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Artists from around the world showcased an array of colourful creations in a month-long exhibition in Muharraq, offering hope and inspiration for those suffering from Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
The eighth Whisper of Hope (Hamsat Amal in Arabic) festival, organised by the Bahrain Sickle Cell Society and held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Health (SCH) president Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, featured a short film, a theatre play and a concert performed by SCD patients at the Cultural Hall on March 30.
The open visual arts exhibition, held under the patronage of National Council for Arts chairman Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, was inaugurated on the sidelines and featured mixed medium artworks from 49 local and international creatives at the Colours of the East gallery in Seef Mall, Muharraq.
“More than 300 people attended the inauguration,” said 40-year-old Manahil Mansoor, a geographical engineer who is head of the exhibition committee and general secretary and head of the public relations committee, from A’ali.
“We have work from artists from Saudi, Egypt, Sudan, Nepal, India, the UAE and Morocco.
“It is great to see so many people come together for this cause. The artwork moved to the Colours of the East gallery on April 1 to run until the end of the month, and then after Ramadan, there will be a charity auction to help raise funds for the society.”
SCD is a severe hereditary form of anaemia in which a mutated form of haemoglobin distorts the red blood cells. It causes episodes of excruciating pain and other symptoms. Certain conditions that can trigger ‘sickling’ include cold, infections, dehydration or low oxygen levels.
It is one of the most prevalent genetic disorders in the country, with around 9,000 Bahrainis suffering from it, with no known cure for the condition.
“Many sickle cell patients don’t believe in themselves, so I helped arrange this exhibition to tell them that ‘you can and you are creative, and this is an opportunity for you to learn how to invest your creativity’,” added Manahil who is a sickle cell patient herself. In 2019, she was listed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as one of the 100 inspirational and influential women in the world for her grit and determination.
“Every person is blessed with a special talent, whether it’s in the form of art, sports, acting, teaching and so on,” she said.
“I believe any person who is focused towards their goal can learn any form of art combined with hard work.
“Without determination, even smart people fail sometimes.”
Her art piece is an installation featuring her dress when she was five-years-old.
“My mother made this dress for my birthday,” she explained.
“A week before that birthday, the doctor told my mum that she needed to pray for me as I had only 24 hours to live. He added that she needed a miracle to bring me back. My mum then took the fabric she was using to make the dress to the ‘maatam’ and made a sacred vow that she would pretty me up in this dress on my birthday - and she did.
“I chose to showcase this dress because this story was the first step to inspire hope within me and I hope it does the same for others too. I am here today!”
Architect and artist Mahdi Al Jallawi, 40, was thrilled to be a part of such an expressive exhibition.
“This exhibition also helped increase awareness about SCD,” said Mahdi, from Bilad Al Qadeem, who featured two pieces and is also the exhibition curator.
“As part of our social responsibility, we as artists and the gallery are more than happy to participate in this festival. There are about 70 artworks displayed that are worth more than BD20,000 with 25 per cent to 100pc of sales revenue going towards supporting and caring for SCD patients.
“All unsold artworks will be sold at the charity auction.”
He used tea and coffee along with recycled materials to make a vintage image of old Manama and also printed the Al Fateh Grand Mosque on steel.
Meanwhile Yomna Taher, who helped organise the exhibition, used oil colours for her painting.
“This is a beautiful exhibition with resonance,” said the 25-year-old nature lover from Riffa who belongs to the expressionist school of art. “There are various works in the exhibition, which makes it so distinguished.”
Twenty-one year-old University of Bahrain IT student Shaima Al-Ahmad also chose oil paint to create her Arabian horse.
She joined the exhibition with her mother Donia, from whom she inherited her artistic talents, and her sister Alaa.
“It is an honour to participate in such an exhibition which showed me the difficulties and challenges faced by sickle cell patients,” said Shaima who has been passionate about drawing since her childhood. “I chose to paint the Arabian horse because it is known for its courage, patience and endurance, which are characteristics found in SCD patients.
“The painting gives hope and optimism.”
Some of the other artists who participated include renowned Abbas Almosawi, sickle cell patient Waad Almansoor, sculptor Mahdi Albannai along with famed Ali Mirza and more.
For details, follow @coebahrain on Instagram.
