Qatari artist Abdulla Alsallat was in Buenos Aires last week and painted an eye-catching new mural as part of Years of Culture cultural exchange organised by BA Street Art with Qatar Museums. Photos by BA Street Art.
Qatari artist Abdulla Alsallat (photo © BA Street Art)
Abdulla specialises in creating beautiful and intricate artworks using markers pens often incorporating elements of Qatar culture with symbolism, plants, nature and animals.
Flowers & details with marker pen (photo © BA Street Art)
Abdulla’s new artwork is one of two new murals completed in the neighbourhood of Saavedra last week as part of an international collaboration between artists from Qatar and Argentina. The first mural, with the sketch design created by artists Olivo (from La Plata, Buenos Aires) and Abdulla Al Emadi (from Doha) that celebrates Argentine and Qatari culture, was completed on Wednesday. (See our blog post here)
“All about love and long love” (photo © BA Street Art)
Abdulla told BA Street Art about his new artwork is about: “All that you have is giving something that you love. It’s a very Sufi or Islamic way of thinking. There’s a thing called Ihsān (إحسان) and that basically means giving all that you can to whatever that you do, something that you love, you give it all of yourself. So when I paint, it’s more of a feeling, more like with symbols than everything being planned out. And this painting is all about love and long love, and giving something that you love, everything that you have and everything that you can.”
Details on elephant (photo © BA Street Art)
Abdulla’s artwork is striking for the amount of fine detail incorporating intricate patterns and lines as well as symbols like an elephant. He explained: “To me, an elephant is a symbol of life and things that are everlasting like long life.”
Hot in the city (photo © BA Street Art)
Abdulla dedicated about four and a half days to create his new artwork in between some rain showers and temperatures of over 30 degrees centigrade. He joked: “I’m used to the hot weather in Qatar when it can be over 45°c, so it’s no problem.”
Heart of the matter (photo © BA Street Art)
Abdulla has also included a number of hearts in his artwork relating to love. He said: “The meaning of something only comes to those who are passionate about it. If you love art, only you will understand it. If you care about someone or love someone, only you will know the true value.”
Go with the flow (photo © BA Street Art)
He added: “When I paint I try to feel out the material and just let the paint flow so I feel that comes along with my style – the flowing feel. That’s also part of the sufi belief – it’s not a sect of Islam – it’s more like a tradition.”
Finishing touches (photo © BA Street Art)
The wall chosen for Abdulla’s artwork is a blocked up window with its original frame and architectural details that form the perfect surround for his painting. The building is also on a prominent street corner in Saavedra so many local residents and passers-by have had the chance to see the mural take shape each day. “It’s a lovely neighbourhood. I’ve really enjoyed meeting and chatting with the neighbours and everyone has been so friendly and welcoming,” he said. “It’s been such great experience being in Buenos Aires and painting here.”
Dimitrije Bugarski & Alya Alkhalifa from Qatar Museums with artist Abdulla Alsallat + Marianne Martinez Riekes & Matt Fox-Tucker from BA Street Art (photo © BA Street Art)
All photos © BA Street Art
