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Tribune News Network
Doha
QATARI artist Ghada al Khater successfully hosted an open studio night at the renowned Cite Internationale Des Arts, Paris.
The event, part of Ghada's three-month Paris Art Residency Programme, was an opportunity for the artist to welcome visitors to her studio, talk about her experience in Paris and the inspiration behind her work.
A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar with a BFA in Graphic Design, Ghada is a political ARToonist who tackles subjects of freedom of speech, fake news and injustice.
Her recent work, 'Blockade: Energy Drink', was showcased at the open night studio and presented a humorous take on how the blockade on Qatar was a motivation for the country to speed up its efforts towards achieving its National Development Vision 2030.
Organised under the patronage of Qatar Museums' Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, the programme is an extension of QM's Fire Station: Artist in Residence programme in Doha. The initiative aims to give talented Qatari artists the chance to expand their creativity by immersing themselves in celebrated hub for artistic exchange between artists.
As part of the initiative, the Fire Station supports gifted artists with studio and accommodation at the Cit` Internationale Des Arts in Paris for three months, as well as a monthly stipend for their stay and art materials purchases. The programme is open to all Qatari artists aged 18 and older, covering all art forms.
Ghada is the fourth Qatari artist to join the initiative. Before her, Ebtisam al Saffar, Nasser al Attiya and Abdullah al Kuwari successfully completed the programme, with Abdullah al Kuwari recently hosting his first solo exhibition in Qatar, titled 'Imaginary Motifs'.
"The last three months have been filled with inspiring conversations, interesting workshops and a complete immersion in the Parisian art scene everything I had hoped for when joining the programme," Ghada stated."It was a pleasure to interact with our guests today and talk to them about this enriching experience and its impact on my work."
"The Paris Residency Programme highlights Qatar Museums' commitment to nurturing a new generation of creative talents. It presents a unique experience for Qatari artists to expand their horizons and build bridges with other like-minded individuals in one of the biggest art residencies in the world," Khalifa al Obaidli, director of the Fire Station."We are very proud of Ghada and are looking forward to see her new works here in Qatar."
