Amal Al-Aathem, the most prominent artist in Qatar, already counts thirty international and local art exhibitions. Nine awards. Three cultural festivals. Four video-art festivals.
These are only some of Amal Al-Aathem’ achievements. Her symbolic art often depicts women, their spirit, and their dilemmas. Her artistic identity is stamped into every painting, installation and sculpture of hers, and her inspiring art delves deep into the soul.
In an interview with Women of Qatar, Amal addressed the importance of art in society:
Art is an important part of any society. It serves as a mirror that reflects all society corners to the world, preserves its history in a beautiful and transparent framework, and gives us a glimpse of the world’s history and other cultures. Most importantly, art is a way of life, as it helps to purify the soul, and could be a platform and a strong voice for the artist and society when words fail to express their feelings
As the artist goes on
I love that my artwork resembles me and that it is closely linked to my personality and the messages that I want to convey. I appreciate that people recognize my work even without a signature, and that they are accepting of my work, which is a deep reflection of my thoughts
Her website reveals her reflections:
my painting embodies my objective to express myself, my thoughts, and my burdens as a woman and human
As it reads further on,
in the paintings, I try to show the depth of the woman and human being that I am
She debuted her career in 1989, as a student at the High Institute of Dramatic Art in Kuwait. Later on, in 1995, she graduated in art education at the Qatar University.
About her art, she says:
I learned courage and transparency from children; two essential parts of the artist’s work. If the artist does not have these qualities, his/her work will not be distinctive or a true reflection of their spirit
In Qatar, she has served as a Fine Arts consultant for the Ministry of Culture and Sport, a creative consultant for the Qatar Heritage and Cultural Events Center, the founder and chair of 7th Heaven Art Center, and a board member of the Qatari Business Women Association.
Her “7th Heaven Art Center” project was launched in 2016 with the aim to offer academic and amateur courses. It is the first art institute of its kind in Qatar, and covers over eleven different art genres, allowing students to choose what best suits them and to express themselves through any artistic means they feel comfortable using.
Amal held her first art exhibition in Bahrein in 2000. Since then, she has attended events and gained accomplishments that have taken her all around the world, to Italy, France, Egypt, Croatia, Lebanon, Morocco, Japan, Syria, the US, Turkey, Brazil, Jordan, KSA, the UK, and many countries more.
