Fatima Alsharshani in front of her mural in Montreal.
Doha, Qatar: Qatari calligraphy and calligraffiti artist Fatima Alsharshani will represent Qatar at this year’s MURAL Festival in Montreal, unveiling a new public artwork inspired by the words of acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood ‘In the end, we all become stories.’
Presented as part of the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, Alsharshani’s participation brings a contemporary Qatari artistic voice to one of North America’s most prominent public art festivals, which each year transforms Montreal’s Saint-Laurent Boulevard into an open-air gallery attracting artists and visitors from around the world.
Fatima’s participation marks the beginning of a new artistic exchange between Qatar and Canada that grew from a chance meeting in Doha. In December 2025, MURAL Festival founder and Lead for LNDMRK Nicolas Munn Rico visited Qatar during World Wide Walls street art festival.
Speaking about the collaboration, Nicolas Munn Rico said: “What began with a visit to Doha has become a creative exchange between two cities that believe in the power of public art. We’re thrilled to welcome Fatima to Montreal, and just as excited to see Canadian artists travel to Doha later this year. The most meaningful partnerships are built on reciprocity, and this one allows ideas, talent and stories to move in both directions.”
Known for her distinctive fusion of Arabic calligraphy and contemporary street art, Alsharshani’s new work explores the traces people leave behind through their actions, relationships and experiences. Drawing inspiration from Atwood’s reflection on memory and legacy, the mural invites viewers to consider how they wish to be remembered and what stories will remain after them.
“This artwork was inspired by Margaret Atwood’s words, ‘In the end, we all become stories,’ because they captured something that resonated deeply with me,” said Fatima Alsharshani. “These simple words contain an entire lifetime. We spend our lives writing our story through the choices we make, the people we love and the impact we have on others. This mural is an invitation to pause and ask: when all that’s left is the story, what do we want it to say?”
Established in 2012, the Years of Culture initiative uses cultural exchange to build lasting relationships between Qatar and countries around the world through partnerships in the arts, education, heritage, sport and innovation.
The 2026 edition celebrates Qatar’s relationships with Canada and Mexico through a year-long programme of exhibitions, performances, educational initiatives and community exchanges.
Taking place from 4–14 June, MURAL Festival is recognised as one of Canada’s leading urban art events, bringing together local and international artists to create large-scale works that contribute to Montreal’s evolving public art landscape. Through Alsharshani’s participation, festival audiences will encounter a contemporary interpretation of Arabic calligraphy while reflecting on a question that transcends cultures: what story will each of us leave behind?
