“REFORMULATE” Abeer Al Kuwari & May Almannai

About the Exhibition

Works by Abeer Al Kuwari & May Almannai

Date:
21 December 2021 – 28 January 2022

Catalog: 

al markhiya gallery is proud to present this exhibition showcasing two celebrated Qatari Artists. Abeer Al Kuwari and May Almannai.

Abeer Al Kuwari is a self-taught, Qatari artist based in Doha.  She employs various disciplines, including photography, painting, and sculpture in her practice. Drawing from a strong history of women artists, Al Kuwari’s compositions present a contemporary viewpoint, centering on themes of identity, folklore, and heritage.

Kuwari’s film portraits have been featured in various exhibitions and awarded her the Saoud Al Thani Award for Photography in 2004.  In her new compositions she portrays the people of Qatar and its culture through an abstracted lens that raises questions dealing with beauty and identity in the face of modernity.  By reimagining these stories, Al Kuwari was not only recalling memories from her youth, but also by reinterpreting the infamous characters in her own unique style she shared the rich and spirited heritage of storytelling in her country as an inspiration for the next generation of young Qataris.

May Al Mannai is a Qatari based visual artist and illustrator. A self-taught artist Al Mannai works mainly in mixed media, creating a combination of digital and traditional painting. She has been experimenting in Handcrafted watercolors ,using historical and modern pigments to create the layers and gradations.  Al Mannai focuses on creating bold colorful surreal characters and environments through patterns and painted textures.

“The belief that every person was created with a purpose in life is the same force that drives my artistic practice and desire to create. Through my artwork I  communicate with the universe / the wider world. My main aim is to show my particular point of view, calling attention to the beautiful details around us.”

May Al Mannai
Flower and a pot
Acrylic on Canvas
160 x 110 cm
2020

May Al Mannai
Flower and a Pot
Acrylic on Canvas
160 x 110 cm
2020

May Al Mannai
Tale of a Maze #1007
Acrylic on canvas
100 x 70 cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Tale of a Maze 1008
Acrylic on Canvas
100 x 100 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Impossible Tasks
Charcoal on Canvas
120 x 120 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Let Me Go and I’ll Make You Wealthy
Charcoal on Canvas
120 x 120  cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Out of Sight
Charcoal on canvas
120 x 120 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Calling Mother Faskarah
Charcoal on Canvas
115 x 120 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Lonely
Charcoal on Canvas
115 x 1205 cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Tale #1005
Textile Sculpture
14 x 40  cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Tale #1004
Textile Sculpture
14 x 39 cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Tale # 1003
Textile Sculpture
14 x 38 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
The Rooster
Print on Paper 1/10
29.7 x 42 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Untitled
Print on Paper 1/10
29.7 x 42 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Untitled
Print on Paper 1/10
29.7 x 42 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Untitled
Print on Paper 1/10
29.7 x 42 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
Untitled
Print on Paper 1/10
29.7 x 42 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
The end
Charcoal on Canvas
80 x 80 cm
2021

Abeer Al Kuwari
The Beginning
Charcoal on Canvas
80 x 80 cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Heavy Shot
Mixed Media
150 x 50 cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Covid-19 Planet
Mixed Media
150 x 50 cm
2020

May Al Mannai
The Same Mood That Doesn’t Have a Name
Mixed Media
150 x 50  cm
2020

May Al Mannai
The Shadow Tree
Mixed Media
113 x 50 cm
2021

May Al Mannai
Doors and Stars
Mixed Media
110 x 50 cm
2021