Visitors at the opening of ‘Reflection’ exhibition which marked the launch of Al Markhiya Gallery at Fire Station yesterday. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
Stunning works of eight trailblazing Qatari artists are first to grace the walls of Al Markhiya Gallery, which becomes the first privately owned gallery that opened at the Fire Station-home to Artist in Residence.
The opening of the two-storey exhibition space is a milestone for the gallery as it now joins its other gallery located at Katara Art Centre providing an additional venue for artists to exhibit their works and for art enthusiasts to enjoy them.
“This is a fantastic moment for us as we are the first privately owned art gallery housed in the Fire Station. The gallery always seeks to promote Qatari and Middle Eastern art and with this new permanent space we can reach out to more audiences with more exhibitions,” Heather Alnuweiri of Al Markhiya Gallery told The Peninsula.
One of the pioneering art galleries in Qatar, Al Makhiya marked the launch of its new art space with the exhibition entitled Reflection. Visitors to the show can indulge in the aesthetic beauty of artworks by Jassim Zaini, Ali Hassan, Faraj Daham, Hassan Al Mulla, Mohammed Al Atiq, Salman Al Malik, Wafika Sultan and Yousef Ahmed, while getting a sense of the quintessential Qatari art through the 23 works of leading local artists on display.
Aptly titled Reflection, the exhibition features Qatari artists who have contributed to the overall development of contemporary art in Qatar, said Alnuweiri. One of the highlights of the show are three works by the late Jassim Zaini, two of which he created shortly before his death. A prolific artist, Zaini, who was the first elected president of Qatar Fine Arts Society, was known for continuously innovating and exploring new techniques which helped enrich Qatar’s fine arts movement.
Innovation is very much evident in Faraj Daham’s ‘Arab Voices’ series as well as in Mohammed Al Atiq’s installation ‘The Memory.
Ali Hassan, one of the most sought-after Qatari artists whose works have been acquired by private and public entities in Qatar and other parts of the world is also represented in the show with his mixed media on canvas ‘Sorrow’ and stainless steel sculpture ‘Horse of the Desert’.
Traditional elements are conspicuous in the works of Hassan Al Mulla and Salman Al Malik inspired by local sights showing Qatari culture, while Arabic calligraphy dominates the paintings of Wafika Sultan and Yousef Ahmed. Last night’s opening event was attended by the participating artists, leading figures in the local art scene and Qatar Museums officials, among others.
The gallery hopes to continue running some of its groundbreaking exhibitions such as the highly successful 50x50 exhibition last summer as well as introduce more unique concepts.
With a mission to promote and represent a distinctive group of emerging and established Arab artists in Qatar, the region and the world, the gallery has been a venue for exhibitions providing exposure to these artists.
Reflection exhibition is open until November 18 from Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 9pm, and on Fridays from 4:30pm to 9pm and Saturdays from 11am to 4pm and by appointment.
