Fatimah Abu Gahas: The Last Master of Qutt – 2014–2015

Fatimah Abu Gahas (d. 2010), a celebrated folk artist from Asir, was among the last masters of Qutt, the geometric, color‑rich wall‑painting tradition practiced by women in southern Saudi Arabia. This project includes a 2014 neighborhood mural and a 2015 screenprint edition of twenty‑four. The print centers a portrait of Abu Gahas surrounded by vibrant shapes inspired by her distinctive style.
For the mural, I followed the historical method used by Qutt masters: I drew the outlines, then invited friends and neighbors to fill the shapes with color—echoing the communal practice in which brides and their companions painted new homes using handmade goat‑hair brushes and natural pigments. Through these works, the project honors Abu Gahas’s legacy and the intergenerational, collaborative artistry that shaped Asiri women’s visual culture.

Fatimah Abu Gahas: The Last Master of Qutt – 2014 mural by Hend Al Mansour, painted in her neighborhood using traditional Asiri methods with community participation.

Detail of Abu Gahas’s portrait with Asiri yellow headscarf.

Fatimah Abu Gahas: The Last Master of Qutt – 2015 screenprint by Hend Al Mansour, edition 5.

Hend Al Mansour drawing the mural outlines in charcoal, following traditional Qutt methods used by Asiri women artists.

Detail of a geometric Qutt motif from the mural.

Friend filling in colors on the Qutt-style mural.

Neighbor adding color to a different section of the mural.

Group of friends and neighbors working on the Qutt-style mural.