Colouring outside the lines

“It’s not often that an acronym brings out the essence of an event. But in the case of Art Bahrain Across Borders — ArtBAB — that’s exactly what you get. “‘Bab’, in Arabic, translates as ‘gate’, and ArtBAB has managed to figuratively open the door; introduce the world to contemporary Bahraini art and bring global art to the kingdom,” says Kaneka Subberwal, co-founder of ArtBAB. When Subberwal opened an art café in neighbouring Dubai, little did she know that it would lead to a collaboration with Tamkeen, a semi-government organisation that promotes art and culture in Bahrain. And now, ArtBAB is in its second edition.

The festival which is currently underway — March 22-26 — features the work of 30 Bahrainis, as also artists from around Europe, North America, and Asia, including India. The exhibition, which is being held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, highlights the visual arts: paintings, sculptures, murals, photographs, installations, and films. It isn’t limited to showcasing art, but also consists of art-talks so as to open a dialogue between international artists.

ArtBAB seems to fall in line with a growing global consciousness that has entered the international art scene, standing in opposition to the intolerance in the air, and forging links between people near and far. And some works, such as that of local artist Faika Al Hassan, bring that out on canvas. A recurring theme in her paintings is that of faceless people in a variety of backdrops. The landscapes capture ethnic identities, while the faceless feature brings out the fact that at our core, we’re all the same. She explains, “I believe that my audience are those that haven’t been influenced by the extremism overshadowing the world. They are open to other cultures.”

More clichés of the Arab world are debunked through the work of another local, Othman Khunji, who often asserts women’s rights through his sculptures. When we met him in January, he hadn’t quite decided what he was going to exhibit at ArtBAB, but we did glimpse his sculptures which are still on display at the National Museum. His bold installation — that of three abaya-clad women bending in prayer — showcases how religion has played a vital role in determining a woman’s place in society. He elaborates, “In a world where man is worshipped as god, a woman is fit into a mould and made to come second.”

Yet another prominent Bahraini artist is Jamal Abdul Rahim, a painter, printmaker and sculptor. He regularly holds exhibitions in Europe and Asia and his prints can also be glimpsed at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore. A walk through his workshop reveals a bright colour palette, pop art that brings to mind Andy Warhol, nudes inspired by Greek mythology, and other eclectic works.

Perhaps one of the biggest champions of Bahraini art is Mariam Fakhro. Her oil and acrylic work takes you into the country’s past: old Bahraini houses, scenes of souks, camels in desert sands, and so on. She says, “I am inspired by everything I grew up with, from the scenery and natural surroundings, to the gentle and calm pace of life Bahrain was known for.”

She also reveals a little-known fact: that Bahrain, which traces its roots to one of the oldest civilisations in the world, the Dilmun Empire, has a rich history of art. The Telmun or the Dilmun civilisation, was an ancient Semitic-speaking empire in the Bronze Age. It covered present-day Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and some parts of Saudi Arabia. Due to Dilmun’s location — easy access to Gulf of Persia — it was an important trade route as the link between the Indus and Mesopotamia.

Much like the Indus civilisation, Dilmun has a rich history of pottery. Several well-preserved artefacts of clay pots, pans and jugs, have been excavated from burial mounds in A’ali, a town that’s a speedy 30-minute drive from Manama. Pottery-making is still practised in A’ali, though the trade isn’t half as popular as it was in the days of Dilmun.

Basket-weaving is another indigenous art. Some historians assert that the art came to the kingdom of Bahrain from India. Bahrain is sometimes called ‘home of a million palm trees’ — you can see one in almost every frame — and the trees are put to good use. While the fruits are best devoured with a cup of traditional cardamom coffee, the leaves are twisted into baskets. Another art form linked to India is gold embroidery. It still features on a bayas sold locally , and historians believe it evolved from zardozi in India.

Perhaps Bahraini artists’ relationship with India has come full circle; India plays a prominent role at ArtBAB 2017. It is muralist Rouble Nagi’s foundation — the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation — that is hosting the participants at the fair. Other well-known names such as Satish Gupta, Sujata Bajaj, Jaideep Mehrotra and Binoy Varghese are also part of the event.

Later in the year, Nagi’s foundation is expected to bring Bahraini artists to India. In a world that is increasingly divided, maybe it’s left to the arts to show us the way forward.

Kiran Mehta is a Mumbai-based journalist

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