What Remains Familiar presents a new body of work by Asma Al-Mannai, whose practice has emerged as a distinct and sustained voice within contemporary Qatari art. Grounded in Qatari culture, traditions, and everyday life, Al-Mannai’s work reflects a deep commitment to preserving cultural memory while allowing it to evolve through new forms and compositions.
Working across acrylic, charcoal, watercolor, and graphite, Al-Mannai draws from garments, objects, and customs associated with both daily life and moments of celebration. Familiar forms - such as women’s accessories, including the baṭṭūlah and niqab, alongside men’s everyday garments like the thobe and ʿiqāl - are approached not as symbols frozen in time, but as living practices shaped by use, care, and continuity. Images of Qatari currency - banknotes and coins - appear within the works, embedding economic exchange into the visual language of everyday life and situating value as both material and cultural.
Presented through newly developed and more experimental series, the exhibition reflects an expanding engagement with material and process. In several works, painterly gestures extend onto the frames themselves, allowing the image to push beyond its conventional boundaries and emphasizing continuity rather than containment. Across varying scales, Al-Mannai’s work positions heritage as something carried forward, honoring its roots while opening space for future expression within Qatari visual culture.