Yousef Ahmed documents the culture and traditions of his native country, Qatar, employing old and worn textiles as well as aspects of the natural environment, to create unique calligraphic works. Their resulting primal appearance recalls the Qatari landscape; the desert, marshes and ponds and particularly, Al Jasrah, the neighbourhood where Ahmad was raised.
2010
Untitled
Handmade Japanese paper with ink and paint on canvas
2010
Palm Circle
Handmade palm leaf paper | from a series of 4
Yousef Ahmad received a BA in Fine Art and Education from Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt in 1976. He was the first Qatari artist to have a solo exhibition dedicated to the Hurufiyya movement in Doha in 1977. He obtained an MA in Fine Art from Mills College, California, USA in 1982 and after graduating, was appointed manager of the Culture and Arts department within the Ministry of Information. He went on to teach Arts Appreciation at Qatar University, where he worked for over 20 years.
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