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Spooky sketcher Yaqoob Alabdulla is taking inspiration from Bahraini dishes to create his own cosmos of creatures, ranging from the macabre to the manic.
The 17-year-old Bahraini has so far created 12 unique digital pieces, inspired by local dishes like samboosas, harees, halwa and alqaymat rolls.
“I have been sketching for as long as I remember, but during Ramadan last year, I decided to branch out from the usual motifs and take inspiration from my beautiful and colourful culture,” the senior Abdulrahman Kanoo International School student told GulfWeekly.
“So in Ramadan last year and this year, I was inspired by all the food we would have during iftar and suhoor, but reimagined them as creatures with their own stories.”
Created digitally on an iPad with the Procreate software and an Apple Pencil, each piece sees each dish personified as a character in a battle with either another dish or their maker.
His piece Alqaymat Roll, for example, depicts the sugary doughy desserts rolling down a hill, while their chefs struggle to stay on top.
Meanwhile, in Appetiser Competition, the ever-popular samboosa emerges victorious over spring rolls and potato kebabs. In Halwa War and Harees Fight, the dishes come alive to battle their makers, challenging to physical bouts as they grow in size and stature.
“A lot of these dishes are either liquid, semi-solid or come in a variety of shapes, which gives me a lot of freedom when designing the anatomy of the characters,” Yaqoob added, laughing.
“Rick and Morty is my ultimate inspiration, and the bizarre creatures they conceive have encouraged me to create my characters.”
Encouraged by his parents Kamal and Sabreen, both graphic designers, the young Bahraini, who lives with them in Sanad, hopes to integrate more of the island’s culture into his work.
His father has participated in exhibitions across the region and Yaqoob hopes to follow his example.
He hopes to continue to expand his Cultural Creatures series because of the overwhelming response he has received, and hopes to become a graphic designer, combining his passion and profession.
He is currently highlighting a set of stickers he created inspired by landmarks across the kingdom as well as musicians from across the region.
He has previously participated in exhibitions and workshops with Cartoon Planet as well as the Youth Affairs and Sport Ministry.
To check out more of Yaqoob’s art, follow @yaqoobk.art on Instagram.
