Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) – a Qatar Foundation (QF) partner university – recently held a panel discussion titled ‘Artivism for Humanity’ at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, in Education City.

The panelists were four internationally recognized VCUarts Qatar alumni Ghada Al Khater, Assil Diab, Naima Al Majdobah and Majdulin Nasrallah. The discussion was moderated by Rola Khayyat, a faculty member in VCUarts Qatar’s Painting + Printmaking department.

The event was organized by the Alumni Relations wing under the Department of Strategic Engagement at VCUarts Qatar. Broadly, ‘Artivism’ refers to the use of creative techniques such as visual art, poetry, music, film and theatre to cultivate awareness and trigger social change.

In the insightful discussion at Mathaf, each alumna shared her experience of using various mediums to creatively highlight social and humanitarian issues in an empathetic manner, promoting better understanding of the concern in question. They also presented images of the designs and artwork they created and explained how they developed each project from ideation to production. The panel discussion was followed by a lively question-and-answer session that saw both the audience and the panelists share their views on the efficacy and impact of Artivism in different parts of the world.

Each of the discussants rose to notoriety following their passionate efforts to highlight headline-grabbing social and political issues affecting communities across the world.

Born in Romania, Assil Diab is a well-known Sudanese graffiti artist, graphic designer and visual artist. Popular as “Sudalove”, she is the first female graffiti artist emerging from Sudan and Qatar. Diab graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2011 in Richmond, Virginia, US, with a BFA in Graphic Design.

In 2021 she received VCU’s 10 Under 10 Award. In 2020 she won a dissemination award from UNESCO for a self-initiated street art campaign she did on the coronavirus in Sudan. She has also been an honorary cultural Ambassador to Qatar Museums since 2018 till present day. One of Diab’s most acclaimed work is her recent project, “Martyrs Graffiti” in Sudan. She traveled to Sudan during the Sudanese revolution, where she painted at least 30 martyrs on the walls of their respective homes to honor and pay tribute to their martyrdom.

Ghada Al Khater is a Qatari multidisciplinary artist who combines art, politics and social matters in cartoons, illustrations and sculptures. Her work tackles satirical socio/political commentaries on GCC matters and other relevant international affairs. Her works are a creative outlet that aims to shed light on the complex issues of the Middle East, as experienced by a Middle Easterner living in the heart of it.

Some of her renowned works include “Jardin de Lumiere ” and “A blessing in Disguise” (public installation), which have gained recognition and appreciation. Al Khater has constantly found ways to push the boundaries of conventional art pedagogy into a new field of ‘Artooning’.

Majdulin Nasrallah is an Interdisciplinary designer holding a Master of Fine Arts in Design Studies and a BFA in Interior Design from VCUarts Qatar. She weaves threads of memory, identity, and belonging into her work through various means and mediums that include paintings, textiles, sculptures, and large-scale installations.

Nasrallah’s work, both poetic and political, explores the relationship between the human experience and the built environment on both a personal and universal scale. Her work has been exhibited Internationally at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, Canada (2022), Manege Central Exhibition Hall, St. Petersburg, Russia (2018), the Anderson Gallery, Richmond, Virginia (2018), Kraftwerk, Berlin, Germany (2017).

Naima Al Majdobah is a designer holding an Honors BFA in Graphic Design and is currently studying in the MFA in Design program at VCUarts Qatar. Her exploration and interests revolve around the harmonious fusion of culture and innovation. In addition to such research, Al Majdobah is driven by a mission to bridge the past and present through her creative work.

She combined her passion for sonic explorations with visual design in her well-known project “Stitch by Stitch”. She has left a mark on the global design landscape, participating in many of the world’s most prestigious exhibitions and festivals such as Bangkok Design Week, ARS Electronica, Festival X, and many more.

Source and Cover Image: Press Release

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar

Rikhia Basu

Start a discussion