
  • Asian Indoor and World Junior champion in 2010
  • Winner – high jump gold medals at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships  
  • Winner at 2011 Military World Games

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pix: twitter.com/TamimBinHamad/status

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