Mathaf exhibits works of
Iraqi contemporary artist

Tribune News Network
Doha
MATHAF: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha has dedicated part of the museum to display a permanent collection of works by Iraqi-Canadian contemporary artist Mahmoud Obaidi entitled 'Fair Skies'.
'Fair Skies' curated by Mathaf's Curator Leonore-Namkha Beschi is on view in Mathaf's Project Space dedicated to emerging artists and curators' experimentations with new ideas and forms of presentation. The exhibition will continue until January 8, 2017.
Presented by Qatar Museums (QM) under the leadership of its Chairperson HE Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, 'Fair Skies' is inspired by the artist's own experience with airport security, and can be read as a social, political and cultural critique of stereotypical assumptions.
The installation is the continuation of a prior project by Obaidi titled 'How Not To Look Like a Terrorist (2010)'. Configured as a commercial booth, 'Fair Skies' is made up of vending machines, plastic figurines regrouped in miniature scenes and a video.
A branded make-up kit contains hair dye, skin whitener and coloured contact lenses, all designed to create a physical transformation for its user. The four miniature scenes play out in the video, recreating Obaidi's encounter with a security officer at the time he was approached waiting to board a plane. The plastic figurines, which are modelled on the artist's own appearance, raise the question of individuality within the masses.
The installation comes ahead of a major exhibition by Obaidi opening on October 18 at the QM Gallery in Katara Cultural Village. In the exhibition, entitled 'Fragments', the artist retraces the 'organised chaos' that led to the destruction of Iraq, and presents a response to witnessing the city of Baghdad fall piece by piece.
In his work Obaidi recreates what has been stolen or destroyed to try to piece the city back together again. The exhibition shows how Obaidi is grappling with the destruction of an 8,000-year-old civilisation, which has been laid waste in less than a fraction of that time.