THURSDAY 31 JANUARY 2013 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside Spielberg CAMPUS seen winning • QU welcomes new students for director Oscar Spring 2013 semester for Lincoln P | 4-5 P | 8-9 FASHION • Home Centre gives kids more reasons to smile P | 6 HEALTH • Quitting smoking by 40 greatly reduces risk of early death: Study P | 7 FOOD • Starting the day off right with breakfast P | 11 French-Tunisian artist eL Seed has successfully combined traditional Arabic calligraphy and street art TECHNOLOGY into what he calls ‘calligraffiti’, a new visual art type, which • Nokia music catapulted him to global fame. streaming service gets upgrade P | 12 LEARN ARABIC Spray paint is his brush, • Learn commonly used Arabic words the walls his canvas and their meanings 2-4 P | 13 P | 2-4 2 PLUS | THURSDAY 31 JANUARY 2013 COVER STORY Art on the walls By Raynald C Rivera Museums Authority and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) in prob- pray paint is his brush, the ably the largest public art project in walls his canvas. For many, the country. This is the first time cal- traditional Arabic calligra- ligraffiti has been brought to Qatar. phy and street art may be “This is a new type of art. Many worlds apart, but French- people believe that graffiti is linked to STunisian artist eL Seed has success- vandalism, but I believe this (Salwa fully combined the two in what he calligraffiti project) is a nice way to calls ‘calligraffiti’, a new visual art introduce this to people here to show form which has catapulted him to glo- that they can do graffiti in a different bal fame, taking him to various cities way,” he told The Peninsula during a around the world. recent visit to one of the tunnels where eL Seed Last month, he arrived in Doha, he has finished creating murals. having been commissioned by Qatar Under this project, eL Seed is to design 52 panels in four tunnels that are part of Ashghal’s ongoing Salwa One of the four tunnels on Salwa Road project. Each of the 52 large-scale Road where eL Seed’s design will murals will feature unique themes be featured. inspired by Qatari culture and life. “I did my own research to make sure that what I’m doing here is relevant to the place. As in other parts of the world, I speak to the people as well as try to know the history and culture of the place,” he said about his prepara- tions prior to the start of the project. As his work is street art that peo- ple see every day, he believes it has to “speak to people and to me.” Some of the six panels he has exe- cuted carry verses from Qatar’s national anthem, which are inscribed on the first few metres of the tunnel’s walls. Some of them translate into English as: “Travel the high road; travel by the guiding light of the prophets”, and, “Doves they can be at times of peace, warriors they are at times of sacrifice.” PLUS | THURSDAY 31 JANUARY 2013 3 They follow the “liquid alphabet” style, in largest to date and one of the biggest of its which eL Seed has calligraphed the letters kind in the world. on top of each other, creating the impression The 47-metre tall and 10-metre wide mural of fluid, moving text. on the Jara Mosque covers two sides of the Compared to other forms of visual art, eL minaret; it is the artist’s way of promoting Seed’s calligraffiti has its own advantages, tolerance and bringing people together. being appealing to and enjoyed by a large Having started with his distinctive art number of people. form more than a decade ago in France, “It’s an outdoor gallery. You bring the where he was born, eL Seed says he never world to everyone,” he says. imagined he would make it big in the art It is also a form that makes street art chal- world. lenging for the artist, and the current project “No, never. It started as my passion. I did presents a different challenge to him. it because I loved it. Then people like it and “It’s a huge challenge for me as this is the asked me to come and get paid to do what I first time I was asked to display my work in love, and I’m very grateful to live from that four tunnels, which I have never done before,” and be able to share it with other people.” he said, adding it was technically challenging eL Seed’s unique style is a product of crea- to paint hundreds of metres of walls, which tivity and looking back to where he came he claimed had never been done anywhere from. in the world. “Each artist chooses his art form; then But eL Seed is not working alone. A team he appropriates it and makes it his. That’s of seven young budding artists from Qatar what I did. I started to study calligraphy has volunteered to assist him in the large- in France because of my background, my scale project. roots, my history, what I have been through “We work 10 hours a day, and I see a lot in life. Then I decided to make calligraffiti of potential in them. They come even on in Arabic.” Saturdays, and stay late,” he said of the young As to the future of this new art form, he artists. said: “I believe this is the beginning, and the “They are doing really well; step by step, point is to encourage the youth to get into I give them more responsibility, and they this art and to really be happy with what they understand more and more the process and have in their culture. I believe in calligraffiti the way I work.” because it’s modern and for the youth, so I’m Other than decorating the tallest minaret optimistic.” in his hometown of Gabes in Tunisia with a From Doha, he will head to Dubai for verse from the Quran about intolerance, the another project in March. 31-year-old artist says his Doha project is his THe Peninsula 4 PLUS | THURSDAY 31 JANUARY 2013 CAMPUS QU welcomes new students for Spring 2013 semester atar University welcomed a new intake of students for the Spring 2013 semester Qwith a series of orientation events (Hayakum) this week. A total of 1,077 students enrolled for the new semester — 460 women and 617 men. Some 836 of the new admis- sions are Qatari. Orientation has been held for male and female students. The mandatory event familiarised undergraduate students with new foundation programme and the wide range of opportunities at the univer- sity and welcomed them to the QU community. The event was opened by Dr Sherief Khalifa, Acting Dean of the College of Pharmacy, who addressed the new students. “It is my great pleasure to extend Qatar University’s warm welcome to you all. “You are now part of the QU student body — we are proud of your accom- plishments so far. “Remember that as part of the QU community, your words and actions speak for the university. From today Students and officials at the you carry the QU label and are the QU Spring 2013 orientation. QU ambassadorial representative. We ask you to treat this membership with honour and accept this representation students also had the chance to tour welcomed to QU in their own orienta- Everyone has been very friendly and with pride,” he added. the campus. tion event earlier in the week. welcoming and I am looking forward to The students were divided into College of Arts & Sciences student Chemistry undergraduate Se Won just getting started and studying hard.” groups and took part in several activi- Mohammed Ali said: “This morning Jang, from South Korea, said: “This Parents of new students were invited ties to get to know their new colleagues. has been very inspiring. This is a new is my first time in Qatar and I have to a dedicated orientation at the uni- They also received advice from cur- environment for us all here but we feel been meeting other students on my versity’s Ibn Khaldoon Hall on Monday. rent QU students, learned about aca- very welcome. So far, so good. Now I programme and finding out about the They learned about services pro- demic support and student services, want to get started. This has been my university. vided by the university to students. and were advised on course selection. dream.” “I was attracted to QU because Their questions about QU were In addition to registering for classes, International students were also my programme is taught in English. addressed by staff. The Peninsula Birla Public School holds athletic meet he ninth Annual Athletic Meet of Birla Public School was held Tat the Al Arabi Sports Club on January 23. Principal A K Shrivastava declared the meet open and school sports captain hoisted the flag which marked the commencement of the meet. The finals of various events like 100m, 200m 400m, long jump, shot put and relay in various categories like Junior II, Intermediate, Senior and Super Senior were held. Chief Guest Fuad Al Mudahka handing Divya Mohite, school sports cap- over the trophy to the winners. tain, delivered the welcome address. The closing ceremony was held on January 24. Colourful and vibrant were led by Mohite, accompanied by who has made immense contribu- Rappai honoured champions of vari- drill displays were presented by stu- the school band.