Until 13 December 2025, the Fire Station is hosting And Then, A Return, a solo exhibition by Qatari artist Fatma Al-Naimi. It features the latest series of her paintings produced during her 2025 participation in the institution’s Ruwad in Residence programme, which supports established Qatar-based artists and fosters dialogue and exchange between generations of makers.
In this new series, Al-Naimi unfolds a visual narrative that moves between moments of control and surrender: between what can be anticipated and what arrives without warning. The title itself suggests the rhythm of a story: a beginning, a passage through uncertainty, and a return, a reflective ending that carries the weight of transformation.
Across her canvases, the artist uses layered compositions and recurring floral motifs as powerful symbols of hope and renewal. These floral forms emerge as quiet witnesses to resilience, signs of life’s persistence even amid instability. In this sense, Al-Naimi’s paintings invite one to find beauty in impermanence and strength in vulnerability.
Through And Then, A Return, painting becomes reflection and reconciliation. Al-Naimi seems to use her work to wrestle with cycles of disruption and renewal. She offers a space to contemplate emotional and existential transformations, and to find meaning in the return itself.
About the artist
Fatma Al-Naimi graduated from Qatar University with a degree in art education in 1998. She is a member of the Qatar Fine Arts Society and is known for employing contemporary media, including painting, video art, and installations. Al-Naimi’s work engages with themes that reflect personal introspection and broader social or existential concerns. She draws inspiration from her travels and a desire to learn about various cultures and histories, as well as her role as a mother and her interest in leading a healthy lifestyle.
Al-Naimi’s works have been displayed in exhibitions throughout Qatar and internationally, such as, for example, Glimpse of Nature (2020) and Dual Inspiration (2018) (both were held at the Fire Station). Recently, she participated in a group exhibition titled Between Past and Present (June–August 2025), where her contribution explored the expressive potential of pastel, connecting heritage, memory, and contemporary identity.
To get more information about And Then, A Return, please visit the exhibition’s official web page.
In addition, you might be interested in exploring the Improvisations collective exhibition.
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