Artists have long captured the culture, traditions and history of countries around the globe, documenting and celebrating heritage over the centuries.
As Oman marks its 50th National Day, we are taking a deeper look at some of the sultanate's most exciting artistic talent.
The country celebrates the birthday of Sultan Qaboos, former Ruler of Oman, as well as the removal of Portuguese occupation in 1650, on Wednesday, November 18.
Here, we round up some of the country's leading contemporary artists, as well as some up-and-coming names to know.
Hassan Meer
A vanguard of the contemporary Omani art scene, Hassan Meer’s abstract paintings and installations are often drawn from beliefs and traditions within Omani culture.
During his two decade-long career, Meer has exhibited his work in a number of high-profile venues around the world, including the Royal College of Art's galleries in London, the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo and at the Sharjah Biennial.
Mays Al Moosawi
Mays Al Moosawi’s artworks are filled with dynamic contrasts. In some of her illustrations, figures are formed by wild, liberated scrawls. In others, the strokes are calculated and restrained. Her work is also replete with patterns often found in Omani embroidery. Besides paintings and illustrations, Al Moosawi also produces photographs and wire sculptures.
Abdul Rahman Al Ma’aini
ARAB ART ONLINE: "Figure" by Abdul Rahman Al Ma’aini, 2003. https://t.co/Vy5LWzfAwQ pic.twitter.com/3VGBPORoZC
— Brian Whitaker (@Brian_Whit) November 14, 2016
With paintings featuring large kaleidoscopic patterns and vibrant characters with exaggerated features, Abdul Rahman Al Ma’aini’s artworks are patently distinct.
The artist has exhibited his bold pieces in group exhibitions in Switzerland, Spain, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai, where he currently resides. He is also a member of the Emirates Fine Art Society.
Alia Al Farsi
#Voyagers by @Aliafarsi at Alia Al Farsi Gallery at Rusayl #Art pic.twitter.com/8WYpVTV4oK
— أدهم آل سعيد Adham Al Said (@AdhamAlsaid) February 29, 2020
Painted with expressive stucco-like texture, the figures in Alia Al Farsi's artworks seem almost mystical. The artist often draws inspiration from her roots – painting designs found in Omani artefacts and coins – but doesn't shy away from finding influences elsewhere. There is French poetry in some of her artworks, as well as patterns alluding to Cambodian textiles. What she paints on is also diverse, from large-scale canvases to palm-sized boxes and arm chairs.
Al Farsi has exhibited her work around the world, from Muscat and Paris to Tokyo and Dubai.
Tanya Shamil
Tanya Shamil's Pop Art designs – filled with comic book speech bubbles and social commentary – have earned her a considerable social media following.
Her work both embraces and critiques aspects of society, inviting audiences to discuss topics that were at one time considered taboo.
Mohammed Al Attar
The lion’s share of Mohammed Al Attar’s work features self-portraits, but not in the way you’d traditionally expect. Through digital paintings and watercolours, the artist – who is a lawyer by day – deconstructs himself limb by limb in his pieces. It may sound gory but Al Attar, also known as Mimoon, manages to make them look beautiful and almost serene through his use of a bright, vivid palette.
Abdulrahim Al Kendi
Featuring Abdulrahim Al Kendi and 10 other artists at the #StalPrize exhibition
— Stal Gallery (@StalGallery) January 29, 2017
يضم المعرض عبدالرحيم الكندي و١٠ فنانين آخرين #جائزة_ستال pic.twitter.com/EJ6pNWf774
Abdulrahim Al Kendi is a conceptual artist whose photographs and installations, composed with scathing social commentary, have made him an important figure in Oman's art scene, with his subjects ranging from a straw-pierced egg to a goat pen presented as a men’s association.
Tariq Al Hajri
Despite past regional media coverage of his unique photo series “Rejuvenation of Past” and “Westernized Omani”, 24-year-old Tariq Al Hajri feels that he has not done enough in the world of visual arts.
— Sekka سِكّة (@sekkamag) October 11, 2019
See: https://t.co/uBO0jTu3EN pic.twitter.com/pTzosGFu0n
There is a playful absurdity to Tariq Al Hajri's photographs that immediately invites in viewers, such as one work that shows a man lying down on a shored motorboat, intently watching television, while another shows a man cycling with a bow and arrow.
Mujahid Al Malki
Another photographer with an eye for the absurd is Mujahid Al Malki, who also goes by the name Muji. The artist often makes his work a meeting point between the cultures of Oman and the US, where he studied rocket science at university. His subjects range from men in thobes reading flaming newspapers to those in suits floating in a pool full of pineapples.
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