Serbian graffiti artist, Dimitrije Bugarski (right), with Saif Al Dosari, Human Resources Director at Katara, at the opening of his solo exhibition “Lined Up” at Katara Building 22.
For his first solo exhibition in Qatar, Doha-based Serbian graffiti artist Dimitrije Bugarski takes a breather from creating larger-than-life murals to produce paintings inspired by song titles.
Fourteen 100cm by 100cm paintings created using spray and acrylic on canvas are on show in the exhibition titled “Lined Up” which recently launched at Katara Cultural Village.
“These pieces do not have a common subject that strings them together, they were simply influenced by song titles. The creative process is different in each one,” said Bugarski, known in Doha as one of the five artists who created murals at Doha Fire Station.
Painted on the former fire training tower in the courtyard of the Fire Station, Bugarski’s split portrait of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is one of the eye-catching murals in the façade.
“Lined Up” exhibition represents a colourful visual rendition of songs which belong to different musical genres, from rock and alternative to hip hop and electronic. Taking inspiration from the titles of songs, the artist came up with abstract pieces highlighted by hues and lines, hence the exhibition probably got its name.
“The song title is responsible for sparking each separate, creative journey, inspiring the content of the painting, while in other instances, the song title and the name of the art piece came as a choice that I saw fit after the painting was completed,” explained the artist.
What makes the exhibition appealing to various ages is the fact that the titles of the songs chosen were from the 1960s to the present and were performed by various artists including The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Prodigy, LL Cool J, Gorillaz, Air, Deftones, D12, Fort Minor, and De La Soul. There is even a piece inspired by a soundtrack from a GTA video game.
Beside the paintings are QR codes which visitors to the gallery can scan with their mobiles enabling them to listen to the songs making the show more than an exhibition but a unique experience combining visual and aural dimensions.
While some of the pieces are playful, others are thought provoking, at times compelling like the painting “Red to Black” based on a song by American hip hop group Fort Minor of the same title.
The exhibition remains open to the public until May 15 at Katara Building 22.
