QL Exclusive: An interview with Qatari digital artist Nasser Alkubaisi
Qatar Living speaks to digital artist and senior interior designer at Msheireb Properties, Nasser Alkubaisi, to learn more about his experience.
Nasser studied bachelor’s in fine art and interior design at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar).
He is specialized in digital art and his academic journey is what enhanced his interest in this kind of art.
“I did not study digital art, but it was more about the tools involved in it. We usually did Photoshop and then I realized how great Photoshop is and how it helps in expressing art,” he said.
“If I did not study in VCUarts Qatar, I would not know a lot because we took a major which is art history, and I learned about all of these classic portraits and the famous artists. My study made me know what to do exactly,” he added.
Nasser participated in AlHoush gallery at Msheireb in last November, and he also took part in the Outbreak Art Exhibition.
Nasser used to love art since he was a kid, and over the years he kept improving himself to become the person he is today.
“When I was a kid, I loved art and I used to watch -Art Attack- which is a Disney show and since then I am obsessed about art,” he recalled.
“I remember once my teacher told me if you love what you do then you will never work a day in your entire life, and this is when I believed that my work should be something related to design or art,” he added.
Nasser faced many challenges at the beginning of his journey, as he used a new way of creating art, which most people were not used to of.
“I started in 2019, and by that time digital art was not really popular or common,” he said.
“Unfortunately, people get scared of new things, because digital art is something that no one sees daily and it is something new to them. However, I see it as a new way to express art, especially for the new generation,” he added.
However, there are a lot of people who are aware of this kind of art, as Nasser found support from Her Highness Sheikha Al Mayassa
“One of the most prominent supporters is HH Sheikha Al Mayassa, and this gives me real hope. Sheikha Al Mayassa is really into art and she was reposting my art in her Instagram stories. This really encouraged me a lot to keep doing what I do,” he mentioned.
“With her support, I got my growth back and I started to do what I love, and I started to express more through art. In Qatar in general, they really support art as they do in Msheireb,” he added.
Additionally, Nasser considers the support he got from all the people around him as one of the reasons of his success today. “My family is my first support. I also found huge support from my friends, and I am so blessed to have my boss’ support at work.”
“My favorite part is when someone purchases artwork from me and they send me their positive engagement with my artwork,” he added.
Nasser’s art is influenced by classic artists, but at the same time it shows the uniqueness of Qatar.
“The idea behind my art is I love classical painting, but I give it a twist as there is a question I ask before an artwork -what if Van Gogh was living in Qatar- and this is where I get my inspiration by answering the question,” he said.
His piece -Van Gogh visits Doha- is an idea to send a message about what is Qatar and Nasser always imagines Qatar in the most famous paintings.
COVID-19 had its positive affect on Nasser, as he found more time to focus on his art with work from home procedures going into effect.
His piece -Home Quarantine- and the idea behind it is to see the royal family isolating themselves and how they are spending their times.
Nasser concluded with an advice to all of the artists, designers and talented people saying, “If you are not happy in what you’re doing, do not waste another day doing something you do not love.”
To know more about Nasser Alkubaisi and his art, you can check his Instagram pages: @imnba
---
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
Twitter - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
