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Al Riwaq Art Space is hosting an interactive discussion about comics, graphic novels and manga in the Arab world.
Bahraini artists Zainab Almahdi and Yaser Al Hamad will discuss the history of Arabic graphic stories, what the comic scene is like today, and where it may head in the future.
They will also talk about the process of writing and drawing comics, their sources of inspiration, the challenges they face and more.
The event will be held at Al Riwaq’s coworking space next Tuesday, September 10, from 6.30pm to 8pm.
An exhibition, Majal: Design as Storytelling, will feature a number of creations that are rooted in storytelling practices. It will also focus on narratives and preservation of oral history related to land, identity, culture and heritage.
The participating artists include Hasan Albasri, Deema Al Tharman, Saryeh Al Rumaihi, Sumana Buhasan, Aysha Abdulqader, Fatema Yusuf, Maryam Al Khalifa, Huda Aldaqaq, Waleed Alfadhel, and Yasmeen Al Rumaidh.
The 13-week-long programme included weekly meet-ups, guest lectures and field trips, during which the nine artists honed their ideas, using community interviews, colour exploration, prototyping, testing and feedback.
In the discovery phase, the designers identified and unpeeled many traditions and histories through interviewing their relatives and extended communities. They solidified this research into concrete artistic projects.
Muharraq-born Waleed, for example, found a connection between art and therapy in Eastern and Western practices, including Rorscharch, Mandalas and Rangoli designs.
Hasan, on the other hand, took a deeper dive into Bahrain’s boat-building tradition, and has been working on ‘Al Jizmah’, a simplistic vessel which used to be popular amongst children and those who did not have advanced seafaring boats.
The exhibition will open on September 17 and run until October 31.
