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Painter and curator Ramah Haitham Al Husseini is set to showcase a series of her colourful creations in a moving exhibition focusing on the obsession of achieving a “picture perfect” image in a bid to bolster meaningful dialogue and truly get people thinking.
The exhibition, entitled Family Portrait - Picture Perfect, is part of Nuqat 2019 Regional Forum: State of the Elastic Mind.
Nuqat is a nonprofit organisation, which started in 2009 based in Kuwait, aimed at developing creative problem-solving skills in the Arab world. It started off teaching typography design and then transformed into an internationally recognised organisation that engages thousands of eager learners. Diverse participants from all over the world have joined Nuqat’s creative call throughout the years to discuss design, entrepreneurship, architecture, fine art, technology, culture and every aspect of life that creativity permeates.
“I’ve organised exhibitions before and other creative events but this is the first time working with Nuqat, a Kuwaiti creative platform,” explained Ramah, a 30-year-old freelance painter who lives in Saraya 2. “Coincidentally, I’ve been working on this concept for almost two years before I spotted their open call, which was at the beginning of 2019. That basically almost had a perfect general description of what I am trying to portray through my work”
Ramah, who has been passionate about art since she was a child sketching away in her notebook, says that the exhibition will explore the conformity that stems from the subconscious and sometimes conscious.
“It’s about the limitations set on oneself just by being a member of a specific subgroup within a larger society; whether it’s a religious sect, a geography-based community, a cultural bloodline, a family name, or even an interest-based subculture,” she explained. “For the sake of belonging or from the fear of no longer belonging, to that micro-community, a social idealism is manifested; but at what cost? This question also leads to the discussion of the bigger differences between being a complex individual, a citizen of an overall and general community and a member of that dominating micro-culture, acknowledging where one stands in regards to all three, and how priorities shift based on the self-imposed importance of identifying with a specific culture.
“My work is conceptual. Everything I do or create through my paintings is driven by something; whether a personal situation or experience that I find it to be very important to point a finger at and talk about. I want to create dialog over topics that are sometimes considered to be sensitive and I try to approach such subjects with the most colour palettes, using symbolism and metaphors, pretty flowers and clean lines and figurative work that presents a discussion about culture and society in the most peaceful manner.
“The title of the exhibition, Family Portrait - Picture Perfect, is in irony of our obsession with perfecting our “image”, how others perceive us as individuals, as part of a family and society. Basically, as long as you look the part, we don’t really care if you play the part or how you even got the part or whether you even like the part.”
Ramah’s parents noticed her love for drawing, cutting up paper, creating new pieces and playing with play dough at a young age and enrolled her in different art classes and workshops outside of school to encourage and nourish her creative mind.
In high school, she graduated with a certificate in Art IB. “My mother paints as well,” added Ramah. “She started painting at a young age and does it until now. She has many certificates and has taken a lot of different art classes throughout her life, so I think that definitely helped me notice what art has to offer and what I can do with it. In fact we both share the same studio painting side by side today.
“Both my parents and the rest of the family have high respect to the arts and know its value in all aspects. They all are very big supporters of what I do and encouraged me every step of the way.
“However, they did wish for me to major in something different; they wanted something that I could easily find a job in and have a proper income. They wished for me stability and safety, which sometimes I do find myself craving, as this career has a lot of its ups and downs. However, so does starting off in anything that’s different, and just like any small business, there will be at least a six year rocky road ahead of it before it can have any sense of stability.”
Since 2010, Ramah has showcased in 22 different exhibitions, not including the different exhibitions that she has held at Anamil, an art space that she initiated back in 2011 that lasted for three years. She also organised exhibitions at Malja – A Red Bull Art Space and featured her work abroad such as at Daia Gallery in New York City, US. Her expressive art can be spotted across the kingdom as murals on walls of major buildings or hanging in different dwellings.
The event will include her modern paintings, which are a sight to behold, as well as four Table Discussions that break away from the formal idea of a discussion. There will be a performance, an audio-visual installation, an interactive social experiment and an immersive solitary experience. The talented painter stated that this exhibition will definitely be different and hopes it will encourage open and honest conversation that could hopefully continue with people outside the gallery space.
“I applied as a solo artist to Nuqat, but then to elevate the exhibition, I thought of the idea of featuring table discussions as well, which is something I’ve never done before,” she added. “I’ve chosen to ask a few of my favourite artists that create using different mediums and materials than I do. I admire these artists for their work and their work ethic. They definitely are amazing, each one of them; some I have worked with before and others I will be working with for the first time and I hope I will continue working with all more in the future.”
The artists involved in the Table Discussions include Hasan Hujairi, Ahmed Ashour, Mai Al Moataz, Tamadher Ali Al Fahal and Nada Alaradi.
“The Table is a metaphoric, representation of the round table, inviting and equalising everyone to sit down and discuss important topics we find in dire need to be pointed at within our society/culture, in a safe space through a creative way,” said Ramah, who graduated from the Concordia University, Canada with a Bachelor of Arts and with a studio art degree.
She is inviting like-minded individuals and those that would like to share in the insightful showcase to come out on November 26 to La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art & Spa and engage with each metaphorical round table.
“The artists will demonstrate their concepts by creating space and encouraging conversations, regardless of differences in opinion, both in the realm of the self and within the public domain.
“The Table Discussions leverage the elasticity of the mind and highlight the importance of facing the reality of the ways our present preset identifications and mindsets shape our daily lives and all the struggles within it.” The doors will open at 5pm and the discussions will start at 6pm.
Follow @alhusseiniramah for further details on the event.
