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Ailyn Agonia
Doha
QATARI painter Nasser al Attiya celebrated his accomplishments during the three-month residency programme in Paris through his exhibition titled 'Planet Perfumes', which opened at Workshop 3 of the Doha Fire Station on Monday.
The collection features 24 paintings, including pieces paying tributes to some countries that have shown support to Qatar amidst the current crisis in the region.
The biggest canvas showing Qatar's flag is titled 'We, all Tamim'. Besides, the artist has painted the flags of France, Oman, Kuwait and Turkey in a way to resemble a butterfly.
The exhibition also showcases 30 perfume sculptures created by Attiya during his stay in Paris.
"Art is a weapon with two sides. If you use it for hate, it is very wrong. But if you are always sending positive messages, even during a bad situation, I think this will find a way to promote peace," said Attiya.
He added,"Qatari artists can show their love for their country through their works. I chose some of the countries for my paintings,which are supporting Qatar. I gave them the shape of a butterfly because for me it represents freedom. However, I could not include all the countries that are supporting Qatar for time con straints."
Speaking about the perfume sculptures, he said,"I chose the name 'Planet Perfumes' for my project because perfume bottles come in different designs, sizes and order. Each perfume has its own composition and fragrance like human beings. I wanted to convey precisely this idea to people that despite our differences, all human beings are equal."
Talking about his residency in Paris, he said that he met fellow artists from other countries, which gave him an opportunity to further improve his skills and his understanding of people.
"In Paris, you don't just do your painting, but you change your entire lifestyle. While there, I was thinking how those who come to Qatar feel. I became more conscious of human relationships and realised that we should accept each other even if we have differences," he added.
Prior to the opening of the exhibition, Nasser also delivered a talk where he shared his residency experience and showed some pictures of his journey. It was attended by Doha Fire Station Director Khalifa al Obaidli.
Obaidli remarked,"The team and I are very proud that we're able to celebrate yet another milestone from this wonderful creative hub that we've worked so hard to develop at the Fire Station: Artist in Residence. It's a pleasure to share with the local community this fantastic body of work created by Nasser al Attiya following his time in Paris. He fully embraced all the opportunities that this residency represents and his experience perfectly highlights why it is so important to us to continuously nurture future generations of artists and provide them with a platform to reach their full potential whilst drawing inspiration from the world around them."
