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The Amazigh language of Morocco and a trip to Siwa Oasis have inspired the artistic exhibition of Egyptian creative Fadwa Ramadan, whose talents go beyond words.
The award-winning artist’s showcase - Beyond Languages II - at the Art Concept in Gudaibiya, features more than 30 works, including delicate pencil and ink drawings, boasting words and poetry from the Amazigh script.
“My trip to Siwa in 2014 triggered my interest in this language,” said the 51-year-old, who studied Art History in Rome in 2004. “I love its rhythm and sounds.”
Earlier in 1998, she worked as a freelance art critic and published articles in different local newspapers and magazines in Egypt.
“I started my research on Amazigh to learn and write it and then used it in my paintings,” she added.
An Amazigh language is a group of closely related dialects indigenous to North Africa. In Morocco, it is considered an official language. It’s also spoken in Algeria, Mali and Niger, Libya, Tunisia and Siwa Oasis in Egypt.
The language has had a written tradition for more than 2,200 years, influenced by the Tifinagh, Arabic and Latin languages.
For her art pieces, she uses different materials on Fabriano paper.
“In the beginning, I used a pen to write the letters,” she explained.
“I only used letters for simple shapes and compositions from dry pens (black and white). These shapes were the focus, while the letters were the mediator devoid of linguistic meaning. Later, I gradually used Amazigh words and poems in my paintings. Hence, the actual meaning becomes the focus of each painting, not just a form.
“I used Aquarelle golden colours and even sewed the art collage onto a paper. I used many mediums in these artworks.
“I hope visitors enjoy the show. I value their opinions, which is the outcome I look forward to every time.”
It’s likely to prove fruitful as her artwork has caught the attention of people from around the world over the years. Her creations can be found at the Egyptian Modern Art Museum, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Cultural Development Fund and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. They have also been snapped up by several private art collectors in Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland. Fadwa is writing her first book Exploring the Body and the first chapter has already received the State Critic Award.
She has participated in many group exhibitions in Egypt and around the globe since 1998.
Moreover, she won the State Creativity Award for Art Criticism, Egyptian Academy from Rome in Italy in 2003 and 2004. In 2002, she won the First Award in Criticism at the 14th Salon of Youth in Cairo, Egypt. She also won the Egyptian prize in creativity for art criticism from Accademia d’Egitto in Rome in 2003 and 2004.
Many of her works are being showcased in official institutions such as the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, Alexandria Library, Cultural Development fund, the Canadian embassy in Egypt, and press institutions inside and outside Egypt.
Beyond Languages II is her second exhibition with Art Concept in Bahrain. Her first, Beyond Languages with the same gallery, was held online due to the pandemic in August 2021.
It will continue to run until Sunday and Art Concept is open from Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm, and on Saturday from 3pm to 7pm.
For details, follow @fadwa.ramadan.31 and @artconceptbh on Instagram.
