Art Bahrain Across Borders: A captivating canvas

Art Bahrain Across Borders: A captivating canvas

FPJ BureauUpdated: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 12:47 AM IST
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Art Bahrain Across Borders, one of the most influential art fairs in the Middle East held in Manama, was a fascinating peek into a 5,000-year-old civilization and its march into the future, writes Neeta Lal    

Sombre-hued men’s jackets embellished with Dilmun seals and mother-of-pearl buttons; fabrics woven with the exquisite Bani Jamra (traditional Bahraini) technique, ceramic pottery glazed with calligraphic motifs,  vibrant wall art rooted in the 5,000-year-old Bahraini heritage…

I soak in all these treasures and more at ArtBAB (Art Bahrain Across Borders), one of the most influential art fairs in the Middle East held in Manama, the capital city of Bahrain from March 6-10. That art truly transcends borders was exemplified amply at the fourth edition of the exhibition that witnessed a rich congregation of international artists, gallerists and art lovers at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. The royal family was out in full force to support the fair held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

The fair’s central space or the BAB Pavilion was taken up by local Bahraini artists who were selected by a curatorial panel of internationally acclaimed art experts.  “Embracing Bahrain’s cultural heritage as an intimate marketplace, ArtBAB aims to strengthen the base of the kingdom’s arts economy by empowering and educating local artists and giving them the opportunity to showcase their unique skills,” Kaneka Subberwal, Fairs and Program Director at ArtBAB 2019 tells me as I inspect an array of aesthetically displayed exhibits.

The `Artisans Across Borders’ initiative, she elaborates, aims to open new creative channels, making the arts and crafts relevant in the new millennium. Under this `The Bahrain Room’ project, helmed by Indian fashion designer JJ Valaya, had the latter working closely with local Bahraini craftspeople to put together a collection of apparel, lifestyle products, furniture and wall art.

“The idea behind the project is to reanimate Bahraini crafts, taking the talent and the historical memory of craftsmanship that sustains Bahrain’s craft. We’ve created a chic, contemporary collection that will have global appeal and retail in stylish stores around the world,” Valaya elaborated as I surveyed the eclectic and diverse wares.

According to Ameena Khan, who also worked on `The Bahrain Room’ project, Bahraini art traditions that date back 5,000 years to the Dilmun era are still manifested now in the crafts heritage of Bahrain. “For instance, the fabric weaving technique of Bani Jamra which our artisans have used,”  Khan explained “can be traced to a tiny village tucked behind the coast of Bahrain’s capital city Manama.  It carries a substantial piece of the island’s culture as the local centre for traditional fabric weaving, a historically vital art form facing a rapid global decline. The art form has been passed down through generations of local artisans. It involves two distinct sets of wool that are interlaced to create a distinctly Bahraini pattern that is both intricately detailed and vibrantly coloured.”

The beautiful creations by the local artisans – wood carvers, gypsum engravers, copper nail workers to name a few – were showcased in two formats: as large modern installations of Bahraini crafts seen from a fresh perspective and as chic, contemporary modernised Bahraini crafts designed to project Bahrain as a progressive country.

With this objective, ArtBAB aims to take forward the art scene in Bahrain that is already well-known. The country has a rich and productive history going back nearly five decades. Bahraini artist Rashid Al-Oraifi was famed in the region for his creation of the Dilmun School of Painting, his ability to seamlessly bring his passion for the 5,000-year-old legends and folklore of Bahrain into his contemporary work.

According to Ghada Alkhuzaei, a ceramics artist and arts teacher whose pottery collection at the fair won her plaudits, her endeavour was to combine the centuries-old Bahraini crafts traditions with modern advancements in ceramic making. “It was an enriching experience to represent the kingdom’s treasured heritage in a contemporary avatar,” said the artist who has showcased her work across the country.

Six Indian artists also displayed their work—paintings, sculptures and mixed media—at ArtBAB this year. Two artists from Mumbai’s Cosmic Heart Gallery with a flair for contemporary, abstract art were Natasha Lalla and Shailan Parker. The stalls of four emerging contemporary artists from Delhi’s Seed Art Gallery –Pratik Sharma, C.H. Gandhi, Farhad Hussain and Rohit Sharma – also attracted heavy footfalls.

“The master plan of ArtBAB,” summed up Subberwal, “is to continue the dialogue between Bahraini and international artists and build on the conversation to identify and establish Bahrain as a fostering creative economy.”

As I exited the bustling exhibition, watching the artists and art lovers enjoying the event’s immersive cultural experience, I couldn’t agree more.

Neeta Lal is a Delhi-based editor and journalist

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