Investing in artistic creativity

The first of a series of exhibitions showcasing works of young Bahraini artists opened on Monday at the Al Riwaq Gallery in Adliya and will stay on display until the middle of September.

Entitled Process and Realities, the event showcases visual art created by 20 talented artists including some high school graduates from Bahrain Bayan School. It has been put together by the gallery’s resident curator, Canadian artist and scriptwriter, Frances Stafford.

Frances, 26, said the showcase portrayed a witty, colourful and inspiring comment on contemporary world issues that interests the present generation. She said: “The exhibition has been organised to give a platform to young Bahraini artists because we realise that they need that extra help and support. We want to send a message that there is importance in investing in artistic creativity for the future.

“We want to stress the importance of working with original ideas and then critiquing and analysing them. The students have gone through this process through their school and it is reflected in their workbooks.

“We are looking at how students have displayed a thorough understanding of their concepts and what they have learned from this experience. We want to focus on the process of creating an art work.

“What has been striking is finding out how much work students have put in their art. The fine details have been very impressive. There is a narrative behind the works and many of them are inspiring.”

The exhibition shows more than 30 works that are installations, sculptures and paintings. Artists have dabbled on different themes that include politics, war, environment, media, gender, consumption and national identity.
 
‘Who let the dogs out?’ is the title for Maryam Al Bastaki’s abstract study on human nature that portrays different world leaders through different breeds of dogs. Maryam, 17, who plans to pursue business studies at Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance, said: “My six dogs represent well-known political figures known for their good and bad deeds. They include Chairman Mao, Adolf Hitler and George Washington. Doberman, known for its wild nature, represents Hitler and the lovable cocker spaniel represents Nelson Mandela.”

Tiny symbols on the paintings reveal who the dog represents.
 
Students have used art to take a break from studies, communicate their feelings and also as a training for thinking ‘out-of-the-box’ to prepare for creative careers like architecture.

Isa Al Sharawi, 17, looks at how people reveal a wild nature when they experience ‘road rage’ while driving. A fan of F1 and GoKarting, he said: “A number of my friends are getting their driving licences now and in this age of speed I wanted to emphasise the importance of slowing down. My message to everyone is speed kills. Try to slow down and be safe.”

His harrowing installation work shows the body outline of a dead person killed in a car accident on the bumper of a car complete with dents and blood.

Isa who hopes to major in Architecture from the Oxford Brookes University in the UK said: “Art is a way of expressing my ideas and emotions. It helps me develop my ideas and also helps me appreciate other ways of expression.”

Isa Al Thawadi, 17, uses glass over a painting showing the smiling face of his grandfather to represent a broken smile and the pain his grandfather has endured through his lifetime. He also looks at global warming by exposing the hot spots of the world through gigantic matchsticks placed delicately over a world map.

His colleague Zain Al Jamea, 18, explores a world of secrets by tracing facial features and expressions of her friends and family members over a large black and white map of Bahrain. She said: “I am looking at human nature through the idea of secrets. I am trying to show that even your closest friends have something hidden away from everyone-else.”

‘Boiling point’ was the theme that Zahra Al Zeera, 17, worked on to show how people display extreme states of emotion. She explores this through a series of works entitled Fashion Critiques Food, which explores how the fashion world is primarily concerned with image. “Everyone wants to look like a model, be skinny and tall. People want to fit into strict guidelines in order to feel beautiful,” she said.

“My work is also related to eating disorders and how men and women reach a state of mind that’s extreme in order to maintain an image of a beautiful body. Staying away from certain foods or binging and purging – shows how extreme and desperate they are to fit in.”

Participating artists include Hassan Al Sharif, Muneera Al Sindi, Kareema Sherabi, Danah Al Zeera, Salman Al Nejim, Tala Bashmi, Eman Ali, Maoon Rashed, Darrell Sim, Yousra Al Bana, Fatima Saleh and Nada Aladari.

A catalogue is also being produced for the exhibition.