STUNNING artworks by Bahraini artists have gone on display as part of a fine arts extravaganza entitled ‘On the Wall 3’ – an added attraction to a crowd-pulling triple business expo.
The event, staged at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, includes pieces by art pioneers Abbas Al Mosawi and Balqees Fakhro, in addition to top artists Mahdi Al Jalawi, Omar Al Rashed, Adnan Al Ahmad, Lina Al Ayoobi, Maryam Fakhro and Zuhair Al Saeed.
It was inaugurated by National Council for Arts president Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and also sheds light on promising creations by Bahrain University students.
“This is an opportunity for local artists to showcase their talents and artworks during a major event – such as the Gulf Property Show, the Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo – especially since these are difficult global economic times,” said Shaikh Rashid.
“These events provide a massive motivational push for participants and give young artists a chance to showcase their artwork to new audiences.
“We are sparing no efforts to enhance and develop the art sector in Bahrain by involving all members of society and there are plans underway to launch more activities and new initiatives.”
Shaikh Rashid stressed the importance of training and education in the field to enhance the quality of artwork produced while also ensuring external participation to elevate Bahrain’s position on the world map. He added that there are talks with higher education institutions for future collaborations.
The Art Expo, which concludes today, also includes a series of calligraphy workshops, live art classes and creative sessions. It is being held in conjunction with the Gulf Property Show, the Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo, combining to form the biggest event of its kind in the Northern Gulf.
The show, organised by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE) and curated by Bahrain Art Gallery and Colours of East delivers on the goal set by the National Council for Arts to make art more accessible to the wider community.
The university students’ works are being displayed under the Future Artists category. The organisers are running a competition for visitors to choose their favourite from the collection. The winner of the popular poll will receive BD100 and the incentive for voting is BD50 for the person drawn from the winner’s voters.
“We’re committed along with our curators to be angel investors in the kingdom’s pool of talented artists,” said HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman.
“The National Council for Arts is overseeing a large-scale campaign to spread artistic awareness and develop an environment conducive to fostering creativity and supporting local artists. In line with this noble goal, we were keen that ‘On the Wall 3’ included a selection of artists to showcase their talents through a variety of artistic mediums such as painting, photography and sculpture.
“There is an increasing interest in arts and culture in Bahrain and pioneering institutions such as the National Council for Arts and the Bahrain Frame Art Group have succeeded in highlighting local artistic talent while also enhancing their position globally.”
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