Katara Cultural Village opens paper art show on 22 September
Published on 09/27/2026 at 17:42 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Katara Cultural Village opened Dialogue of Papers on 22 September 2026, bringing Qatar, Japan and Indonesia together in Doha through an exhibition of handmade paper, natural fibres, calligraphy and visual art. The exhibition remains on view until 4 October 2026, giving visitors to Qatar a current cultural programme at the waterfront venue.
The presentation brings together two chapters of a Years of Culture project. It follows collaborations between Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad and Japanese artist Hayaki Nishigaki, and between Ahmad and Indonesian artist Widi Pangestu.
Dialogue of Papers runs at Katara Cultural Village until 4 October
Years of Culture, Qatar Museums and the Cultural Village Foundation are presenting the exhibition. The 22 September exhibition announcement names Katara Cultural Village as the venue and states that the display continues until 4 October 2026.
The works explore how paper can carry local histories through materials and artistic methods. The Japanese chapter combines pulp from Qatar’s palm trees with Japanese kozo fibres, while the Indonesian chapter uses Qatari palm alongside Indonesian abaca and mulberry fibres.
The exhibition is therefore more than a display of finished sheets. At the Doha venue, the material itself connects the environments and traditions represented by the three participating countries. The Qatar News Agency report describes handmade papermaking, cultural identity and the local environment as central themes.
Katara Cultural Village places Qatar paper art in a wider exchange
The project began in 2022, when Ahmad and Nishigaki worked together in Ahmad’s Doha studio. Their collaboration produced 28 works combining Arabic and Japanese calligraphy, symbols and imagery, before the works were shown at 3331 Arts Chiyoda in Tokyo.
A later residency and workshop during the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture brought Pangestu into the project. That collaboration resulted in 36 works shaped by the contrasting landscapes of Qatar and Indonesia, including desert and forest environments.
Ahmad’s interest in paper made from Qatar’s palm trees links the exhibition directly to the country’s natural materials. He began experimenting with paper as an artistic medium in the 1980s and later developed handmade palm paper as part of his practice. The Doha presentation places that long-running investigation beside Japanese and Indonesian papermaking traditions.
The official Years of Culture programme lists Dialogue of Papers at Katara Cultural Village in Doha on 21 September 2026, while the venue announcement records the public exhibition opening on 22 September 2026. The latter date is used for the opening because it is stated in the report from the presentation.
Visiting Katara Cultural Village: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Dialogue of Papers opened on 22 September 2026 at Katara Cultural Village and remains on view until 4 October 2026.
- The exhibition is the current visitor programme described for the venue, with works by artists from Qatar, Japan and Indonesia.
- The presentation focuses on handmade paper, palm, kozo, abaca and mulberry fibres, alongside calligraphy and visual art.
- The venue is in Doha, Qatar, and the exhibition links the display to Qatar’s wider Years of Culture programme.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Katara Cultural Village
When does Dialogue of Papers take place at Katara Cultural Village?
The exhibition opened on 22 September 2026 and remains on view until 4 October 2026.
What is Dialogue of Papers at Katara Cultural Village?
It is an exhibition bringing together paper-based collaborations involving artists from Qatar, Japan and Indonesia, with handmade fibres, calligraphy and visual art.
Where is Katara Cultural Village and how do you get there?
Katara Cultural Village is in Doha, Qatar. The exhibition announcement identifies the cultural village as the venue for Dialogue of Papers.
