Al-Khor City Late 1960s (Qatar)
Nine pastel paintings made in 2016 and 2017.
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Harvest of the Sea, 2017
Works
From Text to Painting
Two paintings made in 2025 and 2026 for Qatar Reads' Fables in Fashion.
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How I work
Inspiration
A photograph, a scene, or a line I read.
Inspiration
The photograph behind "The Pearl Merchant". Al-Khor, late 1960s.
Research
I research the subject and gather references.
Research questions
01
Who appears in the photograph?
02
Where and when was it taken?
03
What does it show about pearl trading at the time?
Research
Questions about the photograph and its context.
Theme
I settle on the theme and choose the composition and colours to express it.
Theme
Drawing the eye and choosing the colours for "The Pearl Merchant".
Painting
I develop the painting, with the theme guiding my choices until it is finished.
The painting
"The Pearl Merchant", 2017.
The process varies from one painting to the next.
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Exhibitions
2026
Fables in Fashion
Qatar Reads, in collaboration with the National Museum of Qatar
National Museum of Qatar, Doha
Group exhibition
On view until 28 November 2026.
2025
Fables in Fashion
Qatar Reads, in collaboration with M7
M7, Doha
Group exhibition
7 to 20 September 2025
On view
On view now
The Revival of the Arab Lands, 2026
Acrylic, pastel and wax colours on cotton canvas · 30 × 40 inches
"Fables in Fashion 2026", National Museum of Qatar, Doha, until 28 November 2026.
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About the artist
Watch it being made
Noor Al-Merekhi (born 1980) is a realist painter working with acrylic, pastel and mixed media. She began drawing at an early age, and her experience in art spans more than 40 years. She draws inspiration from life and expresses her response to her subjects through colour, shadow and composition.
She has held several solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions, including “Fables in Fashion” in 2025 and 2026. She has also won prizes in art competitions and is a member of the Qatar Fine Arts Society.
What inspires me
I am inspired by people and their stories, by history and the events and changes it holds, and by literature and the ideas and questions it raises. I am drawn to what reveals human nature and people’s relationships with their surroundings and communities, as well as themes of identity, memory and human values.
I gravitate towards subjects that spark my curiosity and invite reflection, particularly when I find connections between the past and concerns of the present. Inspiration may come from a human experience, a historical event or something I have read. What unites them is finding a meaning worth expressing through painting.
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