The first official match for the Qatar Stars League 2020 took place at the Education City Stadium. Due to the restrictions imposed, most viewers watched the game virtually and have missed out on the newly installed murals outside the stadium, painted by artists from VCUarts Qatar.

Inspired by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), the aim was to create an engaging and lively environment space outside the stadium amidst the vibrant landscape of Qatar Foundation (QF), featuring universities, schools, research centers, and community activities throughout the year.

The SC invited local artists, especially artists from Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), a partnered university of QF, to paints walls outside the stadium with artwork themed around the life in Education City, Qatari culture, the spirit of football, and more.

“The brief was to build murals around the stadium that depict what Education City means to us and depict something that has an aspect of the local culture; Something that speaks to the community,” said Mohammad Jawad, an alumnus of VCUarts Qatar who participated in designing the murals. “We had about 10 days to two weeks, so there was a pretty short timeframe to decide what to paint and actually do it.”

Jawad, who has spent almost a decade studying and working at QF, was excited to get involved and reflect on what the campus means to him through his artwork. His mural comprised different faces of people drawn with one continuous line, signifying the unity amid the diverse community within Education City, and Qatar as a whole.

Jawad added that the unity and resilience that the people of Qatar have shown, especially after the blockade of the country by its neighbors, was what inspired his artwork.

Primarily comprised of VCUarts Qatar students and alumni, 15 artists participated in this project managed by SC employee and local artist Yasser Al Mulla, in collaboration with Mubarak Al Malik, a well-known Qatari graffiti artist.

“Engaging the local community is at the heart of our plans and preparations for the FIFA World Cup and this project is a testament to our efforts to include everyone on our journey to 2022,” said Al Mulla.

“Each mural tells a story about Qatar, its history, people, and rich culture. Fans visiting Education City Stadium in 2022 will get a taste of the county’s burgeoning art culture and will be able to form discussions about the depictions in the murals. Like football, there is no language barrier to art. You can have people who speak different languages, with different views, all come together to enjoy it."

For more information on Qatar Foundation’s initiatives, please visit www.qf.org.qa 

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