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ART lovers in the kingdom will be coming together to celebrate the talents of nine Bahraini artists whose works will be on display at Artlounge 2 organised by Marion Labani at Banyan Tree Al Areen later this month.
Reporter Anasuya Kesavan unveils the final of a three-part series showcasing painters Balqees Fakhro, Lobna Al Ameen and Nabeela Al Khayer.
Artlounge 2 runs from October 23 till November 1. It will also feature the works of painters Faika Al Hasan and Kareema Taha, photographers Ali Al Koofy and Khalil Hammad and sculptor Ali Al Mahmeed and Fuad Albinfalah.
A percentage of the profits from the event, sponsored by Banyan Tree Al Areen and Ogilvy One, will be donated to Sneha recreation centre for children with special needs for the purchase of art supplies.
Balqees Fakhro - painter
Celebrated artist Balqees Fakhro's pieces stand apart from the crowd for their colours and level of abstraction. Size is an intricate part of her artistic expressions that are two dimensional and are devoid of detail.
Displaying boldness and passion, visually stunning artworks are created out of patterns, textures, shapes and layers of colours that interplay and spill over large canvases. Swathes of white symbolising a cloth or tent are important aspects of her paintings that deal with humanity, life and living spaces.
The only clue to what the artist has in mind when creating her piece of art is perhaps provided by the title of her paintings - Tent, Camp, Belonging or Heaven vs Earth.
Drawing parallels to classical music, Balqees said: "To me painting plays the same role as music. It is intimate, serene and pleasant. I like to go down to the basics and I use colours to show contrasts.
"Lines of force run across all my paintings. They represent characteristics of calmness, kindness, conflict and revenge. What I paint depends on my mood. It is generally about identity and belonging, the place and its people, their living conditions and the atmosphere surrounding them.
"My work shows my journey in art along with the impact of what I have experienced in life - travels, books, movies and encounters with artists from all over the world."
Visitors to the Artlounge 2 will be treated to a completely new set of works from this well respected artist who is also the subject of a Bahraini student's research at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Nabeela Al Khayer - painter
Artist Nabeela Al Khayer's canvas displays the relationship between a woman and her love for jewellery. Her expressive feminine portraits, which are set in warm colours shows how women enhance their beauty by using gems and gold from times immemorial.
Taking inspiration from Bahrain and its heritage Nabeela's women are naturally beautiful, joyous and full of strength. She believes that a woman's inherent strength is only enhanced with the use of precious metal and stones.
She said: "Jewellery is facinating. It's an object of joy and comfort to women besides it also adds to their beauty and enhances their looks. It also holds immense traditional and sentimental value."
Nabeela has previously taken part is several group and solo exhibitions in Kuwait, Cairo, Sharjah, Morocco and Bahrain. She will be showing several of her works at the Artlounge 2.
Lobna Al Amin - painter
Windows, doors, boxes ... anything made of wood which represents 'times of old' holds great appeal for artist Lobna Al Amin from A'Ali.
A witness to the changing landscape of Bahrain, Lobna attempts to immortalise her childhood memories of growing up in Muharraq, and other stories of innumerable families in her creations made on salvaged wood.
"I miss my grandfather's house in Muharraq. There are so many memories in old houses ... they have witnessed a lot of lives - those who come and go and disappear from your life," she explained.
"I paint over pieces of wood and play with the nuts and bolts and add my touch. I like the idea of giving life to something dead.
"The idea of a door is very interesting. You open a door and you can find different stories ... different lives, happiness and sadness."
Lobna believes that life is built around a man and woman who together make a home.
Poetic by heart, she brings out the emotions surrounding people and their untold stories through her canvas and on the pieces created on old wood.
