Qatari Artist’s Work on Miami Wall
Mubarak Al Malik’s signature work adorns the walls of Miami as part of Jedariart, an annual international cultural exchange designed to deepen understanding between nations and their people.
Qatar Museums continues the expansion of Jedariart, a public art initiative that brings Qatari artists and mural art to the U.S., as part of Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture.
In partnership with local organisations, Jedariart has already left its mark in Jersey City, Portland, San Francisco, Houston, and Miami, FL with participating artists each bringing their own personal style and celebration of Qatari culture to walls throughout the U.S.
In Miami, Qatari artist Mubarak Al Malik added one of his unique pieces featuring women in battoulah, a traditional face-covering historically worn by Bedouin women. Mubarak speaks about his characteristic style of using battoulah, a face covering which was used in the past in a golden colour.
“This symbol expresses for me, my homeland, heritage, customs, and traditions or my mother,” he says.
In this artwork, Mubarak represents women in traditional clothes with inscriptions, wearing a battoulah with other Qatari symbols like the Arabian horse, and the Oryx. “The woman seems to be guiding the traditional Qatari ship, which heads to Miami with its beautiful buildings, which indicate the exchange of cultures between the two regions,” he says.
Mubarak is all praise for Jedariart which he describes as “a beautiful and useful initiative” where he could meet many artists in the region. He says, “Communication between artists is a vital part of growth and this art exchange has widened my base as I attended numerous art exhibitions, spoke to many people, and explained to them about the culture of my country, Qatar.”