Hi there and welcome to The Painted Atlas! This is the very first entry of my tour around the world through art. Thanks for coming along on this geography, art, and armchair traveling journey. I started putting this together a while back– so I’m excited to really begin!
I chose Qatar, host nation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as the first country to paint here. With the World Cup fresh in our heads, I felt it would be a good introduction to my project since The Painted Atlas is also a gathering of countries around the world. It’s also an opportunity to break some stereotypes in a special way. There are thirteen images here for Qatar. Normally I will not be doing as many as this for a post (average will be less than 5), but I wanted to give a snapshot of the type of content you can expect to see here on The Painted Atlas! No two posts will be the same week after week, but in the spirit of this project, images for countries will include themes such as architecture, nature, culture, and design. For Qatar I’ve included imagery for all 4 of those. I hope this can serve as but a tiny snapshot of the country, as well.
This first post is free to see, and the next midweek post will be members only (it’s a fun one, and they all are!). I’ll be doing a print giveaway for a winner from amongst the first 100 who sign up, so if it’s you I’ll reach out to you via email. Additionally, a few of the Qatar images from this post should be up on the shop around the end of the month.
Let’s get right to it!
The rooftop of the JW Marriott Marquis in Doha (above) offers sparkling views of Doha’s skyscrapers near the Corniche. For a fun stroll in the city surrounded by uplifting, spring pastel colors, check out Doha’s neighborhood known as Little Venice– the Qanat Quartier, a district at The Pearl.
The National Museum of Qatar was beautifully designed by architect Jean Nouvel to resemble the desert rose crystal. You can find art, culture, and fashion events that have been held at the museum. Check out the work of Fashion Trust Arabia also. Based in Doha, they provide prizes, mentorship, and much more for emerging Arab designers and creatives in the region’s fashion industry. The awards ceremony is held in October.
And there you have it! The very first installment of The Painted Atlas. Let me know what you think of it, and of this little visit to Qatar through art! If you like this sort of content and would like to see what will be painted for each and every country, check out our membership options. A portion of subscription proceeds will be donated to efforts that clean plastic from the oceans. For more by me, follow along on IG @deniseelnajjar. Thanks for visiting.
All the best,
Denise
One Response
Absolutely Stunning Denise!