Tasweer Residency: AS THE IMAGE UNFOLDS — THE LANGUAGE OF ATHAR

Mohammed A. Fakhroo is a Qatari filmmaker and photographer whose practice is grounded in concept and intention. Each project begins with an idea or belief that insists on being seen; the image becomes his way of stating it, turning thought into form. His work moves fluidly between photographic approaches, adapting to what each concept demands, yet always returning to purpose, the questions he asks, and the answers the process reveals.

He serves as a director-producer at Q37, and his photographic work has been exhibited with Editions Art Space and Analogue Qatar. His series Feed Me, addressing consumerism from multiple angles, was nominated in three categories at the 1839 Photography Awards.

Through photography residency, Fakhroo seeks to refine his visual language, deepen conceptual clarity, and continue developing the conversation between thought and image through research, experimentation, and sustained practice.

Raja is a storyteller and photographer whose work explores the intersection of culture, travel, and everyday life. Her practice combines documentary and creative photography, often highlighting human stories within places. Raja values community and documentation to inspire visual storytelling and connect communities through the lens.

Ghada N. Al Mawlawi is a passionate and curious Qatari photographer. Her interest in photography began at an early age, and over time, she found her artistic voice in studio-based still-life work. Ghada’s photography is an exploratory process, marked by careful attention to detail and a deep connection with her subjects. To her, the act of photography transcends into a meditative experience, inviting a profound sense of silence, calmness, and love.

Qatari photographer Khalifa Al Obaidly originally studied marine biology at Qatar University and completed an MBA at HEC Paris. Underwater photography was one of his earliest formative experiences with the medium. Since 2002, Al Obaidly has concentrated on Qatari tradition and culture through the twin themes of desert and sea, seeking to convey through his photography the importance of traditional wooden boats, called dhows, as reflections of Qatari history and bearers of the spirit of Qatari culture and the soul of pearl divers.

In addition to his own photography practice, Al Obaidly has worked at a number of science and art museums, including the Aquarium at the Qatar National Museum. He worked on a project to construct a museum of photography and build a collection of works, and served as an assistant director at the Museum of Islamic Art through the Qatari National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage.

Al Obaidly is also involved with many Qatari heritage programmes and initiatives. He led the transformation of the Msheireb Art Centre—an old girls’ school in the heart of Doha converted into an art centre—and established the “Found Objects Project” (Echo Memory or Sadda Al Thekraiat), which seeks to create art from found objects for the Heart of Doha Project. He also worked on the four Msheireb Museums: Bin Jelmood House, Radwani House, Mohammed Bin Jassim House, and Company House.

Khalifa led the Fire Station Artist in Residence programme for seven years, developing the programme alongside other initiatives to support local artists and connect them to the international art scene. He established the Photo Festival department under Qatar Museums to celebrate young artists in the region and support their voices and ideas in photography and the arts across the WANA region.

A Lebanese filmmaker, photographer and educator based in Qatar since 2011. His passion for photography extends to his various completed and ongoing projects that tackle memory, autobiographical approaches and cities and their inhabitants and forms. He received the ADPP (Arab Documentary Photography Program) grant in 2021 for his project "Imagined Cities" and has exhibited in Doha, Beirut, New York, Dubai, Livingston - NC among others. As an educator he has given workshops and talks for Tasweer Qatar and has guest spoken at the Painting and Printmaking class at VCU Qatar.

Maria Ovsyannikova is a fine art photographer, curator and visual storyteller from Moscow, Russia. She lives and works in Doha for the past 15 years. Inspired by Qatari culture, heritage and nature she started taking photos as a hobby, which over few years transformed into a true passion. In early 2016 Maria quit her office job to become full time artist and photographer. Her images have a storytelling element, reflecting local culture in artistic and dreamy way. She is exhibiting her work on regular basis to bridge different cultures, create a dialogue and to highlight and spread the beauty of the world. In June of 2024 she founded “Editions” a gallery art space dedicated to photography and fine art printing, allowing photographers to showcase and sell their work as prints.

As the founder of Editions Art Space, she explores the intersection of fine art printing, curation, and exhibition design, creating spaces where photography and visual narratives come to life. With a passion for print production, she brings artistic works into tangible form, ensuring they are preserved and appreciated beyond the digital realm.