Bahraini artist Zuhair Algdehe has won a competition with a striking sculpture depicting His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, who was the Ruler (Hakim) of Bahrain from 1869 to 1932, mounted on a purebred Arabian horse.
The competition and accompanying exhibition, titled ‘Year of Isa Al Kabeer’, were held as part of Youth City 2030 activities, aiming to highlight the legacy of HH Shaikh Isa, one of the region’s longest-reigning rulers, who signed several treaties with the British, helped establish a stable government and implemented many administrative reforms.
His Majesty King Hamad issued a Royal Order designating 2026 as the ‘Year of Isa Al Kabeer’, in recognition of the founder of the modern state and the leader of the modern institutional history of Bahrain.
The exhibition featured 28 artworks and one sculpture – Mr Algdehe’s winning piece, which earned the 25-year-old artist from Bilad Al Qadeem recognition from Youth Affairs Minister Rawan Tawfiqi.
“When I found out about the competition, I was very excited, as I had long wanted to express my gratitude and pride as a Bahraini and pay tribute to his great legacy,” he told the GDN.
“I had not been able to take part in art competitions in Bahrain because I am completing my master’s studies in Russia. So when I returned to the kingdom on holiday and discovered the competition, I saw it as an opportunity to finally bring this idea to life.”
Drawing on his background in Arts and Design at the University of Bahrain, Mr Algdehe put the skills he had developed through his studies and artistic training into the sculpture.
“It was a real challenge, and I did not finish it until just one day before the exhibition opened!” he revealed.
Mr Algdehe said the sculpture began as a wax-clay model, which he used to create the primary maquette before producing a mould.
“I then used a polyester technique to cast the pieces inside the mould and assembled them together,” he added.
“After assembling and mounting all the pieces, I painted and finished them with an antiquing touch to give the work an aged, dignified character, with meticulous attention to the details of the facial features, the clothing, and the horse.”
For Mr Algdehe, the sculpture was also deeply rooted in his Bahraini identity and connection to his homeland.
“My choice of the late HH Shaikh Isa and the Arabian horse was not arbitrary; the Arabian horse is a symbol of leadership and courage,” he said.
“This work is a love letter to Bahrain, and a confirmation that national identity remains the source of creativity, no matter how far my studies take me.”
The award, he said, is not just another achievement, but ‘the crown of my artistic journey’.
“It is also a milestone proving that my years of studying abroad in Russia were not in vain, but rather a real investment in my talent,” he explained.
“To see my work, which I completed under time pressure and with so much passion, being appreciated by Ms Tawfiqi is a tremendous incentive to continue developing and evidence of my success in conveying the work.”
Mr Algdehe is well known in the kingdom for his intricate bronze sculptures of Arabian horses, using his art to creatively showcase their distinctive beauty and qualities.
With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, Arabian horses are one of the most easily recognisable breeds in the world. They are also considered one of the oldest, with a history dating back to the Arabian desert around 4,500 years ago.
The stallion is most valued for its speed, stamina, beauty, intelligence and gentleness. They are also renowned for their endurance, which makes them competitive in equestrian sports.
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