Doha: Authors and visual artists praised Qatar’s experience in the field of sustainability.
In exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency , they affirmed the importance of culture and arts in raising awareness about environmental conservation by drawing inspiration from nature and using its elements as mediums and tools in their creative endeavors in writing, composition, and visual arts. They also shed light on their experiences in employing sustainability, noting that this practice aligns with the spirit of the times and is consistent with the logic of development and renaissance.
In this regard, author and architect Eng. Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah, winner of the State of Qatar Encouragement Award, told QNA that culture and knowledge are key factors in effective interaction with the environment, pointing out that an intellectual is aware of the surroundings and contributes to spreading awareness about the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability. He emphasized that art is a crucial tool in
raising public awareness and conveying intellectual messages about the significance of sustainability and how to preserve our environment, as it serves to motivate and encourage people to take an active role in addressing environmental changes and the importance of preserving them, pointing out that there are many ways to artistically express environmental and climatic issues, including visual arts, which can present impactful and inspiring sensory images that endure through the ages.
He added that the environment serves as an inspirational source for many artists who seek to renew our relationship with our natural surroundings. Environmental art has even become an independent discipline that reinforces traditional and cultural roots by using environmental elements from the natural surroundings according to geographical and cultural diversities, as environmental artworks typically use natural materials that aesthetically change over time and have the ability to decompose, which reinforces and affirms the nec
essity of our commitment to protecting the environment to achieve sustainability, he said.
Author of History of Qatari Architecture (2010), 99 Domes (2015), Qatari Style (2019), and Discovering Arabian Deco (2023) Eng. Ibrahim Jaidah said that the desert and coastal environment, along with Qatari culture and heritage, have always been fundamental sources of inspiration in his architectural designs, especially at the beginning of his career. He also expressed his passion for documenting traditional architecture in his first book The History of Qatari Architecture 1800-1950, which covers a large collection of buildings constructed from environmental resources from the surroundings and are an example of how architecture in the past adapted to the needs of the inhabitants and harmonized with the climate.
Jaidah affirmed that a successful architectural project today addresses these environmental needs. Therefore, through his projects and writings, he strives to learn from the lessons of our ancestors in interact
ing with our environment and to develop buildings that respect the environment and visual diversity that combine traditional aesthetics with modern functions to ensure the sustainability of our environment and communities.
For his part, visual artist Sheikh Mubarak bin Nasser Al-Thani confirmed in statements to QNA that art has a role in preserving the environment and the social and cultural heritage, and enhancing their existence and preserving them through sustainability. Creativity establishes people’s details in society by drawing inspiration from them and processing them artistically. It also enhances awareness of its cultural and civilizational value; as art immortalizes objects, landmarks, and personalities, thus remaining in the memory for hundreds of years.
Responsibility of artists in society is linked to the mission of art in creating meaning and leaving a constructive impact through broadcasting positive humanitarian messages and using materials that are human, environment, and society friendly,
he added.
Sheikh Mubarak bin Nasser Al-Thani, holding a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from New York University, USA, pointed out that his artistic project is inspired by features of the urban landscape, represented by the aesthetics of architecture and its geometric dimensions, rediscovering the character of the city and its development over time, and searching for the common humanity among people, represented by architecture, lifestyle and relationships with others. Therefore, artist Al-Thani is keen to document and draw inspiration from the landmarks of the city of Doha in his paintings, celebrating their moral, cultural and social value. For him, painting is an element of preserving memory, preserving heritage, and documenting development and renaissance.
The Qatari cultural identity is a mixture of the past and the present, the old and the modern. Indeed, Qatar is a place of coexistence and mixing between authenticity and modernity, and it is a symbol of diversity, development and openness to modern
ity. That is why artist Al-Thani is keen on expressing this blending in a contemporary style in his artistic works and exhibitions, by employing the symbolism of colors and their ability to express the diversity and richness of the urban landscape, to highlight this legacy in which the old style and new trends blend, and all the elements of windows, doors, roofs, columns and ceilings gain their value and artistic and cultural significance.
In turn, visual artist Issa Al Mulla, one of the pioneers of visual arts in Qatar, told QNA that culture and arts in their various forms contribute to shaping the personality of the individual and the image of society, and the expression of civilization in society, stressing their role in promoting sustainability, preserving the environment and natural resources, and enhancing people’s awareness of it through artistic expression.
Al Mulla pointed out that his creative experience celebrates the cultural heritage of Qatari society and its creative symbols and folk arts in t
he past and present, by processing them through the arts of composition and installation, in which he uses elements from the environment, such as iron, wood, objects, and recycled discarded objects, as he transforms these neglected elements into works of art with humanitarian, cultural and civilizational implications.
He said that in this field, he has completed many models and installation works that represent Qatar’s heritage, culture, and present. His works include models and installation paintings of the maritime heritage, represented by traditional dhows, diving ships and its tools, in addition to other features of the land and heritage of the desert, such as tents, fashion, accessories for horses and camels, the culture of hunting and falcons, the traditional Sadu arts, musical instruments such as the Oud and the Rababa, elements of food culture and cooking utensils, besides elements of significance in contemporary life in the culture of fashion, work and architecture.
Al Mulla called for strengthenin
g the expected support from institutions in the private sector to support the State’s efforts in promoting sustainability and environmental preservation, and deepening awareness of nature conservation, by adopting artists’ projects and sculptures that are inspired by symbols of heritage, culture, and society, and supporting the State’s efforts in decorating squares, landmarks and parks, with these sculptures and installation works that reflect the cultural of the society. Al Mulla expressed his readiness to provide various parties with models that reflect this ancient heritage in all its forms, especially since these works combine the value of art and the benefit to society through sustainability, the use of environmentally friendly materials, and the use of recycled discarded items.
Artist Issa Al Mulla stressed that these installations and models nourish the imagination of new generations with their culture and introduce them to their social heritage and its important symbols. They also attract visitors to
Qatar and expose them to basic features of society’s heritage and culture, embodied in art and creativity in contemporary ways.
Source: Qatar News Agency
