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In his first solo exhibition in Bulgaria, Bahrain’s foremost art patron is paying homage to his home’s maritime history and cultural heritage.
National Arts Council chairman and Rashid Al Khalifa (RAK) Art Foundation president Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa unveiled his latest exhibition Continuum last night at the Credo Bonum Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria.
“I am delighted to bring my works to Sofia and to share my artistic journey with the audience in Bulgaria,” he explained.
“Continuum represents a celebration of tradition, culture, and the ever-evolving nature of art, and I am honoured to present these pieces in this beautiful city.
“Through these series, I aim to bridge the legacy of cultural heritage with a contemporary perspective, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a symphony of tradition and modernity.”
The exhibition features three of Shaikh Rashid’s creative projects - Spectrum, Waves, and Les Roses de Bagatelle.
Spectrum offers visitors a contemporary perspective on Islamic art’s ‘rules of repetition’, seamlessly merging traditional aesthetic principles with echoes of modern Arab architecture.
Waves pays homage to Bahrain’s maritime history, intertwining rhythmic repetition with the island’s cultural heritage.
And finally, Les Roses de Bagatelle embarks on a delicate journey inspired by the flora of the neoclassical French castle in Paris, Château de Bagatelle, reflecting Shaikh Rashid’s contemplation on the rose as both a natural entity and a metaphor.
“This diverse collection of artworks embodies Shaikh Rashid’s artistic evolution, invoking notions of rhythm, purity, and ephemerality,” a spokesperson from Credo Bonum Foundation and Gallery said, in a statement.
Born in 1952 in Riffa, Shaikh Rashid held his first solo exhibition at the Dilmun Hotel in 1970 when he was 18, before moving to the UK in 1972 to study at the Hastings College of Arts and Technology in Sussex.
Over the decades, his work has continually evolved from blended figurative and landscape works in the late 1980s through a ‘convex canvas’ in the 2000s to his current exploration of the dynamics of light and colours characteristic to Bahrain’s geographical and cultural diversity.
In recent years, he has showcased his pieces at the Saatchi Gallery in London as well as Liechtenstein Landes Museum, receiving international acclaim.
“Shaikh Rashid’s artistic journey has evolved through various phases, from deeply emotional figurative painting to abstract compositions, and eventually to large-scale outdoor sculptures where he boldly experiments with materials, colours and symbols,” Credo Bonum curator Vessela Nozharova added.
“His work is always unique and captivating, continuously engaging in a dynamic dialogue with the audience.
“The works we have the privilege to showcase here in Sofia were created in recent years, where the beauty of the Far Eastern sea, sky and desert, and a deep reverence for nature, have been masterfully distilled into their most refined form.”
Credo Bonum Foundation, established in 2006 by Tzvetelina Borislavova, is an independent non-governmental organisation striving for positive change in modern society, focusing on sustainability and environmentalism.
Over the years, Shaikh Rashid has also become an avid art collector, starting with the first piece in his collection – a print by Henry Moore – while he was at university in the UK.
Since then, his collection has grown to an impressive size, consisting of hundreds of international works of fine and decorative art, camera and film equipment and furniture and interior design.
Works by 20 Bahraini artists, which are part of the RAK collection, are currently being showcased at an exhibition at the QGallery in Baku, Azerbaijan.
For more details, follow @rashidalkhalifaart and @rakartfoundation on Instagram.
