Al Qursha (a large pot-like vessel used to cool and store water); juhla (a further named traditional pottery vessel form)
A traditional industry in Qatar, pottery was historically necessary for food preservation, water storage, cooking, and a wide variety of household uses, with vessels varying distinctly in size and shape according to their specific function; named traditional forms include al qursha, a large pot-like vessel used to cool and store water, and juhla, a further distinct household vessel type. Finished pottery is distinguished by the diversity of its shapes and the beauty of its painting and engraving, appreciated today for artistry as much as original practical use. Mariyam al Dosary, a doctor in Family Medicine by profession, is directly documented as having translated a personal passion for pottery-making into founding Anteeka, the first dedicated pottery shop in Qatar, located in Souq Al Wakra; her exhibition at the Halal Qatar Festival, held at the Cultural Village Katara, was directly reported by Qatar Tribune, where she explained her motivation: 'Pottery is integral to Arab culture and tradition, which has survived the passage of time and the race for modernism. My initiative is an attempt to recapture that tradition in order to arouse the younger generation's interest in the art of pottery making.' Beyond running Anteeka, Mariyam personally trains young students in the craft. Contemporary practice is additionally sustained by Noora Al-Melhim, an interdisciplinary Qatari designer and artisan clay-lab resident at Liwan, who holds an MFA in Design Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and has taught pottery workshops at VCUQ and Heenat Salma, with her own work exhibited internationally at MAISON&OBJET, Paris (2020), the Anderson Gallery, Richmond (2019), and a contemporary ceramic incense-burner and tile exhibition in Dubai (2017).
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