- Six resident artists transported timeless reflections of Kuwait to Venice, home of La Biennale
- First foray into the global art scene affirms Kuwait’s position as a leading creative and artistic regional hub
Kuwait City, Kuwait – 15 June 2019: Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre recently exhibited the unique works of six of its contemporary artists in Venice, Italy on 14 June 2019, as part of its mission to nurture young talent through international collaborations. The creative pieces themed under ‘Heart of Culture developed through the Fine Arts Centre’s Artist-in-Residence programme, made their debut during the opening of the exhibition titled, “In my Dream I was in Kuwait” at Scoletta dell’Arte dei Tiraoro e Battioro, in Venice, the home of La Biennale.
The Exhibition opening was attended by Dr. Diego Vecchiato, Director of International Relations of Veneto Region, Mrs. Paola Mar, Venice’s tourism chief, Kuwait Consul General in Milan Abdulnasser Bu Khadour, and Abdullah Al Shamsi, Consul-General of the United Arab Emirates in Milan.
This high-profile platform aimed to advance opportunities for Kuwait’s creative community and drive global interest in their masterpieces, while also fostering dialogue with likeminded artists and art critics from around the world.
Inspired by a drawing by the artist Zahra Marwan, ‘In My Dream I Was in Kuwait’ presented the plurality of the artistic practices by Amani Althuwaini, Mahmoud Shaker and Zahra Marwan, whose works are displayed from June to August and Ahmed Muqeem, Khaled al Najdi and Naseer Behbehani, whose art will be revealed from September to November 2019.
Each of the six artists reflect their own way of combining original cultural background with their ways of self-expression intertwined with their use of specific artistic practices. The artists however share a common journey as members of ‘Artist in Residence’ programme at Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Centre, a symbol of Kuwait’s cultural renaissence.
Bringing a distinct touch to the art realm, Amani Althuwaini employs mixed media and two-dimensional forms, exploring themes of luxury, discrimination and socio-political issues. Through her Kuwaiti-Ukrainian roots, she combines narratives with symbols that are open to cultural interpretations.
Focusing on mental health issues, Khaled Alnajdi, transforms people into works of art, viewing the world from a new perspective to self-reflect and heal. His creative process is inspired by people’s thoughts, emotions and identities, using canvas as his main medium.
Mahmoud Shaker, a published author, embraces storytelling to shed light on people’s identities and feelings, through photography, videography, design and different painting techniques.
Rather than using art to explain visionary thoughts, Ahmed Muqeem exhibits real people - leaders, actors and events relevant to Kuwait and the world. Muqeem’s realistic style encouraged his use of color theory to transform black and white pictures into colorful largescale paintings.
Naseer Behbanhani turned the art of photography into a method for expressing emotions and the elements that make us who we are. His work evolved from landscape photography to taking thought-provoking pictures of portraits creating a sense of empowerment through the use of colors.
As a small format artist, Zahra Marwan, transforms serious matters to simple, light-hearted artworks. Her unique experience of facing social injustice and her personal history of leaving Kuwait alongside the beauty of the Kuwaiti culture, customs and identity is reflected in her work.
Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre is one the many projects developed by the Amiri Diwan to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and promote critical, creative, and interpretive thinking within Kuwaiti society through world-class exhibitions and educational public programmes.
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