A collection of art pieces showcasing Bahrain as a ‘living manuscript’ is now on display during an exhibition which opened yesterday in the historic setting of Muharraq.
During a Press preview of The ‘Urban Palimpsests’ print exhibition yesterday at The Art Station in Muharraq, curator Mai Buhendi and six Bahrain-based artists – Dr Hesham Al Ammal, Dr Natalia Skvortsova-Pispini, Fatima Ashoor, Ishaq Madan, Huda Jamal and Zain Almutawa – highlighted their pieces depicting how memories linger in streets and buildings even as the urban landscape continues to change.
“A palimpsest is a manuscript that has been written on multiple times, with traces of earlier writing still visible beneath new layers,” Ms Buhendi told the GDN.
“The artists are transcribing their memories within the cityscape to create urban palimpsests, transforming familiar spaces into vessels of shared memory and meaning.
“The exhibition shows how collective memory and individual stories become part of public spaces, shaping how we see and live in our urban environment.
“The participating artists explore how memory survives in changing cityscapes, offering fresh perspectives on urban transformation and cultural continuity in Bahrain.”
Fine art photographer Dr Al Ammal is showcasing two series within the exhibition.
One of Dr Al Ammal’s pieces
In ‘The Flower’, he uses the Caper plant as a metaphor for regeneration and resilience.
“I document three successive generations of flowers from a single stem, each bloom living for only 16 hours, to represent the constant and tenacious cycle of decay and rebirth,” he explained.
His other series ‘Fingerprints’ investigates Muharraq’s cultural identity through the living tradition of dhow maintenance, capturing, in photographs, the intergenerational effort to sustain it and illustrating how ‘values of modernity are being critiqued and resisted through the regenerative wood of the dhow’.
Digital artist Dr Skvortsova-Pispini has contributed works that reimagine urban spaces through photography and post-processing.
“The series ‘Geometry of Al Ghouse Park’ and ‘The Shapes of Al Ghouse Park’ originate from photographs I captured in this Muharraq green space,” she explained.
Geometry of Al Ghous Park by Dr Skvortsova-Pispini
“In ‘Celebration’, I transform a photograph of a palm tree adorned with lights for Bahrain’s National Day.
“By inverting the dark background to luminous white and employing mirrored symmetry, I explore how national festivals reinforce cultural continuity amid contemporary change.”
And, self-taught artist and data science student Ms Ashoor is focusing on rural and semi-urban landscapes.
Her series ‘Scenes of the Everyday: Between Villages and Cities’ draws on memories of her childhood.
“Through painting, I explore the connection between the passage of time and our collective relationship with the outdoors,” she said.
Photographer and creative director Mr Madan is highlighting ‘Villains’, a series rooted in play and ambiguity.
Villains by Mr Madan
“By embracing gestures of playfulness – moments that are disarming, humorous, or deliberately ambiguous – the images create a different space of encounter,” he said.
Mr Madan hopes to expand perceptions of Arab identity beyond one-dimensional portrayals, offering alternative visual narratives that celebrate multiplicity and joy.
Architect and visual artist Ms Jamal is exploring personal identity in her series ‘Wrong Place, Right Timing’.
One of Ms Jamal’s pieces
“Amidst the march towards urban development, some individuals encounter a grappling fear of losing themselves in the process,” she explained.
Her work is a reflection on ‘the balance between authenticity and societal progress’, highlighting the inner struggles people experience in evolving cityscapes.
Painter Ms Almutawa explores identity and performance in ‘Dressing Up’. “The series delves into the performative nature of identity within Arab culture, subtly nodding to societal surveillance and the tension between authenticity and conformity,” she explained.
Her paintings intertwine human and mannequin figures, suggesting how personal journeys intersect with the city’s collective narrative.
The preview was attended by a number of dignitaries including National Arts Council chairman Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.
A piece by Ms Almutawa
“Supporting and empowering young artists is a top priority for the Rashid Al Khalifa Foundation for the Arts and we are committed to providing opportunities for emerging talents to present their work in a supportive environment that enhances their confidence and skills,” Shaikh Rashid told the GDN.
“This exhibition itself is an innovative experiment, combining photography, memory and place, translated into world-class printed works that offer collectors both artistic and emotional value.”
The public opening for the exhibition will take place on October 1 at 7pm, during which a moderated artist panel will provide further insight into the creative processes behind the works.
Artists and dignitaries at the opening of the exhibition yesterday
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