BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE FIFA WORLD CUP POSTERS

Artist Bouthayna Al Muftah tells all about the inspiration behind her FIFA World Cup posters.

The local artist, who created the official posters for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, says her goal was to ‘show celebration and football fandom in Qatar’ as she designed eight separate posters for the exciting upcoming event, which will be the very first World Cup to take place in the Middle East and will roll out from November 21 to December 18 this year.

The main poster out of the group of eight shows the traditional Qatari ‘gitra’ or headscarf, worn by men, being flung in the air, symbolising a spirit of carefree celebration. Bouthayna, who is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, is renowned for her monochromatic aesthetic, which shines through in her latest contributions to the World Cup posters. The artist is well-versed in artistic mediums such as painting, photography, printmaking and typography.

In an interview with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy ahead of the Official Poster unveiling, the artist commented: “I’ve always been interested in art. It started as a hobby and became my passion. After high school, I enrolled in Virginia Commonwealth University and went on to major in painting and printmaking.”

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy had reached out to local artists offering the opportunity to take part in World Cup projects. When Bouthayna got the news, she was very excited and used her free time during the pandemic to come up with the concept.

“My main inspiration was the concept of collective memory,” she continued. “Most of my work focuses on past experiences, memories, tying them to the present and archiving them in a contemporary manner.

“The main poster depicts the ‘gitra’ and ‘egal’ being waved in the air in a celebratory manner – which is something fans do here when a goal is scored. In another poster, we see two sisters cheering their brother on as he skillfully kicks the ball in the air – it shows that football in Qatar brings the whole family together.”

When asked how she felt to take part in a project for the first World Cup in the region, she said her feelings were ‘indescribable’. She explained: “I feel like I represent every Qatari and every Arab. I am beyond proud to leave my mark on this incredible milestone in my country’s history.”

Bouthayna hopes that the posters will resonate with the people of Qatar and visitors from around the world. ✤

GO: VISIT WWW.FIFA.COM/TOURNAMENTS/MENS/ WORLDCUP/QATAR2022/ FOR MORE INFORMATION.