Born in Doha, Qatar 1955, Youssef Ahmed obtained a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and education from Helwan University, and a master’s degree in fine arts from Mills College, California, in 1982. Ahmed was appointed as the Head of Department Fine Arts in Ministry of Information and taught art history, drawing fundamentals, and art appreciation at Qatar University, a position he held f or more than 20 years. He serves as an advisor to Museum of Contemporary Arab Art and Qatar Foundation and works as an art consultant for many exhibitions in Arab world. He played a significant role in building the collection that later became Museum of Modern Arab Art.
Youssef Ahmed is considered a pioneer in modern art movement in Qatar. His works create meticulous abstractions that blend Arabic lines, inspired by the vast desert landscape of Qatar. Ahmed recalls drawing on walls of his neighborhood using charcoal remnants from the stove when he was a child. In his ongoing artistic practice, he has dedicated himself to shaping a local aesthetic, drawing inspiration from natural environment through his choices of color, texture, and materials, which he often crafts himself.
He organized a joint exhibition with Japanese artist Hayaki Nishigaki at Arts Chiyoda Center, Tokyo, Japan 2022, and held several solo exhibitions, including: Gallery Al Markhiya, Qatar 2022; a solo exhibition in Msheireb 2021; Qatar International Exhibition Center, Qatar 2011; Ahmad Al-Adwani Exhibition, Kuwait 2003. Ahmed also participated in group exhibitions, including Museum of Modern Art, Dominican Republic (2011); Bayt Muzna Gallery, Bahrain (2009); Metropolitana Exhibition, Spain (2007). His mixed media works have been acquired by important institutions around the world, which include the British Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He has received several awards, including the Al-Kharafi First Prize at the International Biennial of Contemporary Arab Art (2006); the Cairo Biennale (1996); the Al-Siyaha First Exhibition, Doha (1993); and the Ankara Biennale (1986). Recently, he received the Appreciation Award from His Highness Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.