Yemen possesses an aesthetic
consciousness evident in every mud brick building
trimmed in white gypsum, the intricate designs of
stained glass qamariyyas, the colorful sitara, the
elegant embroidery in a shawl draped across an old
man’s back, and the arabesques and inlaid
calligraphy that adorn mosque ceilings. Yet despite
the visual saturation of form and color in its daily
life, there exists nonetheless a tangible absence in
Yemen of what the world calls contemporary art.
While classical artisans continue their traditional
artwork in architecture and Islamic decoration,
there are a surprisingly small number of visual
artists devoted to exploring new techniques, themes
and forms of expression.
But
such art is not completely absent in Yemen, and
indeed, starting in the 1970’s Yemen has seen the
burgeoning appearance of contemporary artists
experimenting with various media and styles, of whom
Hashem Ali of Taiz, and Sana’ani artists Abdul Jabal
Noman, Rishad Ismail, and Fuad Al Futaih were the
first of the well-known. Their work has inspired a
subculture of artists devoted to the support and
inspiration of like-minded innovators. Many have
studied abroad in countries like Russia, Germany,
and India and draw their inspiration from
contemporary art movements around the world. But
within all of their work, the presence of Yemen in
its most subtle form can be seen in their
brushstrokes.
The
current contemporary art movement in Sana’a can be
said to have been started by a group of four friends
who came from very different backgrounds and whose
art encompasses vastly different styles and
techniques.
Mazher
Nizar was born and raised in India. He studied
Graphic Art in Calcutta and was active in the art
scene before deciding to reclaim his roots and
pursue an art career by coming to Yemen in 1985. His
work revolves predominantly around Yemeni women,
loosely veiled, swathed in bright colors and
abstract design.
Talal
Al Najar was born in Taiz and studied Fine Arts in
Yemen and abroad in Moscow, Russia. Inspired by a
book on Islamic art he happened across while
studying in Russia, Al Najar’s work blends the art
of Arabic calligraphy and Islam with the western
styles and techniques he acquired while studying in
Russia.
Reema
Qasem was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. As a
child, she did not have an interest in art but was
drawn towards the miracle of living things. However,
inspired largely by the work of Salvador Dali and
her love of plants and living forms, Al Qasimi soon
found that she had a natural talent for painting.
She was encouraged by her teachers in Saudi Arabia
to pursue the field, she soon found herself
completely devoted to abstract art. “My ideas come
from life, but I draw things not in the way that
they are, but in the way that I feel them. The way
my experiences, the places I’ve lived and my culture
shape them,” she describes. “In school, we learned
to draw the outside shape of something, in full
detail. And then draw it again, the way we felt it.
In that way, there is a wealth of ideas. And you
create something new.”
Amnah
Al Nasiri earned her doctoral degree for Aesthetics
in Moscow. She teaches Art Philosophy at Sana’a
University. Saturated in color and bold shapes, many
of her paintings lie somewhere between surrealism
and fauvism, and are whimsical and brash at the same
time. Her primary media are acrylics, mixed media,
and monoprints. She describes her art as inspired by
architecture and Yemeni aesthetics. “You feel the
influence of places and old motifs like Yemeni
ornaments and statues in art.”
These
four artists returned from their art studies abroad
with high hopes of finding an art scene through
which to develop their art, or if it did not exist,
creating one that was new and innovative. They also
hoped to find a receptive audience in Yemeni
society. They were introduced to one another through
various art exhibitions and workshops held in Sana’a
and became close friends. In 2000, with the help of
Qasem’s husband, Nizar, Al Najar, Qasem, and then
later on Al Nasiri, decided to open the Art Atelier
near Baab Al Yemen.
The
Atelier was meant to be a space for artists to
convene and share ideas, techniques, and
inspiration, while at the same time being a free
space for artists to display their work. They met
every Thursday, to discuss and work together,
providing workshops for young artists and developing
their own skills. “At the Atelier,” Qasem explained,
“each person was free to do as they liked. You could
work alone, or you could work with each other. It
was up to you, it was your space.”
In
that same year, Khalid Ruweishan took office as the
Minister of Culture in Yemen. The four years that he
held this position is known to these artists as the
“golden age” of Yemeni art. An art lover, Ruweishan
supported artists and their work through exhibits,
international workshops, publishing catalogues of
local artwork, purchasing pieces, and encouraging
art and appreciation of modern Yemeni art both
locally and internationally. He built a house of
culture in nearly every city, and helped artists
travel abroad to attend art events. Every month
there would be one, often two art exhibitions held
by the government for local artists, and he worked
especially to support talented youth in their
pursuit of art.
According to the artists, after he left the post of
Minister of Culture, the state of art in Yemen
suffered greatly. Support for art and art
initiatives became non-existent, funding was
difficult to secure, and they could find no one in
Yemen to buy their pieces.
Currently, all these artists lament the lack of
support for their art. In many ways, the
appreciation for contemporary art is non-existent
among the majority of the Yemeni population. “Yemeni
society doesn’t understand art... it’s a very
strange thing to them,” explains Al Naseri, “They
like realism, landscapes, and ‘tourist’ art. Artists
in Yemen face a lot of problems and you must be
brave to do your art, for there’s no real support
for art here.”
Societal norms further present an obstacle for
artists. Families disapprove of artistic
aspirations, for cultural and economic reasons. Many
women find that they are forced to give up their art
after they get married. “I continue my art because
of support from my husband, my family, and friends,”
Qasem explains, “If it wasn’t for them, maybe I
would have gotten tired of all this and left my work
a long time ago.”
There
is also a suspicion of contemporary art in Yemeni
society, and a lack of art education in school
curriculum hinders the ability for the public to
understand the expressions of abstract art. “I think
people are still confused between figurative art and
religious images,” Al Nasiri says. “The traditional
culture in Yemen is very strong and sometimes that
means being against everything modern. But what is
modern is not necessarily against our culture; we
must learn how to remake our culture to incorporate
new forms of art and learning.”
Lack
of interest in contemporary art makes it difficult
for artists to pursue art full time. The lucky few
who are able to make it do so by sending their work
out of the country to foreign curators and
collectors, some of whom end up selling it right
back to Yemeni businessmen who are unaware of the
Yemeni artists and their work.
Yet
despite all the obstacles, contemporary art
continues to survive in Yemen, with the strength and
determination of artists like Hashem Ali, Fuad Al
Futaih, Talal Al Najar, Mazher Nizar, Reema Qasem,
and Amnah Al Nasiri. Good art education can be found
in universities in Hudeida and Dhamar, as well as
the art institute in Aden. The National Art Center
in the Old City, run by Fuad Al Futaih, displays not
only his personal art, but the art of some ten other
artists as well.
Reema
Qasem has since left the Atelier to start her own
gallery, located off of Zubairy Street and Sa’ilah
Road. She pursues painting full time and teaches
children about art when they come to her gallery.
“If I had the money, I would select truly talented
youth and teach them the techniques of art. I would
teach them to draw not what they see, but what they
feel, and in that way, develop their own style.”
The
Atelier continues to open its doors to aspiring
artists every Thursday morning, from 10am until 1pm.
There, people can find advice, support, and previews
of artwork from Talal Al Najar, Mazher Nizar, and
Amnah Al Nasiri.
In 22
years, Mazher Nizar has seen the evolution of modern
art in Yemen. He helped Al Futaih start the National
Art Center. He has seen the golden age of art in
Yemen, and the fall. He established the Baab Al
Yemen gallery, which to this day displays artwork
for Yemeni artists free of charge, in the hopes that
it will encourage other artists to continue their
work.
He
came to Yemen an optimist, but he now believes that
Yemen is at a critical point. He insists that art
must have support from the government and from
society if it is to survive. His work, along with
the work of other artists, is innovative and
inspiring, illustrations of Yemen through a modern
lens. They present a glimpse of the potential for
contemporary art in Yemen. “The experiment is for us
artists to come together, without selfishness, to
present ourselves to the world. Great things are
achieved in this world by starting with a small
group of determined people.”
