For internationally acclaimed Bahraini artist Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifa, who has showcased his work at some of the world’s leading venues and art galleries such as The Saatchi Gallery, exhibiting his work for the first time in Oman was an exciting and memorable experience. Held from March 18 to April 1, the ‘In Parallel’ exhibition at the Bait Al Muzna Gallery celebrated 40 years of his work as an artist.
Founded by Sayyida Susan Al Said, the Bait Muzna Gallery is home to local talent and welcomes international artists. The grand opening of ‘In Parallel’ was attended by Sayyida Susan and her son Sayyid Azzan Bin Kais Al Said, along with a host of dignitaries and prominent members from the royal families of Bahrain and Oman.
Born in Bahrain in 1952, Sheikh Rashid’s love affair with the arts goes back to the age of 16 when his first solo exhibition took place at the Dilmun Hotel in Bahrain, in 1970. Despite it being a starting point for him and an expression of his passion for arts, he wanted to undergo a formal training which brought him to the UK, where he completed his skills and design course at the Brighton and Hastings Art College in Sussex, U.K.
Some of his notable solo exhibitions include Penumbra: Textured Shadow, Coloured Lights, Saatchi Gallery – London, UK (2018); Hybrids, Ayyam Gallery – Dubai, UAE (2018); and Reflection, Bahrain Financial Harbour Gallery – Kingdom of Bahrain (2012). He also partook in biennials, including Bridges, Grenada Pavilion, 57th Venice Biennale – Venice, Italy (2017); Arab Delegation, TRIO Biennial – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2015); and In the Eye of the Thunderstorm, Collateral Events, La Biennale di Venezia – Venice, Italy (2015).
Talking about his inspiration for this art exhibition, he pointed out that it is mainly Bahrain that inspires him – whether the designs are modern or traditional. His love for symmetry and minimalism has been apparent in his art history, which makes him a contemporary and multifaceted artist, open to experimenting different art genres and forms. He regularly reframes and re-contextualises specific themes and, as part of this process, he presents a modified interpretation of them. It must be seen that his progression from one style to another is well explained and measured – therefore it is not impulsive. This is visible in the work he produces, especially in the works displayed at the ‘In Parallel’ art exhibition – each piece narrates a story from the past to the present, beautifully showcased.
Since his work has evolved over a period, Sheikh Rashid has always liked to retain his cultural roots and heritage alive through his work. Describing its importance, he says: “The role of heritage and tradition are strongly rooted and reflected in my work, but I like to translate this in a contemporary way because it is the perfect marriage of modern and contemporary design that produces an extraordinary outcome.” A vocal ambassador of arts and culture in Bahrain, he feels there is a dire need to preserve the culture and traditions in Bahrain, which can only be possible if traditional concepts are reproduced in a modernised manner.
When comparing his earlier works to the current ones, one would observe that it is driven towards interactive installations, and more sensory, as seen in the case of the Penumbra-Textured Shadow art exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London last October. That art exhibition depicted the revival of the conventional structure of the famous Mashrabiya (commonly used in the Gulf Arab countries) in a modernised manner, making its function and purpose visible.
His work from the mid-80s and 90s, regardless of their form – figurative or landscape art – were well-balanced on an emotional and inherent manner due to the resemblance they shared in depth, light and colour. However, it has been over time, and throughout his oeuvre, that specific characteristics resurfaced in differing compositional configurations.
When asked about the critical ingredients that make a good artist, he explains: “Every artist is supposed to be good, it is all about perception. You cannot simply judge individuals and say they are good or bad artists. I believe it is all about visualising art. However, one must remain sincere to the basic guidelines of what an artist must practice – whether it is the knowledge, choice of colours or composition and ensure that it adheres to high quality.”
One could describe Sheikh Rashid as an international art ambassador, emphasising on the common grounds’ that arts share on a universal level. The ‘In Parallel’ exhibition could be defined as a bouquet of beautiful memories from the past and present, which are preserved and shared with the world as the older forms and concepts of arts are forgotten, or not widely practised. When asked which of his works is his favourite, he says “They are all my children – how can you choose a favourite from all your children?”, indicating that each one of his arts holds a special place, not replaced by another, regardless of the addition of new work he produces.