Qatari plastic artists’ works decorated the corridors and hallmarks of the 30th edition of the DIBF. Their colors and visual scenes came together with the titles of books to produce a distinct experience, in which the DIBF witnessed the largest participation by plastic artists and the widest exhibition platform for their works. Fields of knowledge and arts of music, plastic and theater were integrated into the overall map of the DIBF.

In addition to the pavilions dedicated to professional artists the exhibition, the plastic workshop and the open studio has been at the forefront of the hall. Young male and female artists engaged in creating their works before the audience, who had surrounded them since the beginning of the exhibition, asking them about their art and methods. This created a rich, interactive experience.

The male and female artists got also engaged in a continuous dialogue about their personal and thematic experiences and expertise.

Speaking to “Al-Watan” about the experience, Artist Fahad Al-Ma’adhid, supervisor and responsible for the Plastic Art Event, said, ‘In this session, we provide an event, workshop, open studio, and exhibition, with the participation of 40 male and female plastic artists. The workshop is held throughout the days of the DIBF from 05:00 pm to 08:00 pm, with the participation of male and female trainees. It includes concepts of lineation and foundation as well as workshops for children.

There is also a gallery event consisting of four sections and 12 spaces for displaying artworks as well as an open studio for the different materials and artistic styles and schools.

“The Qatar Cultural and Heritage Events Center,” Al-Maadeed added, “has provided us with a unique space as well as distinguished opportunity to attract emerging talents and new faces, so the place was very lively, pulsing with dialogues, and creative interaction. This is in addition to the 44-meter mural dedicated to creativity of the comic, cartoon and anime artists, whose participation offered them an opportunity to participate and be at the scene.”

Interaction and Dialogue

In an interview with “Al-Watan,” participating young male and female artists expressed their happiness and optimism about having this experience, which promoted dialogue and interaction between them. Hamad Mohammed Al-Mutawa said, “This is my third participation in the creative program of the DIBF. Experience of this session of the DIBF has been distinguished by the wide participation of reality drawing, anime, and comic artists as well as drawing on one mural. It is a good experience in which we exchanged views and interacted with the exhibition’s audience.”

Manal Al-Yafi said, “It is my first participation. I love drawing children related characters, as I feel that it is spontaneous and colorful. As I try to express the long life situation in one sentence when writing novels, I employ the principle of expressing life situations in spontaneous drawing. My participation with my fellow male and female artists substantially inspired me with new ideas and colors.”

Fatima Muhammad Abu Alfin, who presented a distinctive experience in portraiture using glass material with water and oil colors in the exhibition, and sat at her drawing board to complete a portrait, said, “Although I studied management & marketing, I was keen to develop my talent to paint. I brought reality and art together. Art is a framework for life and reality. This participation enriched my experience.”

“I paint portraits and find it as a way of expression for my feeling about life.” She added, “I show sympathy to children and the elderly in my works by addressing the effect of time on human personality.”

Maryam Muhammad Al-Maadadi, a plastic artist participating at Art Residency program at Fire Station, the artist’s headquarters and a member of the Doha Art Society on the Social Media and she belongs to the empirical reality school, expressed her pleasure at participating in this event and audiences’ reactions that gave us positive energy. This experience made us move beyond interacting on social media to reality. It also made us support each other through dialogue, interaction and exchange of experiences.

Laila Mashallah Darwish said, “I specialized in the Arabic language. I work in the field of special education for the blind and fine motor skills at the Al Noor Center for the Blind. I write stories and draw natural reality with all of its details. This participation provided us with a friendly environment as well as a distinct experience to present our works and experiences.”