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ART lovers will have the opportunity to view the vibrant works of one of the kingdom’s most talented artists at a special exhibition to be held tonight in Um Al Hassam, writes Kristian Harrison.
Amina Aiubova, 30, will present her colourful creations at the British Club under the theme Captured Moments, aiming to wow visitors with her array of works crafted in a variety of mediums.
This is the second solo exhibition featuring the native Russian, who studied at the Stroganov Moscow State Academy of Fine Arts and has been living and working in Bahrain since 2017.
“Captured Moments is a collection of my favourite works from the past few years,” said Amina. “Each piece in the exhibition is entirely individual; not necessarily linked explicitly to each other thematically or by subject matter. However, taken as a whole, they portray the history of a person: thoughts or memories I’ve had, people I knew, and places I’ve been to. It’s a stream of consciousness spanning several years, each work a fragment of human life.
“Most of my work is in painting – oil, acrylic, watercolour – but I enjoy experimenting with different styles of art and material, and have worked with metals, modelling, plaster, jewellery as well as performative mediums such as dance.
“All of the pieces I’m displaying will be for sale. This is a double-edged sword for me, because in one sense it’s always nice to have someone appreciate your work so much that they want to buy it, but it feels strange too, like I’m selling my children!”
Amina first took an interest in art at the age of seven, when she visited her artist uncle’s studio and he painted a tiny portrait on her fingernail. Struck by what she described as “magic”, the ability to create something unique out of nothing, she knew from that moment she wanted to follow in his footsteps.
One of the key reasons why Amina’s art is so expressive is that she has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Whilst she admits that this often helps with creativity, it also leaves her at great difficulty to focus on just one style, hence her eclectic mix which covers a vast spectrum.
“As for trying to plan something,” she explained, “let’s just say that I once planned to enjoy a quiet evening with my friend and the next morning we found ourselves on the Albanian border in a stranger’s house starting a business which involved selling hummus over Instagram.
“That’s pretty much how my attempts at planning for my art go too! In other words … I don’t make plans for my art; it makes plans for me.”
As for the future, Amina promises to continue creating her powerful art pieces and showcasing them on her Instagram account @amino_acid_.
Furthermore, she is looking to expand her roles in performing arts. Whilst she’s remaining tight-lipped about the project, she can reveal that she’ll be starring in an upcoming romantic drama directed by Ahmed Zayani. Filmed and set in Bahrain, it is intended to be released this October.
Captured Moments will take place at the British Club from 7.30pm tonight.
