By Raynald C Rivera
Prominent Saudi artist Abdul Hafez Al Ghamdi is displaying 119 of his works in one of the biggest exhibitions Katara has hosted. Al Ghamdi’s solo exhibition, which runs until the end of this month, is entitled “Fragrant past and wonderful present of Qatar.” It includes 119 paintings dealing with many topics related to Qatari environment in the past and the present. Among the subjects addressed in the paintings were construction boom, culture and sports depicted in different periods of the country.
Katara General Manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti launched the expo in the presence of Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Al Aifan and Qatar Fine Arts Society Chairman Yusuf Al Sada and a number of artists and media.
“Katara embraces all cultures and is a hub for creative people from different countries and various types of arts,” said Dr Al Sulaiti, adding Katara has established its cultural identity devoting itself to enriching culture at local, Arab and international levels.
He said this exhibition was the second Katara had organised for Saudi artists, first of which was the expo entitled “Authenticity of heritage in Katara” featuring Saudi artist Abdulaziz Al Mubarazi.
Al Ghamdi said the exhibition encompasses his works in the last three years in which he devoted himself to achieve a record for the biggest exhibition in the world but because of limited time he was not able to reach his goal.
He said he preferred Katara to be the final stop for his artistic journey because of the special place Katara has in the art and culture landscape in the Gulf and the world.
He wanted to dedicate all the paintings in the exhibition to the Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, he added.
Ambassador Al Aifan said Katara has been a source of pride for the Gulf as it gathers various arts and cultures not only on the local level but on the Arab and international level.
He added he was delighted to see Al Ghamdi’s distinct exhibition which reflects the artist’s excellent artistry and that he hoped to see more of these exhibitions in the future.
Al Sada expressed the same happiness on the exhibition by the Saudi artist, whose career he has followed. He lauded the paintings which express the rich experience of the artist.
Abdul Hafez Al Ghamdi is a well known Saudi artist who has featured in 22 exhibitions in Riyadh and Jeddah, in addition to the United Arab Emirates. He is also famous for his sculptures and architectural designs.
The 300-metre monumental painting entitled “The civilization of Saudi Arabia” is his brainchild and will be implemented under his supervision. He has graduated from Science Institute with specialisation in arts and crafts. He has worked as art trainer in many areas, among them in the rehabilitation of the disabled in Jeddah for three years.
The Peninsula
