VCUarts Qatar’s Painting and Printmaking Department holds inaugural “Art Week”

The Department of Painting + Printmaking (PAPR) at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) – a Qatar Foundation (QF) partner university – organized Art Week in November 2024, for the public. 

Filled with hands-on workshops, exclusive masterclasses, insightful panel discussions, personalized studio visits, and curated exhibitions – most of which were open to the wider community – the week-long event proved to be a celebration of creative exploration, taking visitors and practitioners alike into the world of contemporary art. 

The array of activities transformed the event into more than a showcase; it became a platform for artists and designers to inspire and engage with a broad range of audiences. This resulted in thought-provoking conversations that questioned norms and expectations, and emphasized the transformative power of art.

Mohammed Kara, an Algerian freelance graphic designer, was one of the visitors to Art Week. Kara attended a workshop on day three of Art Week, and then the opening of an exhibition titled ‘Mishwar’ on day four. The exhibition featured six artists, each representing different cohorts from the past ten-plus years of the PAPR program. The alumni included Hana Al Saadi (Class of 2015), Habeeb M Abu-Futtaim (Class of 2016), Yousuf Bahzad (2017), Amena Al Yousef (Class of 2019), Yara Elfouly (Class of 2020) and Aisha Al Al Abdulla (Class of 2023).

Kara shared his experience and said, “I’ve been in Doha for just over a year. I first visited this University during the BFA and MFA exhibition in May and I was amazed at the diversity of ideas and models on display. Then, a few days ago, I read about Art Week online and immediately registered. I’m so glad I did. This exhibition captures the best of contemporary art. It’s wonderful to see the different techniques and media that have gone into the installations.  animation, paintings, mixed media, interactive art, and material curation.” 

A highlight of the week was the panel discussion ‘Advice for Young Artists’, which featured renowned leaders in the world of arts, including Wafaa Bilal, Ph.D., (an Iraqi American artist, and currently an art professor at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University), Alia Al-Senussi (Art Basel’s VIP Representative for the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and North Africa, and current Senior Advisor to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and the Misk Institute), Reem Al-Thani (Acting Deputy CEO of Exhibitions and Marketing and the Director of Centralized Exhibitions at Qatar Museums), Zeina Arida (Director, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art) and Hana Al-Saadi (Adjunct Faculty, Painting + Printmaking, and a VCUarts Qatar alumna). VCUarts Qatar’s Dean, Amir Berbić, moderated the event. 

In the panel, the discussants shared their experiences navigating the complex landscape of the art world. Based on their respective experiences, they talked about various challenges, such as cultivating an art practice in the Middle East, the opportunities that Qatari citizens and expatriates receive, and being an emerging female artist.  

During the question-and-answer session that followed, they offered guidance to young artists who were due to graduate or had just begun their artistic journeys. The panelists seemed unified on three points: one, never forget the reason why you chose to study art; two, be consistent in creating, irrespective of whether your work is appreciated or not, because each work you create reminds you of what you’re capable of and eventually leads to the moment when your efforts are recognized; and three, learn the essentials of business, communication and marketing while you’re still in university. “Concepts are great, but you need to be able to sell them to the industry. For that, you need to learn to write about your work”, the attendees were told.

Students, staff, faculty and alumni from various departments and programs took part in a risograph workshop held by Brooke Inman, a visiting faculty member and printmaking technician in the PAPR department at VCU’s School of the Arts in Richmond. Additionally, Wafaa Bilal presented an Artist’s Workshop, while Alia Al-Senussi held a career development workshop for students at the University. 

Art Week also drew in students from various high schools across Qatar. The school students, accompanied by their art instructors, were given a tour of the University’s state-of-the-art facilities. They met with students, alumni and faculty from the PAPR department, and members from the Student Affairs department.