Physical artefacts and intangible attributes of a society are often neglected once they are rendered irrelevant in evolution and constant social development over time. They, however, form an integral part of the society’s cultural heritage.
It takes the keen eye and sensitive heart of an artist to bring these objects from the past to the fore to make people realise where the roots of the development are. 



Ali bin Dasmal captures life through simple objects.

It is a legacy inherited from past generations which the artists maintain in the present for the benefit of future generations in the form of paintings and other art forms. These include both tangible and intangible culture such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artefacts, intangible culture such as traditions, language and knowledge.
Qatari artist Ali bin Dasmal bin Ali al-Kuwari is one such artist who in his recent solo exhibition ‘Record’ has presented his preservation of Qatari cultural heritage. His keen observation of the aspects of daily life in the present and how it used to be in the past are beautifully depicted in vivid colours in his paintings with a tinge of nostalgia to them.
“Record is the name of the exhibition through which the artist highlights exceptional sights of our life that we may overlook and their beauty in the middle of the hustle and bustle of our daily obligations,” said Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, General Manager of Cultural Village Foundation Katara at the opening of the exhibition at Building 22 in Katara Cultural Village recently.  
“It is as if the artist wants to send a message to the public by inciting them to enjoy the beautiful scenes everywhere, and he also shows some touristic places in Qatar,” he added.  
Once again Katara presents to its public a new inspired exhibition by giving the opportunity to a Qatari creative to expose his artworks and share his artistic and cultural vision, said the GM, Katara Cultural Village Foundation.
He added that Cultural Village Foundation attaches great importance to host Qatari ingenuous artists and to present their artistic experience. Artist Ali al-Kuwari has an extraordinary art talent which deserves all appreciation and encouragement, said al-Sulaiti.
In his work, the artist has captured the non-physical aspects of culture in a manner that relates to the ways and means of behaviour in the society. Giving glimpses into social values and traditions, customs,practices, aesthetic and spiritual beliefs, artistic expression and other aspects of daily life, Ali al-Kuwari’s paintings are focused on simple objects and human activity.
The images he has used relate back to the city’s heritage incorporating social and religious elements, acting as a form of collective memory. The colours and textures of life in the old city such as Souq Waqif with its narrow alleys and areas dotted with traditional family homes are visible in some close-up shots. There are objects that formed the basis of family life, daily rituals, customs and festivities.
They include a combination of both desert and city life depicted in costumes and old homes expanding to include the means of livelihood.
In essence, these simple objects from past and present represent the local values and social roles, intangibly demonstrating the communal bond within families.
Al-Kuwari has preserved in his paintings the more familiar and vanishing social scenes. They depict his love for history and cultural traditions. Through his paintings he explores people’s attachment with objects from past and the moments in the life of the city that are becoming past every time.
His paintings would remind the older generation of times gone by, and opens up the eyes of the younger generation to an untapped wealth of traditions and customs.
Born in 1979, Ali al-Kuwari began his artistic pursuits in 1993 and since then has participated in multiple group exhibitions besides holding solos at national and international level.
At the local level, he held his first personal solo exhibition at City Center in 2005 while he started with Doha Youth Centre Exhibtion in 1994 and continued till 1999. Ali al-Kuwari has also participated in Qatari Fine Art exhibitions from 1997 to 2003.
Internationally, he has taken part in the 10th Fine Art Exhibition for GCC Youth, Doha 1995, Qatari Youth Fine Art exhibition, Alexandria, 1996, The 11th Fine Art Exhibition for GCC youth, Kuwait, 1997, Qatar Art Exhibition for modernity Kuwait, 2013 and many others.