DOHA: Sixty art pieces inspired by Qatar’s flora and fauna will be displayed at an exhibition which opens this evening at Katara Art Centre.
The 20-day expo ‘Qatar Natural Heritage under the Microscope: Designs based on Flora and Fauna found in Qatar’ is being organised by UCL Qatar.
Designed by Doha-based artist Mariana Heilmann, the exhibition is the first of its kind, unifying Qatari natural heritage, art and science.
Students in Al Ruqayya School, Qatar Canadian School and Doha College were encouraged to create pieces based on microscopic images of local flora and fauna in workshops run by UCL Qatar.
The resulting 60 designs and patterns are on display at the exhibition alongside background information about the study.
“Using micrographs as a basis for artwork is something I have been developing over the years. The focus on Qatari natural heritage came about through dialogue with UCL Qatar, which recognised the potential for the programme to be used in schools.
“Our aim is to encourage the next generation to appreciate their environment by exposing them to the awe-inspiring intricacies revealed by science, through an artistic lens,” said Heilmann.
The project organiser, Antonia Rosati, Community Engagement Officer, UCL Qatar, said, “UCL Qatar is always looking for creative and innovative ways to engage local residents and raise awareness about the broad and varied heritage around them.
“The exhibition represents Qatar’s rich natural heritage in a creative and novel way that highlights the diversity and depth of natural wonders in their environment”.
A key element of the programme was the use of scientific data, providing an educational experience for exhibiting students and visitors.
In the interest of creating a well-researched study, experts Dr Aspasia D Chatziefthymiou, Microbial Ecologist, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, and Philip Connolly, Laboratory Technician, UCL Qatar, were commissioned to contribute expertise from latest research projects.
Dr Chatziefthymiou’s research focuses on the behaviour of bacteria adapted to extreme climates. Microscopic images of organisms that survive in the desert sand dunes, mangroves, wadis, rawdats (meadows), sabkhas (oases) and intertidal zones in Qatar formed the basis of the exhibition works.
The aim is to shed light on the often forgotten natural environments within Qatar in an engaging, interactive way.
The exhibition is open to the public until November 24.
The Peninsula
