Prominent Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad and Indonesian artist Widi Pangestu Sugiono are meeting in Doha as part of the Dialogue of Paper collaboration organised by the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture. The two artists will explore their joint passion for paper-making.

Works developed as part of this collaboration will form the basis of the second annual Dialogue of Paper exhibition that will be displayed in Indonesia and Qatar this December and in 2024, respectively.

Senior Museums Expert at the Years of Culture initiative, Dr Aisha Abdulla Hamad Al Misnad, who also serves as curator of the exhibition, said that Dialogue of Paper is a special concept that explores a material that has become ubiquitous in our society, but whose history is testament to human ingenuity and cultural progress.

She said that with this exhibition, they hope to move papermaking away from a functional activity and tap into its historic roots as a form of cross-cultural communication and create unique canvasses imbued with each country’s identity.

Adapting to ‘distinct’ environments

The concept behind this year’s Dialogue of Paper explores the ability of humans to adapt and thrive no matter where they are, including the distinct environments of Indonesia’s rich forests and Qatar’s bountiful desert. The contrast between the forest and the desert resembles the notions of fullness and emptiness, which the final artworks will examine through their bespoke paper-making practices.

The two artists are both well known for their meticulous approach to creating the medium with which they create intricate artworks.

Yousef Ahmad explored lithography and typography as it relates to Arabic calligraphy early in his career, developing new forms and interpretations of letter shapes.

Most recently, he focused on creating an entirely new form of paper made from palm tree pulp inspired by Qatar’s environment. Widi Pangestu, meanwhile, is best known for his experimentation with the paper-making process, capturing the outcomes as forms of artistic expression in and of themselves. He sees paper as a functional material with a historical legacy that connects the past, the present and the future.

Dialogue of Paper

Dialogue of Paper was launched as a legacy project of the Qatar-Japan Year of Culture, an exhibition organised to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. This recurring exhibition will now become one of the initiative’s key annual events as a residency programme for international artists from partnering countries.

Years of Culture was established in 2012 by Qatar Museums Chairperson Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to promote mutual understanding, recognition and appreciation between Qatar and the world.

Since then, the programme has been remarkably successful in its mission, partnering with the UK, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, India, France, and other nations over the past decade.

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