Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
My complete inability to create something remotely artistic gives me a heightened appreciation of those that can create masterpieces seemingly on a whim.
And so it proved at Pop-Up Art-Middle East as I browsed the fine collections on show from artists hailing from Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon and more.
These works were priced between BD100 and BD4,000, although the majesty and delicacy with which they’d been created led me to believe these were extremely generous offers.
One mural in particular had me rushing to Editor Stan’s office asking for a pay rise (alas, there’s more chance of me becoming the next Van Gogh …) as I loved it so much. I take my hat off to Adel Megdiche for his drawing of an Arabian warrior on horseback coming to the aid (at least that was my interpretation) of a woman in distress.
Having held a vested interested in ancient Greek vase paintings for a long time thanks to my university degree, this was a throwback to a classical style that sadly doesn’t get much attention anymore.
Many of the works were presented in an abstract style that were as creepy and disconcerting as they were evocative. I’d have loved to have spoken to artists Bortusk Leer and Sabhan Adam to uncover their inspirations behind their pieces featuring disfigured humans and cut-up monsters.
This exhibition, organised by art curators and programme developers TalentFreeFlow, has given Middle Eastern artists a chance to showcase their work on a new platform where they can gain more exposure, and by all accounts, they deserve every extra follower they obtain. I can’t wait to see what new pieces these guys can come up with for the next showcase.
There was joy for regular reader Sarah Clarke, who was recently featured in GulfWeekly after completing a charity cycle ride in Tanzania for Think Pink Bahrain. She won an iconic photograph print from After Tomorrow, an award-winning documentary on Bedouins that was screened at the exhibition.
– Kristian Harrison
