(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The canvas is bigger, the strokes on it are bold and the colour combination striking. These life-size portraits of faces of the 'other half of the world' are indeed captivating. In the faces, there is detail. You just look into the eyes in two different portraits and you would literally feel two different emotions emanating from the cold surfaces of the canvas.
It is portraits by Qatari artist Dana Ahmed al-Safar in her solo exhibition 'Pink Shadows' currently on display at Building 18 of Katara Cultural Complex.
"This exhibition represents my artistic experience which having moved between human features and architectures of the nearby and far countries, to find which one deserves to be focused in has gone through my meditation to the other half of the society, women," says the artist in explaining the idea behind her exhibition.
"Where there is momentum of the daily routine, there are shades that walk on the ground with essential vein pumping life. Through a small brush and palette, I painted the features of women on the podium. They did not have big muscles but rosy fingers. They dream, have ambitions and walk in stable steps," says Dana, adding that they struggle sometimes but reached their goals in the end.
In the huge exhibition containing large-sized portraits of women, the artist says she has collected different faces of unconscious women who do not belong to one race or country in particular. They all live in a sense of themselves with unlimited aspirations and are facing the same obstacles to write new pages in history.
Dana has participated in art workshops for the Qatari Foundation for Orphans, Dhreima in 2013 at Katara Cultural Village Complex. She has provided technical workshop titled Small Paintings at Creative Art Centre in 2014.
Dana has also given art workshop fee for Al-Rashad Elementary Independent School for Boys in 2015. She has also participated in Charity auction for the benefit of blind children sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank 2014-15.
Dana has also taken part in live drawing for the National Day at Qatar Financial Centre besides judging a drawing contest among 16 Indian schools in Qatar for all grade levels. Among her multiple exhibitions, she has participated in the exhibition by the members of Creative Art Centre in 2013 at Creative Art Centre Katara besides taking part in Workshop realist art gallery at Qatar Fine Art Society Katara the same year.
She has also given a workshop on modulation techniques in 2013 a Girls Creativity Centre before participating in Qatari Environment Fine Art Exhibition at Qatar Fine Art Society the next year. The same year, she exhibited her work in Qatar Fine Art Exhibition in Oman at Oman Society for Fine Arts and Qatari Artists' Exhibition at the Qatar Society for Fine Art.
In 2015, Dana has participated in 6 Artists from Qatar Exhibition at Visual Arts Centre, Katara Cultural Complex and has also displayed her work at 6 Qatari Artists from 2015 at Al Jasra Social Club besides having her work getting exhibited at Darefane Amire Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.
Having a Bachelor of Business and Marketing degree from University of Qatar in 2012, Dana went on to take part in a workshop on Printing Inscription with Artist Nihad al-Azzawi in 2013 at Creative Arts Cetnre besides moving on to take another workshop, Monotype, with Kuwaiti artist Thuraia al-Baksama in the same year at the same venue.
She has also done workshops on Realistic drawing by Qatar Society for Fine Arts in 2013 and Drawing Portrait with Qatari artist Ali al-Mulla at Creative Arts Center the same year.
She has also done a workshop on Modulation techniques by different materials with Omani artist Omar Moussa in 2013 at Creativity Girl Centre and on 'how to do plate surface treatment' with Moroccan artist Noureddine Daifallah in 2013 at Creative Art Centre.
Besides these participations, the Qatari artist has also done workshops on Realistic drawing and Creative identity besides a Summer Art Workshop at Qatar Society for Fine Arts and Creative Arts Centre respectively in 2014.
In 2015, Dana did portrait drawing workshop with artist Ismail Azzam at Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar-VCU-Q.
Dana also writes stories which are published by local dailies. She has also worked at QF Radio and Al Jazeera Children's Channel.
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