Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
ART enthusiasts in the kingdom can win a stunning piece of work by renowned Bahraini artist Abbas Almosawi, who will be holding a raffle draw as part of a series of 12 exhibitions being held across Bahrain to celebrate 50 golden years of his creative journey.
People seeking to take part in the draw must visit all 12 exhibitions where they can get their cards ‘stamped’ as proof. They must then drop it at the Abbas Almosawi Gallery located in Al Qurayyah.
The raffle will be held by the end of the month and multiple winners will be announced in a grand ceremony - the date and venue for which will be announced later.
Lucky winners will also take home other exciting prizes such as merchandise and gift vouchers.
The initiative runs until the end of the year and coincides with Bahrain National Day, which is celebrated on December 16 and 17.
“I introduced the stamp system to encourage people to visit all locations and also to reward them for putting in the time and energy to explore the art,” Abbas told GulfWeekly.
The renowned artist decided to exhibit his works at various locations, instead of a museum, as he wanted to provide art lovers - especially those who are new to the kingdom - an opportunity to discover different cities in Bahrain. He also hopes to target passers-by who might be interested in art.
“I wanted to collaborate with malls and institutions to make art more accessible, and to have people of all kinds exposed to it,” Abbas said
“If you display your art in museums, you will only have your people show up, who are familiar with your work, or people who are artists or interested in art. But I want passers-by to be captured by the art and stop to observe it.
“I’m thankful for the support of the Tourism Ministry.
“I have curated this ‘celebration’ for the benefit of visitors and tourists by exposing them to vibrant art, and also to encourage them to discover Bahrain at the same time, as I chose stops that are in different areas in the kingdom,” he added.
The initiative kickstarted in November, when the first exhibition entitled 50 Years of Art and Peace was unveiled at Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities’ (Baca) art centre. The showcase portrayed fond memories from his childhood and his deep connection with the sea, harbours and traditional spaces, among other things.
The art series ties in various themes, bringing alive Bahrain’s rich heritage and tradition.
Seef Mall, located in Seef District, for instance, is showcasing Modernity and Authenticity, which centres around the magnificent Arabian horse. The paintings depict strokes of genius, displaying this majestic beast through the eyes of the artist.
Another one in the series focuses on the theme women. Exhibited at Riyadat mall in A’ali, the artworks present the painter’s creative interpretations, paying a tribute to the ‘feminine’.
A ‘son of the environment’, Abbas’ art, which is based on the school of impressionism, is largely inspired by nature. Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement, characterised by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, accurate depiction of light, and unusual visual angles, among other things.
The artist, who majored in interior design from Cairo University, has a repertoire of more than 3,000 paintings, and has used his skill to spread peace.
In 1991, he launched the Art for Peace project, during the Gulf War, and was able to get his message to the United Nations session in Geneva in 2000.
For more information, follow @abbasalmosawiart and @coebahrain on Instagram.
