Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar - VCUQ, Doha - Gallery news: VCUQatar Gallery presents Qatar Now: Ali Hassan

VCUQatar Gallery presents Qatar Now: Ali Hassan - A Retrospective (8.9.2009)

Doha, Qatar - The Gallery at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar presents 'Qatar Now: Ali Hassan - A Retrospective', an exhibition curated by Dr. Abdulla Al Thani and Dr. Jochen Sokoly in cooperation with Al Markhiya Gallery and the Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha from 9 September to 10 October 2009. A reception open to the public will be hosted on 9 September, 2009 at 9:00 PM at the Gallery in VCUQatar.

The exhibition, curated by Dr. Abdulla Al Thani, Vice President for Education at Qatar Foundation and Dr. Jochen Sokoly, Gallery Director and Assistant Professor in Art History at VCUQatar, as a collaboration between VCUQatar, Al Markhiya Gallery and the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, is a tribute to contemporary Qatari artist Ali Hassan as he looks back at a career of over 25 years. Featuring works from as early as the 1980s until the present, the exhibition looks at the development of his work which over time has combined both calligraphic and figural forms, often abstracted. Perhaps the most prominent feature of Ali Hassan's calligraphic work is his treatment of the letter "nun". Ali Hassan's general style is particularly characterized by the use of strong colors and a mix of materials and collage. However, in his most recent work he has embarked on the sculptural application of calligraphy in both ceramic and installation art.

Trained first as a calligrapher, Ali Hassan studied history at Qatar University. Today he is one of the most renowned and active contemporary artists in Qatar with a particular focus in art education. As the former chairman of the Youth Creative Art Centre and the Girls' Creativity Art Centre in Doha, he plays a highly influential role in the shaping of new generations of students of the visual arts. Ali Hassan's work has been represented in numerous exhibitions within the Arab world, Europe and Asia and has been acquired internationally by both public and private collections.

VCUQatar is indebted to both Al-Markhiya Gallery and the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha for their collaboration and support in lending works for the exhibition.

The exhibition is scheduled from 9 September - 10 October 2009 at The Gallery in Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar and is open Sundays to Thursdays, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, or by prior appointment. A reception will be held at the gallery on 9 September 2009 at 9:00 PM. For further information, please call VCUQatar on +974 492 7200 or email Dr. Jochen Sokoly on jsokoly@qatar.vcu.edu.

About Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar:
Established in the US in 1838 and in Qatar in 1998, Virginia Commonwealth University offers students from all over the world the opportunity to earn Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in fashion, graphic, interior design and painting & printmaking and a Master of Fine Arts degree in design studies. A team of highly skilled professors provide rigorous curricula that prepare students to assume leadership roles in the professional design field of their choice. VCUQatar regularly organizes and hosts exhibitions, gallery events, world-class conferences and holds an annual fashion show. VCUQatar is supported and funded by the Qatar Foundation. For more information please visit www.qatar.vcu.edu

About Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development
Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Qatar Foundation is a private, non-profit organization committed to the principle that a nation's greatest natural resource is its people. The headquarters of Qatar Foundation are located within its flagship project, Education City, a fourteen million square-meter campus which hosts numerous progressive learning institutions and centers of research, including branch campuses of six of the world's leading universities, plus a cutting-edge research and development center. Qatar Foundation also works to enhance the quality of life in Qatar by investing in community health and development.
For more information please visit: http://www.qf.org.qa

Images:
A prominent feature of Ali Hassan's calligraphic work is his treatment of the letter "nun".

A combination of both calligraphic and figural form