DOHA.- This spring, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art presents two exhibitions that shine a spotlight on the history of modernism in Qatar: Qatar: Close to My Soul, Art from the Collection of Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani and Wafa al-Hamad: Sites of Imagination, both on view from 19 April to 9 August 2025.

Qatar: Close to My Soul, Art from the Collection of Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani showcases the evolution of Qatari art from the late 1960s to today. Inspired by the well-known poem and song by Adullah Al-Hammadi, “Allah ya ‘Omri Qatar”, the exhibition is organised around three sections that explore the beauty of the country's natural landscape and architecture, portraits of society, and the art of abstraction. These visual interpretations serve as self-expression as well as a cultural response to the rapidly changing local environment, and collectively they form a distinctive visual language that engages with the broader regional art discourse.

On view simultaneously, Wafa al-Hamad: Sites of Imagination is the first solo museum exhibition dedicated to the late Qatari artist. Known for her experimentation with abstraction, Al-Hamad’s paintings of figures and landscapes incorporate vibrant colours and organic shapes while also paying homage to Qatari traditions. This exhibition highlights the artist’s evolving style over her forty-year career as well as her lasting legacy as an artist and educator. In addition to her paintings, the exhibition focuses on Al-Hamad’s connection to other pioneering Arab women artists, including Madiha Omar, Nadira Mahmoud, Balqees Fakhro, Samia Halaby, Naziha Salem and Helen Khal.

Zeina Arida, Director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, said, “These important exhibitions focus on movements and legacies that have had an outsize impact on the culture of our region and the nation of Qatar. In their various ways, the artists in each presentation absorbed the heritage of their nation and reflected them back in their works. We are honoured to present their powerful works in their home country.”

Both exhibitions offer a powerful reflection on Qatar’s artistic journey, providing a platform for the public to explore the connections between local traditions, personal expression, and global artistic trends.

The exhibitions are being presented alongside Your Ghosts Are Mine: Expanded Cinemas, Amplified Voices, a dynamic showcase presented with the support of Media City Qatar, featuring works by filmmakers and video artists from across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and Daoud Aoulad Syad, Territories of the Instant, celebrating the renowned Moroccan photographer and filmmaker's evocative visual storytelling as part of Tasweer Photo Festival Qatar and continuing the legacy of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture.