Doha: JEDARIART goes to the United States. Qatar Museums (QM) expands the horizon of the public art programme bringing Qatari artists and mural art to five cities in the USA including Jersey City, Portland, San Francisco, Houston, and Miami.
This is part of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture, an annual international cultural exchange designed to deepen understanding between nations and their people.
QM Cultural Diplomacy Department Director, Aisha Al Attiya said: “JEDARIART is one of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture programs that continues to make a huge impact on local communities within the states. By introducing these talented artists and their artwork that tell such rich stories to cities across the US, we are able to create a mutual partnership and understanding of both cultures.”
Meanwhile, Public Diplomacy Outreach at the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the United States Director, Fatema Al-Baker said: “The JEDARIART activations that are taking place, including in San Francisco and Houston, celebrate the deep and lasting friendship between the State of Qatar and the US. This is an exciting way to bring people from our two nations together to foster mutual understanding, meaningful cultural exchange and an appreciation for the Arts, while further aligning and strengthening our relationship of over 50 years.”
In partnership with local organisations, JEDARIART left its mark in the said cities wherein artists bring their own personal style and celebration of Qatari culture to walls throughout the US.
In Jersey City, Nada Khozestani painted “Side by Side,” a mural inspired by her deep love and fascination for Qatari culture and the vast range of saturated colors found in daily life and various elements seen in nature. Meanwhile in Portland, Fatima Al Sharshani painted a mural entitled “The Never Ending You,” an expression of continuity and infinity, which debuted in August.
Going to San Francisco, Mubarak Al Thani, a self-taught artist with a broad skillset, from acrylic paintings to sculptures, photography, and mural-art, has painted a cityscape inspired by San Francisco and Doha, Qatar. Now in Houston, Qatari artist, Muna Al Bader, known for her colour-filled paintings that blend realistic elements and abstraction, while merging iconic Qatari traditions and culture with Western artistic lexicons, recently completed a mural at the University of Houston, the first public university in the US to start a public art initiative. And in Miami, famed Qatari artist Mubarak Al Malik added one of his unique pieces featuring women in batoolas, a traditional face covering historically worn by Bedouin women.
Mubarak Al Thani’s artwork, Mission 974, which merges the San Francisco and Doha skylines, is currently on view at the 24th Street and Mission Street BART Plaza Station in the Mission District of San Francisco. Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture partnered with Mission Art 415, a not-for-profit organisation working to shift the public perception of street art.
