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As the sun goes down on Katara
Art Centre, one less platform
remains for local artists
by Sukanya Seshadri June 3, 2014 3 min read original
The Center, which has been an avid supporter and host of various
contemporary art forms and local, regional and international artists,
was opened in mid-2012 by founder Tariq Al Jaidah. Since then, it has
been one of the few venues which has invited members of the Qatar
community to create, participate and learn about different art forms
through events, workshops, talks, pop-up shops and exhibitions. It
also has a bookstore which stocks a number of titles on art, design,
culture as well as books for kids.
In an earlier conversation with JustHere,
Artistic Director and Curator of KAC, Mayssa
Fattouh told JustHere Community
engagement is one of our primary aims, we
engage with different communities and
encourage the public to ask questions and
propose ideas. We want the Qataris and other
nationalities to feel that they have ownership
in this center. As KAC gets ready to shut
down, it will be yet another place that
residents of Qatar will remember, just like
many other such events. This is especially true for local artists who
find it hard to showcase their work in the other galleries around Qatar
for both financial as well as procedural reasons.
KAC has held over 120 events since it opened doors and has worked
with over 60 artists and was the only one which invited local artists to
display their work at the centers premises in Katara Cultural Villages
Building 5. JustHere revisits the top 10 events and activities that KAC
has organised over its two-year lifespan, many of which were
introduced to Qatar for the first time.
1. Mastaba: Conversations on Art
Mastaba means platform in English. This was a monthly themed
event, which invited all art enthusiasts around Qatar to
participate in a discussion around different topics in art in both
English and Arabic. Some of the themes have included the state of
the Doha art scene, the relation between art and performance,
multicultural collaborations and others.
2. Pop-up Shops
Doha never had pop-up shops before KAC brought them into the
picture. Starting with the Beirut Design Pop-Up Shop in 2012, the
dXb Store Pop-Up Shop in summer 2013, Kuwait City Pop-Up, the
Amrapali Jewels Pop-Up Shop and the currently running Amman
Design Pop-Up Shop. These pop-up shops brought a number of
interesting arts and crafts created by a number of designers and
artists from around the Arab region for sale at the KAC.
3. Reading, Writing and Storytelling
The Writing Exchange
This workshop which took place every Saturday for a few
months was an interactive and engaging workshop for those
interested in the craft of writing. Led by Doha-based writer
Bob Marcacci, this encouraged people to bring their pens and
ideas to the exchange to explore their inner creative writers.
Storytelling and Arts & Crafts workshops for kids in
association with Maktaba Childrens Library in Doha (in
English and Arabic)
The Spanish Family Reading Circle for families and little
kids,which would involve them reading a selection of kids
books in Spanish.
Poetry & Storytelling Workshops
This event, which used to be held on the first Tuesday of every
month last year, was an event with a fluid theme. This event
encouraged all readers, storytellers, poets, writers and those
interested in these activities to bring their favourite pieces of
writing in all languages to be read at this event.
4. Pecha Kucha Nights
The international Pecha Kucha phenomenon was brought to Doha
by the KAC. PechaKucha 2020 is an event where 20 images are
shown for 20 seconds each, while the images move forward
automatically as the presenter talks along to the images. KAC
organized two of the eight Pecha Kucha nights in Doha at their
premises.
5. Artist mentoring and development:
The Portfolio Workshop
This free skill-building workshop was organized to help
artists to understand how to assemble a portfolio as well as
how to develop one that is audience-specific.
Artist Mentorship Program by Rima Kaddissi
As a follow up to its Mastaba: Conversations on Art sessions,
KAC organized the Artist Mentorship Program for artists as an
opportunity to converse with arts consultant and mentor,
Rima Kaddissi. Through group and private sessions, artists
could develop their understanding of art processes through
exercises and presentations.
6. Exhibitions by local and international artists such as Max
Eastley, Rhys Himsworth, Ben Barbour, Brazilian photographer
Caio Vilela, Mohamed Abou El Naga as well as other community-
supported art events inviting a number of Doha-based artists to
display their works were also part of their fare.
7. Video art workshops and film screenings:
Port Actif Video Workshop
This was an intensive video art workshop event in which
material was sampled and resampled from live and internet
sources.
Art & Film Masterclass
These workshops aimed at bridging art and film practice and
were led by professionals who were proficient in these areas.
Shirin Abu Shaqra Film Screening
Films by Lebanese artist filmmaker, Shirin Abu Shaqra, who
blends animation and documentary, were screened in
November 2012.
8. Theatre and performance workshops Stages: A Community
Performance Workshop
Director, teacher and writer Jane Williams organized a community
workshop performance spread out over five weeks to help
individuals develop all aspects of performance right from working
together as a group to storytelling skills and to engage the
audience.
9. A variety of other workshops were held for members of the Doha
community related to photography, printmaking, designing 3D
printing, the art of Mashrabiya, Zoetrope-making, making
handmade magazines and others.
10. One of the events also included a fun day at the centre, which
included a picnic for families, kids and all others.
The KAC will shut down finally on June 30, however, they are
organising a final community event on June 15 before that. Their
bookstore is also offering 30% and 50% discounts on all their
merchandise as part of a liquidation sale.
Copyright 2013 JustHere Qatar. Reproduction of material from any
JustHere Qatar pages without written permission is strictly
prohibited.
Original URL:
http://www.justhere.qa/2014/06/sun-goes-katara-art-centre-theres-one-less-platform-
local-artists/