invisible
Posted on May 28, 2011 Leave a Comment
invisible ball, non-existent court, no hoops. so how do we play?
Shadows of Memory|Fa Gallery
Posted on May 26, 2011 1 Comment
if you know me, you might have predicted that lise allam's work was my favorite there by far. this is a detail of 'hoya', oil on canvas, 100 x 150cm
Although I went to this exhibition four nights ago, I wasn’t too keen on writing about it. And the reason for not writing bothered me more than the fact that I hadn’t written. As I was washing my dishes wondering why I didn’t even bother to upload the photos I’d taken, I came to a realization. Over the past year, I’ve made it my goal to give as honest an opinion as I can about the exhibitions I visited without being hurtful, venomous or catty. With every aspect of my life, because I live in a country which (arguably if you like) is culturally dry, and people pat one another on the back for less than stellar achievements, I try to distinguish between sub-standard, standard and spectacular. And this exhibition, like many before it, was a mix of all three levels. It’s exhibitions like this one which make me question the curator’s ability to discern the difference between strong and provocative artists and artist friends for whom he/she is doing a favor. Read More
Notes & Doodles|Waiting
Posted on May 23, 2011 5 Comments
Whenever I’m waiting, and that happens a lot, I usually read. If I don’t have a book, I doodle in one of my many ‘handbag’ notebooks. And if, for some reason, I don’t have one of those, I find any piece of paper in my purse and busy myself away. 
fight
Posted on May 22, 2011 10 Comments
she started it
In a ring, which two artists would you enjoy watching fight? I know, it’s mean but I find the notion extremely funny. Thank you, Marcus.
Homes|Inspire Advertising|Alsaleh Building
Posted on May 21, 2011 Leave a Comment
girl with doll
Over lunch, my brother Mohammed asked me if I knew who, from Inspire Advertising, bought one of my paintings from 2004’s Cultural Re-Expressions 101 exhibition. I told him that my memory doesn’t extend that far back. So he showed me this picture he took of one of my paintings outside the company’s offices, in the Alsaleh Building. It’s always exciting to hear when someone bumps into one of my girls! Read More
Press|Stories of Eves|Marie Claire Kuwait
Posted on May 19, 2011 10 Comments
For those of you who like this sort of thing.
Notes & Doodles|PCC Post-Exhibition Meeting|May 18, 2011
Posted on May 19, 2011 3 Comments
small hand on five, big hand on twelve
Without Boundaries|Young Kuwaiti Talents|FA Gallery
Posted on May 16, 2011 6 Comments
one of my favorite works at the exhibition: khalid al sahaly, les annees ont tue le clown-edition: 1/5, digital photo printed on canvas
I wasn’t planning on visiting this exhibition last night because I knew it would probably be crowded and I wouldn’t fully appreciate the work. But I ended up going. I got in little later than I normally frequent these events, which served my purpose much better than I could have planned it to. Not only was I able to take a good look at the works, but I got to speak to some of the artists there, one of whom I have a great affinity for, even though she and I have only met a few times before, on similar occasions. There was one thing I wasn’t sure of last night: without question, these artists are young. But are they beginners? I’ve seen Ali Alsarraf’s work before, at other group exhibitions and have been an admirer. Deena Qabazard is so comfortable in her own (gruesome, decaying, pretty) skin that I can’t help but feel that she has been doing this since she was two. On the other hand, you have the ones I believe were students (young, enthusiastic, somewhat talented) whose works reminded me of just that: student work. I think there is no danger of Deena or Ali ever losing their passion for creating, and I don’t see them stopping. To me, it’s part of how they live. With some of the others, it’s what they do at school. I hope I’m wrong. Read More
don’t shop and talk
Posted on May 15, 2011 Leave a Comment
I went to Jarir Bookstore this morning for what was supposed to be an in-and-out trip for primer and brushes. I made the mistake of being on the phone as I shopped. When I got home and unpacked, I saw that I had picked up-and paid for-a lovely, hardcover, A5 sketchbook. As pleasantly surprised as I was, I rolled my eyes and thought: oh no, not another one. *incidentally, I did get off the phone at the check out counter but didn’t notice it even then.
Huda Lutfi|Zan’it Al-Sittat|The Sultan Gallery
Posted on May 15, 2011 2 Comments
it's interesting to me how this gesture has totally different meaning when facing outwards (resigned, tired, dead) than inwards (impatient, anticipating, alive). i have a love affair with hands, so you can imagine my delight at seeing and interacting with this installation
I can’t believe it took me this long to finally make it to Huda Lutfi’s exhibition Zan’it Al-Sittat. Honestly, I just forgot and remembered late last week that this jewel existed in the midst of Sabhan’s warehouses and factories. I walked into the gallery and squeaked with delight (I think I may have even quietly applauded). Moldings of hands, busts, bottles and shoes interspersed between two-dimensional collages of warm-colored, antiquated paintings. The lay-out, of which I heard second-hand that the artist herself thought was sparse, was actually quite neat, and to quote Goldilocks, ‘Juuust right’.
Now, for a little note of clarification: this is not a review. I’m not a writer/critic/journalist. I’m just someone who has my opinions and enjoys voicing them. A few days ago I had some pretty scathing commentary on one of my ‘reviews‘. These comments were designed to insult my work, depth of knowledge and (for some reason, most offensively) vocabulary, without submitting a single constructive bit of enlightenment to me or my guests. But I still felt that I should take the comments as a lesson for the future, because under all this person’s anger, he/she made some valid points. I decided to be, from now on, more prepared and knowledgable of the exhibitions I attend. So today I actually read through a press release by The Third Line Gallery, who represents Huda Lutfi. Did it help me appreciate Lutfi’s work more? Absolutely not. No body of writing can replace the carnal feeling I got in my gut when I saw her work. Maybe it helped me understand where she’s coming from, but not how I feel. So lesson taken, applied, failed and discarded Read More
The Teabag Prophecies|Will I Ever Be Done?
Posted on May 14, 2011 2 Comments
i should invite more people over for tea or i'll never be finished with this. i don't know, is the canvas getting bigger? last time i posted i was 'almost halfway done'. i'm still almost halfway done. tea, anyone?
dancers interrupted
Posted on May 14, 2011 Leave a Comment
it's funny how this picture came about. i started with the central figure, as i usually do. then i was interrupted by the door people. a few minutes later the bell rang again and it was josie who cleans my home every saturday. i KNEW my pictures were directly influenced by everyday events. but never this closely
So. What’s happening here?
an aging ballerina, two young ones and a flower
Posted on May 13, 2011 5 Comments
an aging ballerina, two young ones and a flower, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 92 x 151 cm
open my eyes
Posted on May 9, 2011 2 Comments
this has been on my bulletin board for as long as i remember. a friend of mine visited one day and admired it. i was like, that old thing? i think some things should be put away in order to truly preserve their value!
Sometimes we stop seeing things until someone points them out to us. Thank you, M! Read More
an aging ballerina with many flowers|may 6 am/pm
Posted on May 6, 2011 Leave a Comment
this painting has been waiting around for me for months now. i finally resumed work on it today
Homes: Mai Al-Nakib & Adeeb Abu-Ghazaleh
Posted on May 5, 2011 4 Comments
lucky eve
I get so excited when I see my girls again! Always. Eve moved in with my dear friends Mai Al-Nakib and Adeeb Abu-Ghazaleh last month. I found these photos in my mailbox this morning with a letter from Mai. She said: I’ve included a photo of eve up and one of eve before she was up, just hanging out in her new space. That photo also shows what eve sees when she turns her head away from her computer (which I’m sure she does late at night when no one’s looking). Read More
prettygreenbullet 