Katara Sends Environmental Messages from Plastic Seas Exhibition

Exhibition displayed at Katara by Qatari artist Fatima Mohammed and Italian artist Elisabetta Varin.

The Cultural Village Foundation, Katara, inaugurated the "Plastic Seas: Eco-Fables On Show" exhibition by Qatari artist Fatima Mohammed and Italian artist Elisabetta Varin.

HE the Italian Ambassador to Qatar Alessandro Prunas, a number of Their Excellencies ambassadors, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha Anna Paolini, and Chairman of the National Pandemic Preparedness Committee and Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal attended the opening ceremony.

The exhibition organized in Building 19 by Katara in cooperation with the Italian Embassy, includes several diverse artworks, through which the two artists chose to express the necessity to protect the environment and raising awareness of plastic pollution in the marine environment.

In this context, the General manager of Katara Prof. Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti said: "This exhibition is an educational, and awareness-raising exhibition about the importance of protecting the ocean and the environment and the disposal of plastic waste", he explained that the exhibition is unique and suggests recycling plastic. He stressed Katara's interest in spreading the culture of environmental work through arts and creative activities.

"Environment and climate change degradation says the Ambassador of Italy in Qatar Alessandro Prunas - are undermining the rights to health and well-being of many communities whose survival is at risk. These issues must be urgently addressed by the International Community before it is too late.

In 2021 Italy has a great responsibility in leading the change by assuming the G20 presidency and co-chairing with the United Kingdom the 26th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), a key milestone in the global fight against climate change."

Before COP26 takes place, Italy is hosting in Milan - from September 30 to October 2, 2021, a preparatory meeting - called Pre-COP - which provides a selected group of countries with an informal setting to discuss and exchange views on some key political aspects ahead of COP26.

The Italian ambassador expressed his happiness with this exhibition, praising the efforts of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation, which proves the importance of cultural institutions' support for all international efforts seeking to preserve the environment and climate change. He reviewed the great international efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar in the field of environmental protection from climate change. He pointed out that this exhibition is part of the activities carried out by the Italian

Embassy in Doha throughout the year to promote a program of initiatives and events aimed at raising awareness of environmental protection.

Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal expressed his admiration for the exhibition and said that he saw a real effort by the two artists in highlighting the most common problems facing humanity, namely environmental pollution, especially regarding plastic, which has become widespread everywhere on land and oceans. He pointed out that the exhibition draws attention to this problem and alerts everyone that we and future generations will pay a heavy price if we do not resolve the problem.

Fatima Mohamed said about her artworks, "As a young Qatari living in a country that is experiencing change, my work is focused on the social anatomy of the Arabian Gulf and how it has evolved over time. My art portrays the fictional world of 3naj (Anaj), in the form of sculpture, painting and performance. 3naj, my partner and muse, is a product of the West. She is part Arab and part American bald eagle, the female eagle who nurtures her young by providing shelter, food, independence, and freedom of flight. Anaj displays her heritage proudly by wearing the batoola (face cover) as a protective golden beak."

As for Elisabetta Farina, she says, "I tried to present a fictional world in which I evoke fairy tales and comedies." She added that her works may seem simple, but they are encoded with symbols, ideas, and messages.

The Italian artist Elisabetta Farina, who has been based in Doha since 2017, expressed her gratitude to Katara and the Italian Embassy for their support, stressing the importance of protecting the environment from climate change and protect our world, which faces very serious risks because of the plastic waste and the pollution it causes. (QNA)