Arabic calligraphy works by Indian artists on show at Katara

Doha: Iconic cultural symbols and landmarks of Qatar immortalised in the works of Indian artists are among the pieces being showcased at an Arabic calligraphy exhibition which opened on Thursday at Katara Cultural Village as part of the Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture.

Titled “Multaqa Al-Qulub Wal-Funun: A Gathering of Hearts & Crafts,” the exhibition is presented by the Indian Embassy in partnership with India-based Radiant Arts— a platform for Dawoodi Bohra artists.

“It is indeed a pleasure for us to welcome you today in this 24th event that we are organizing as part of the India Qatar Year of Culture. The talent we have in calligraphy represents a facet of India’s composite culture and is also another manifestation of the links that India has with the Arab world,” P Kumaran, Ambassador of India to Qatar, said at the opening of the exhibition.

He thanked the Dawoodi Bohra Association and Radiant Arts for their efforts in making the show possible and bringing talented artists from India to Qatar some of whom were present for live paining and calligraphy demonstrations yesterday.

The ambassador also thanked Katara “for standing with us shoulder to shoulder in making so many of India Qatar Cultural Year events possible during the course of the year. We look forward to more such support in the coming months.”

“We also have one more event in calligraphy lined up in a couple of months. This will have some real old manuscript copies from two important museums in India,” the ambassador announced.

Art pieces by seven artists including Samina Sachak, Mohammed Moiny, Moiz Nagpurwala, Aliasger Vaziri, Mazhar Nizar, Juzer Burhani and Burhanuddin Nagarwala are on display at the show.  Majority of the dozens of works on show illustrate how Arabic calligraphy has been preserved and being practised in India.

Quintessential cultural symbols and landmarks of Qatar such as the traditional dhow, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Doha skyline are celebrated by the artists through their works.

The exhibition is aimed at promoting the beauty and diversity of Indian culture with specific focus on elements which have connection to Qatari culture in particular and Arab culture in general. It intends to showcase the art of calligraphy as another aspect of cultural exchange between India and Qatar.

The exhibition launch was led by Kumaran and Saif Al Dosari, Human Resources Director at Katara, with a number of ambassadors, dignitaries, members of the diplomatic community, artists and art enthusiasts in attendance.

The exhibition will remain open to the public from 10am to 10pm until July 30 at Katara Building 18 Gallery 2.