BizBahrain_December_2016

What is the message you’re trying to
convey through your art?
You know, my work is based on the
Arabic proverbial tradition, when the
name comes after the message. Arabic
proverbs became one of the main forms
of communication, partly because of
their ability to add wisdom to day-to-day
conversations. So I always try to write
messages, or something that has meaning
that is relevant to the place where I’m
painting. For example what I am writing
in Bahrain will be different from what I
am going to paint in Paris or South Africa.
I really try to make sure that what I am
writing, the people of the community can
connect to it. The goal that I have is using
this art as a way of bringing people and
culture and generations all together. And
I saw it happening. You look at the media
today talking about using Arabic script
to bring culture together, it can be ironic,
but I definitely experienced it and saw
how it works. You see how people get so
emotional. Arabic script has this power of
bringing emotion, even if you don’t read
Arabic or you don’t have a connection
with the Arabic world.
Can you tell us what you’re doing
in Bahrain and the message you're
conveying?
So here in Bahrain, this is a
commissioned project for Bahrain Bay.
The goal was to bring more art into the
public space. I used this poem from Ali Al
Sharqawi, a poet from Bahrain, a famous
poem that has been turned into a song.
So this is my way. After this project I will
leave, but I am leaving that (my work) here
and I want people to get this connection
and know the artwork. And for me it
will make no sense to use poetry from
somewhere else. I know Ali Al Sharqawi
is really well known and respected for his
poetry.
In your opinion, what kind of value does
art add to cities and countries?
I think despite the aesthetic beauty
that is a part of it, the power of art allows
and opens conversations between people;
you can raise an issue just by painting,
open a discussion about a problem
like a community. It can bring light to
community by painting in a place, and
you can bring people together just by
creating an art piece. I explained that
in so many places, how you can bring
people from totally different backgrounds
and they come together just to create
something. I always try to have this
collaborative thing going where I bring
people from a community to help me in a
certain way and many places I see people
get together. Art is a way to bring people
from different points of view which they
will never admit if they didn’t meet at a
neutral zone like this.
You being here and working in this public
space has created quite a lot of buzz.
People are excited. So I think you have
brought the community together already.
Oh I hope so.
You have said earlier in other interviews
and on your website that you bring
cultures together through your art, so I
guess this here, is what you meant?
Yes exactly this! I painted a few
years ago in Brazil, inside the Vidiga
Favela and this is what I did. I used this
poem from this woman from the Favela,
Gabriela Torres Barbosa, and the poem
was actually homage to the people of
the Favela. So I translated it in Arabic
and then painted on this rooftop. And
people in the beginning were intrigued
to see this, I think they never had any
connection with Arab people or Arabic
before, so I explained to them that this is
what I do, I am an artist, I use Arabic script
as my medium of art. And amazingly,
they connected to it when I told them
the meaning of it. And then they grew
to respect the piece and they preserve it
because then the piece becomes part of
them, part of the community. This is how
we bring art and use it, and how we bring
culture together. An Arab artist, painting
a Portuguese saying inside a Brazilian
community!
I remember this woman came to me
(in Brazil) and told me look I have this
thing I had in my house for 20 years and
it was actually a frame with a verse from
the Quran and she didn’t know what
it meant. She was like, I had this and
nobody could ever tell me what it meant.
When I explained to her, she was so happy
to finally know what this frame that was
hanging in her house for years meant.
What has been your impression of
Bahrain in your time here?
Bahrain is a small place but super
cozy and I feel like people are so
welcoming. For example I put this stuff on
Instagram saying “Bahrain? If you know
this spot, bring kadak.’
And yesterday I think I had so much
kadak. So many people… not even talking
to us, just dropping it inside the tent
and driving off in their cars. So it’s kind
of a big village and it’s what I love the
most about Bahrain, the fact that they
preserved the culture and the old ways…
like when you go to Muharraq and you see
how the old houses have been maintained
and preserved. I think this is encouraging
for the Arab society to see how you
preserve your heritage and you are proud
of it and make it modern in certain ways;
you carry your tradition and your past and
move with it to the future.
It’s been a hectic schedule.
Yeah we start maybe 8.30 in the
morning and yesterday we stayed maybe
till 8pm so yeah we have to. The weather
has been good. We have the breeze from
the sea so it’s ok.
What’s next?
I have a few gallery shows. One in
Cairo, from a project I did a few months
ago and then I have a show in Italy in
March and then India for a personal
project, which is highly confidential, so I
don’t want to say anything.
16 December 2016