Years of Culture
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2024/02/18
Dialogue of Papers was first launched in 2022, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Japan, and as part of the enduring legacy of the Qatar-Japan 2012 Year of Culture.
Celebrating the nations’ shared history and warm ties of friendship, an artistic exchange took place connecting renowned Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad and esteemed Japanese artist Hayaki Nishigaki, whom the former hosted in his artist studio in Doha. The resulting artworks from the collaboration were displayed to the public at an exhibition in Tokyo.
After the resounding success of its inaugural year, Dialogue of Papers was relaunched for Qatar-Indonesia 2023. During the 2023 edition of the Qatar cultural initiative, Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad worked closely with Indonesian artist Widi Pangestu, inviting him to his studio in Doha to create unique paper artworks representing elements of both countries.
The duo spent two weeks together in Doha in August 2023, working on an artistic collaboration, before travelling to Indonesia for a joint exhibition of their work in Jakarta from 25th November to 16th December 2023.
One of the first prominent Qatari artists to have studied abroad, Yousef Ahmad is an eminent contemporary artist in Qatar. He has won several international awards and has published a book on modern art from Qatar.
Ahmad’s work often represents local traditions, with abstract patterns inspired by the forms found in Arabic Calligraphy. Since the early stages of his career in the 1970s and 1980s, he has experimented with contrasting types of paper from around the world, eventually making his own paper from local palm trees. The idea of paper being connected to the topography of Qatar in this way and having a strong sense of place, is central to the meaning behind the Dialogue of Papers concept.
Widi Pangestu is an impressive Indonesian artist based in Yogyakarta, known for his own focus on papermaking, as well as thought-provoking subjects.
One important theme in his work is the contrast between the man-made and the natural worlds, with his sculptural, three dimensional artworks simultaneously evoking the organic and the industrial. The artist has been part of several notable solo and group exhibitions in Indonesia.
During the cross-cultural collaboration at Ahmad’s studio in Doha, the artists explored the medium of papermaking to highlight the inherent contrasts of Qatari and Indonesian landscapes and cultures.
Each of the artists shared their expertise and aspects of their creative practices with the other, from ideas and concepts to ingredients and techniques. For the minimalist “bamboo collection” the artists mixed Qatari palm tree pulp with Indonesian abaca and mulberry tree pulps, to form completely unique papers from scratch, directly linked to the landscapes of both places.
This profound exploration of the differing conditions and types of terrain in Qatar and Indonesia evokes a conversation around how people live, and the ways in which our individual cultures are shaped by the characteristics and challenges of our environments.
The paper pieces they produced from this exchange of ideas combine natural elements that are unique to both countries, incorporated side by side on the same page, symbolising a cultural bridge uniting Qatar and Indonesia.
The artworks created during this artistic alliance were thoughtfully curated by Dr. Aisha Al Misnad, for an exhibition at the Emiria Soenassa Gallery, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Jakarta.
Years of Culture Senior Museums Expert Dr. Aisha Al Misnad selected the final 36 artworks to be shown to the public, illustrating the contrast between the forest and desert, yet the fact that humans have thrived in both settings, in spite of the different challenges brought by life in both extremes.
Colours typically found in Qatar’s desert landscapes are juxtaposed with the lush green tones of the Indonesian Jungle, emphasising the contrasts between these two distinct environments. Many of the final pieces are made up of diverse papers and interwoven textures, truly representing a dialogue between the two cultures.
Yousef Ahmad and Widi Pangestu held a free public talk at the gallery to mark the opening of the exhibition, encouraging members of the public to ask questions about the project, resulting works and their personal highlights from the exchange.
Dr. Aisha Almisnad is the Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs at Qatar Museums. She has a Masters Degree and PHD from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and alongside her recent work in Qatar, curated the 2022 Dialogue of Papers exhibition at 3331 Arts Chiyoda in Tokyo.
The Emiria Soenassa Gallery is set in one of Jakarta’s most prominent arts venues, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM). A vibrant scientific and cultural hub in Jakarta, the centre is home to several theatres, cinema screens, event spaces, galleries and more. Named after a prominent Indonesian composer, the large-scale venue also houses the Jakarta Institute of the Arts and frequently hosts concerts, exhibitions and festivals.
Years of Culture would like to thank our partners, the artists, the curator and all of the wider teams who participated in Dialogue of Papers and contributed to the success of the pioneering initiative’s second edition.
Other fantastic cultural events during the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture included the Indonesian Workshop Month in Doha and the debut performance of Indonesian Musical “Hayati: Panji Searching for the Essence of Love” at Katara Cultural Village. See more on the Years of Culture website.
