By Aleem Shaikh
18 Bahraini artists displayed their artworks under the theme ‘The Unsaid’, curated by renowned Indian artist Dr. Alka Raghuvanshi
Mumbai, 1st December, 2017: Art Bahrain Across Borders, (ArtBAB), the Kingdom of Bahrain’s premier contemporary art fair & curated artists program under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain, debuted in Mumbai on 30th of November, at The Bombay Art Society, Bandra. ArtBAB’s artist program was launched last year in May 2016 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Its second edition took place in Bikaner House in New Delhi on 9th of October. 18 select Bahraini artists enthralled art aficionados & other guests with the display of their exclusive artworks under the theme ‘The Unsaid’, curated by the famous Indian artist Dr. Alka Raghuvanshi.
The Guest of Honour was Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, Chief of Hindu Nationalist Shiv Sena party. The event was also attended by eminent personalities from different fields like politics, fashion, film, art and corporate. The exhibition will go on till 2nd of December, 2017.
The exhibition comprises of exquisitely executed paintings and sculptures that showcase what is left unsaid and the significant space it occupies in the creative context. The eighteen artists selected for the exhibition include Ayman Jaffar, Balqees Fakhro, Dawiya Al Alawiat, Faika Al Hasan, Hamed Al Bosta, Jamal Abdulrahim, Karina El Zu’bi, Lulwa Al Khalifa, Mariam Fakhro, Maryam Nass, Mohammed Taha, Nabeela Al Khayer, Omar Al Rashid, Seema Baqi, Somaya Abdulghani, Taiba Faraj, Zakeya Zada and Mayasa Al Sowaidi.
This travelling art show is brought to India under ArtBAB’s artist program. ArtBAB is organizing these artist programs in India in association with Rouble Nagi Art Foundation. ArtBAB’s artist program was launched last year in May 2016 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Speaking at the sidelines of the event Shaikha Maram Bint Isa Al Khalifa, the director of the office of Her Royal Highness Wife of the King of Bahrain said, “We are extremely delighted at this opportunity to showcase Bahraini artworks in Mumbai. India has a long and rich history of art and culture. This cultural/artistic interaction will surely have a positive impact not only on the artists that are showcasing but also on the larger art scene in the region. We are confident that our association with India will go a long way and foster a connect between creative enthusiasts from both the countries while also stimulating investment and economic activity in the arts and cultural sector.”
Ms. Kaneka Subberwal, Fair and Programme Director of ArtBAB, said, “We are proud to organize an art exhibition for the first time ever in Mumbai and develop a connect with Indian art enthusiasts. This initiative has the potential to grow much grander and accommodate more talented artists in the future. ArtBAB not only provides a platform for Bahraini artists to showcase their work globally, it also acts as an umbrella for the creation of a common space for galleries and artists across the globe to associate with collectors and art aficionados. Our exceptional artists from Bahrain are extremely excited to showcase their extraordinary work which reflects Bahrain’s script, culture, people and landscapes in various forms. We wish to empower artists by taking Bahrain to the global art industry and bringing the global art community to Bahrain.”
Dr. Alka Raghuvanshi, curator of the exhibition, said, “This is a commendable initiative by ArtBAB and being the curator for the show is a huge privilege for me. The exhibition ‘The Unsaid’ explores the artistic and creative dimensions of the artists’ mind which is their creative mainstay. For artists, landscapes are not mere visual manifestations of a geographical mass but spaces for the creative impulse to blossom more by way of mindscapes that change, remain, expand in the mind. In this context what is left unsaid too is of a great deal of import for it engulfs within its space, the sub text of their creative context. This exhibition, The Unsaid, too says more by way of not saying it and yet saying it so beautifully and lyrically.”
About ArtBAB
ArtBAB is a significant arts venture designed to showcase the Kingdom of Bahrain’s rich creative talent to an International audience and further promote cross-cultural dialogue, broaden artists’ horizons, and introduce art collectors and enthusiasts across the world to the “talents and vision” of Bahraini artists.
The first two editions of ArtBAB International art fair drew huge participations from leading artists from across the world – U.K., Russia, Africa, Bahrain, GCC, Lithuania, France, Ukraine, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia, India, Italy, the USA among other countries. The third edition is slated to be organised from 14th to 18th March 2018 in Bahrain.
