Exploring hidden treasures of the sea

Bahraini ceramic artist Mahdi Albannai has created a stunning array of bronze sculptures inspired by the hidden treasures of the sea, and has put them on display at Bahrain Arts Society in Jidhafs for all to enjoy, writes Julia Cassano.

Titled Sea Whisper, the exhibition showcases 29 sculptures meticulously carved by Mahdi and one mixed-media piece which depicts his unlimited love and admiration for the sea.

Among the pieces on display are models of fishermen, sailors and sea animals .. all chiselled to perfection on bronze.

“It’s an honour to display my sculptures at Bahrain Arts Society,” Mahdi, who grew up in Ras Rumman, told GulfWeekly.

“It’s special as my works have been inspired by my childhood memories and experiences, and viewers will get to see this,” the 61-year-old added.

Mahdi explained that his passion and curiosity for the ocean grew as he became fascinated by the ‘untold tales of the sea’ during his school days.

“It’s the simple acts of taking a dip in the sea, it is a freeing sensation that can only be felt in water, not on land,” he said.

“For example, when you are on Earth, gravity holds you down, and you are limited in your movements. But when you’re in the sea you have more freedom and are able to float away.”

He added that his mind, emotions and thoughts are reflected in the sculptures and he wanted viewers to see the individuality in each piece.

“Each sculpture has a story to tell and they all represent the vastness of the ocean,” he said.

He has used different inspirations in his pieces, for example, his bronze sculpture of a man and a woman, titled Sea Breeze, was created after he watched the 1997 blockbuster movie Titanic, directed by James Cameron. The film is about a tragic love affair aboard a doomed ocean liner which sank in the North Atlantic in April 1912, leading to the death of more than 1,500 people.

“My sculpture also represents love in the sea, and even though the man sadly passed away, it represents their never-ending love,” Mahdi said.

Another sculpture, titled Stingray, shows a man competing with the cartilaginous fish related to sharks.

“It’s a story, the diver and stingray are fighting against each other until one of them dies,” he explained. “The shape of the stingray is beautiful, and I tried to recreate it as best as I could in my work.”

His mixed-media art piece Tornado is about a tragedy that claimed the lives of several people in Bahrain in 1925.

“At the end of the fishing and pearling season, thousands of people went into the sea to celebrate and sadly a tornado struck, leaving most of them dead,” he said. 

“I am very proud of this piece as I was able to tell a real story through my artwork.

“Even though each of my works are different, they share experiences and are all interconnected by the ocean,” he said, adding that it took him one year to perfect all 29 sculptures and a mixed-media piece.

The full-time artist who specialises in both abstract and figurative sculpture used bronze as his material as ceramic was ‘too difficult to use in this complex project’.

“As an artist, it’s important to carefully decide which material is best suited for a project. Bronze can highlight the true beauty of the ocean, while also putting a spotlight on the finer details. Using ceramic would be too difficult for the designs I had imagined, as when clay is moulded and heated, there are chances of it breaking and collapsing. I then will have to start all over again – it’s time consuming.”

However, he admits that using bronze was neither easy nor inexpensive.

“It would be too costly to have the sculptures made in the kingdom as bronze isn’t a common material here,” he said. So he opted to have them made in Egypt and ship them back to the kingdom when completed and just in time for the exhibition.

Just like his love for the sea, Mahdi’s art journey began in his youth, when he started painting and drawing at his school’s fine arts club.

“I would have stayed in Bahrain for my studies, but there was no government scholarship to pursue fine arts, so I decided to look at other options,” he said, adding that he wanted to settle somewhere where he could expand his creativity.

The young aspiring artist travelled alone, and admitted that although frightened at that time, the move was a positive educational and creative experience.

“I went to Iraq to study fine arts in Baghdad University, and intended to take the painting journey but was given a chance to sample sculptures instead,” he said.

His love for sculptures grew and since then there has been no looking back.

“During that time, the Iraq art scene was booming, and I knew I had to take the chance to learn and grow there – which I did in the four years that I lived there,” Mahdi, who graduated with his degree in fine art, in 1986, said.

“Iraq’s art scene was not only lively, but rich in culture and innovation,” he said. 

Mahdi has been an active member of Bahrain Arts Society since 1986, and has participated in numerous exhibitions, symposiums and contests all over the world. He has also organised many workshops over the years, teaching beginners and amateurs different art techniques. He has his own workshop where he tells his tales through art.

The professional artisan has had his art featured at Bahrain International Airport and Bahrain National Museum. He has also won two Al Dana prizes – the top trophy at the prestigious Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition.