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In his first-ever solo art exhibition, Bahraini artist Mohamed Taqi offers an abstract gateway to better understanding emotions and sentiments, both inside and outside an individual’s life experiences.
The artist’s exhibition, titled Whispers, opened at the Art Centre in Manama last week and runs until next Tuesday, January 24.
“My works are characterised by the philosophy of humanity, and I look deeply to reach the big idea, focusing on the essential aspects of depth and the human dimension, by simulating them through my paintings in the language of abstraction and chromatic expression, evoking a state of multiple feelings in the recipient, including tragedy, contentment, reassurance and tranquillity,” Mohamed told GulfWeekly.
While most of the pieces in the exhibition are untitled to give viewers’ imaginations a sandbox to interpret the art, the collection also encompasses nine named works as well as four series.
The named works draw from a multitude of muses and human emotions, rendering them into pieces like Yearning, Fragments, Harmony and Melody.
The four series of paintings are more experimental, as the artist portrays a variety of human forms in both Mirrors and Luminous.
Mohamed mainly works with acrylics but has also explored oils, mixed-media, charcoal and pencil in this exhibition.
“Abstract art is an intellectual revolution against all art schools and liberation from all restrictions,” Mohamed added.
“It is the overthrow of the soul, feelings and thoughts.
“It is the creation of non-existent worlds.
“It is the rebellion that aims to discover everything in life, death, happiness, old age, peace, and it is the only revolution that I believe in.”
He created compositions comprised of bright colours, which are supposed to evoke ‘optimism and life’ and laid floating lines on top of them, inviting viewers to create their own stories of events around the figures and objects they see on the canvas.
French artist and art critic Inayat Attar adds: “Despite his sensual performance, far from strict rationalisation, we, through serious contemplation of his works, may see persons or beings here and there, as if he is telling us to search for what you want, as if we were about to see an omen at the bottom of a cup of coffee.
“He is a lover of transcending the ordinary, and I am looking forward to the essence of modernity in his fine art.”
Mohamed developed his artistic skills on his own by taking top Bahraini artists like Abdulla Al Muharraqi as role models, whom he attributes for developing his skills in sketching, drawing and painting. He has travelled the world meeting top artists and learning from them, continuing to take lessons from Inayat, under whom he has studied for the last three years in Angers, France.
He has also studied under internationally renowned French artist Lawand as well as top Arab scribe Mohammed Omar Khalil.
He previously participated in exhibitions including Art Bab 2019, Cities of Memory at the Akkas Gallery in 2021 and Small Works at the Bahrain Arts Society in 2022.
“Mohamed Taqi is a fantastic artist and we are excited to showcase his work and first-ever solo exhibition at the Art Centre, and we look forward to highlighting artistic talent like his as part of our efforts of elevating the local art scene,” added Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities president Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.
For more details, follow @mt.t.art on Instagram.
