The initiative, which ran for one month on their social media platforms, consisted of a digital competition that called on Qatar’s artist community to submit an installation or painting using recycled, upcycled or refurbished materials, with the aim of relooking at ways to counter waste.
A committee of representatives from the Gate Mall and Beehive Recycling shortlisted the submissions, which were then put to a vote on the mall’s Instagram account.
Artist Samah Allulu, also known as Qurrat, won by popular vote.
“The Gate Mall takes pride in participating in and promoting sustainable initiatives,” said Gate Mall deputy managing director Mohamed Abuissa. “We are pleased to have raised awareness among the local community on the importance of rethinking waste through this online art competition.”
“We look forward to displaying the artist’s painting in our vicinity and continuing to deliver the message of sustainability,” he added.
“We are pleased to have partnered with the Gate Mall on this sustainability initiative,” said Beehive Recycling founder Sarah al-Dorani. “Our aim at Beehive is to create a community of like-minded individuals to address environmental challenges and raise awareness on the importance of reducing pollution to improve our quality of life, the environment, and our economy.”
“Art provides a powerful platform to relay important messages to the community, and we were delighted by the number of submissions received,” she added. “I look forward to continuing to grow our relationship with the Gate Mall and launch several green activations with the aim of creating a positive impact on our environment."
“Staring at different monitors throughout the day has become so common that we do it robotically, without thinking of the negative impact this has on our mental and emotional health,” Allulu pointed out. “By using recycled material and mixed media, my objective was to trigger people, get them to reflect on their actions, and encourage them to start connecting with themselves instead of with an electronic device."