A Bahrain-based artist is drawing inspiration from working behind-the-scenes at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) – sometimes witnessing people going through their most challenging experiences – to paint slices of the human experience in his first-ever exhibition.
Kenyan expatriate Denzel ‘Abooky’ Abuki has chronicled his artistic journey and the evolution of his style at Arty Gallery in A’ali.
“I spent a whole month observing people at the hospital,” he said. “I felt the need to document them,” the artist who lives in Gudaibiya told the GDN.
Ranging from everyday working people in his home town of Nairobi, bougainvillea petals sweeping up the street, to people idling time in a hospital waiting room – his exhibition ‘Art Last Abooky!’ shows the beauty of the human experience.
The 23-year-old artist moved to Bahrain last year in search of new opportunities and looking to experience a new culture. He worked briefly as a security guard at SMC, which inspired him to create a series of works from his observations.
The exhibition features scenes from inside an intensive care unit, a bustling nurses’ station, security staff guarding a sick prisoner and a mother with her infant scrolling through her phone in a waiting room, amongst others.
He created the observational style drawings from memory, with several pieces made using the ‘continuous line’ technique.
“I use my instincts to draw figures and subjects from start to finish with the same line without lifting my arm from the surface,” he explained. “It’s a tedious process but it works well as the fatigue helps me best express the emotions of my subject matter.”
Mr Abooky likes to look beyond the façade one puts up when people present themselves to the world, and visualise them in moments of vulnerability.
For his series titled ‘The Working People of Kalimoni’, the artist walked the streets of Nairobi in 2023, creating a cache of work observing the everyday lives of traders, Masai street vendors and people catching up with friends at a neighbourhood café.
It contains fine details and rich, vibrant colours – a considerable departure from the artwork he creates now.
He explained that his style over the years has gravitated towards minimalistic contemporary art, bringing his subjects into sharp focus by removing details and using minimal colour, allowing him to hone in on the emotion behind each piece.
Mr Abooky credits the transformation of his style to other artists and friends he has met since he moved to Bahrain who have inspired him.
“I work in an art gallery and I observe the artists coming in,” he added. “I am always learning something from them.”
He has found that the people in Bahrain have been very welcoming and receptive towards his artwork. He credits the country’s encouragement of creators and artists for its thriving art scene.
Through his work, Mr Abooky hopes to dispel the pretences people have about others, and instead focus on how similar we all are.
“Ultimately, I want people to look at my art and ask questions,” he added.
‘Art Last Abooky!’ runs until mid-December.
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