Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, (centre) General Manager, Katara, Antonio Tanger, (right), Ambassador of Portugal, and Ethical Jewellery Artist Maria do Resgate Almadanim during the opening of the Modern Jewelry Exhibition at Katara yesterday. Pic: Kamm
DOHA: Twenty Islamic-inspired jewellery pieces created by Portuguese artist Maria do Resgate Almadanim are on display at the Modern Jewelry Exhibition at Gallery 2 of Katara Building 22.
The exhibition, which opened on Wednesday, is presented by Cultural Village Foundation-Katara in collaboration with the Portuguese embassy.
Showcased in five groups, the 20 silver pieces reflect contemporary art inspired by Islamic decorative art and include Resgate by Topazio, Water Moon, Nests, Criselefantinas, and Fatima’s Hand collection, among others.
Katara General Manager Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, said: “This exhibition is full of deep and rich artistic themes inspired by the Islamic culture and it covers several creative fields such as architecture. The Portuguese artist told us that many people in Portugal show a lot of interest to have such unique artistic works displayed at their own homes.”
It took the artist two years to prepare for the exhibition in which she showcases pieces she fashioned out of her memories and feelings.
“There are memories, stories and feelings that live inside each of us and need to be expressed. The Islamic culture has left a great influence on me and inspired many pieces I’ve put on display here. There were some pieces inspired by my grandmother’s old house and the trappings I used to see around on the walls and floors. Most of the designing ideas and themes came to me without planning but the outcome of the artistic pieces caught me by surprise as I felt they were crafted by inner power and true passion,” explained Almadanim.
She thanked Katara for hosting the exhibition which is important as it opens a window to the Portuguese art scene. “October is a very busy month in our calendar. This month we had the Katara Arab Novel festival, the Ukrainian Art Exhibition and today we celebrate the works of a Portuguese artist. This demonstrates our keenness and determination to offer our audiences a diverse package of creative artistic works from various cultures to enrich their knowledge of the global cultural movement,” said Al Sulaiti, following the tour of the exhibition.
