BAHRAINI artist Salah Sayed is aiming to shine a bright spotlight on the kingdom’s historic villages, architecture and culture by revisiting his childhood memories and painting how he remembers the towns looked like back then and comparing them to how they look today.
“I enjoy reminiscing about my childhood and being able to create art with it,” the 61-year-old from Manama told the GDN.
“A lot has changed over the years, and I believe it is important to create work that documents what once was, while adding an artistic flair to the work. It’s a way of preserving our identity.
“The process is fun for me. I drive down roads that have been replaced with new and modern buildings, and I remember what was there back then.
“There are many new buildings and also a change to society and culture, so in my artwork, I aim to use bright colours to bring history back alive,” he added.
He also highlighted that Bahrain is well-known for many things, including palm leaves weaving and other agriculture work, which he says is slowly dwindling.
Basket weaving in Bahrain dates back thousands of years and was once a thriving cottage industry with families in several villages involved in the craft. However, with the advent of urbanisation and modernisation, the traditional skills, left in the hands of an elderly population, are in danger of becoming extinct.
Mr Sayed admits that while he enjoys highlighting what Bahrain used to look like, he is also not opposed to the modern transformation.
“I understand that some things need to change, but I also believe it’s important to preserve the unique architecture and culture that we still have.
“For example, instead of placing a factory around areas that contain history, they should be built further away.
“We should also learn to become more connected with nature. We have a lot of coffee shops in Bahrain, and most of the time our view is of a concrete road. I believe we should invest more in agriculture and nature.”
Mr Sayed discovered his artistic talent during his college years in the early 1980s. It all began as a ‘joke’ when his friend requested him to draw a portrait of him, revealing his hidden skill.
“I wasn’t even studying art, I actually was in the process of completing my Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Gulf Polytechnic Bahrain from 1982 to 1987.
“After I learned I enjoyed drawing, my mind remembered my older brother’s set of art supplies that he had left before attending college,” he explained.
That day, he gathered the various brushes and oil paint that were sitting ‘collecting dust’ and began creating his very first painting.
“Oil is my preferred kind of paint. I experiment with others such as acrylic, charcoal and water, but you need a lot of space to properly work with them,” he said, adding that oil also gives the artist the chance to change and modify their painting.
“It doesn’t dry very fast, so if you mess up you can fix it.”
Though the world of painting has come a long way, he hopes that greater efforts are placed in schools to develop young artists’ talents.
“I see that they are now teaching art at universities, which is fantastic. However, I know many young people who are talented artists but cannot afford their supplies.
“There should be some sort of association that goes into schools and helps individuals with artistic skill grow and prosper. It would also be ideal if there was an outlet where individuals could purchase their supplies at a discounted price,” he said.
For more information, check out Mr Sayed’s art on Instagram @salahpaints
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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