18 September 2013
Minister of Culture launches Bahrain Cultural Days in Moscow
Pioneers of Bahrain’s Plastic Arts exhibition at the Russian Art Academy
In line with Manama, the Capital of the Arab Tourism 2013’s celebration of the season of "Leisure Tourism", Minister of Culture, Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa launched the exhibition "Pearls in the Arabian Gulf" at All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Arts in the Russian capital Moscow on Tuesday, 17 September 2013, and as an initiation for launching "Intraregional Tourism," which is considered the first cooperation within the agreement between the two countries along the history of the political and cultural relations bonding them. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s art season opened with a group exhibition entitled Contemporary Bahraini Art Exhibition: New Horizons, at the Russian Art Academy in Moscow from 17 September – 15 October 2013. Organized by the Bahrain Ministry of Culture, the show includes the work of Rashid Al Khalifa, Abdulrahim Sharif, Balqees Fakhro, Khalil Al Hashimi and Ahmed Baqer. This came during the opening of the contemporary fine art gallery for Bahraini artists at the Russian Academy of Arts ( Zurab Tsereteli Arts Gallery).
During the press conference preceded the launching of the Exhibition, Minister of Culture expressed her delight with such cooperation which represented a human speech and an exchange of the nations’ heritage and gains. She also asserted that the agreement includes setting up 3 various exhibitions between Bahrain and Russia, which comes within the cultural and communication strategy of Manama, the Capital of Arab Tourism 2013.
It is scheduled late in this evening to start the inauguration of the exhibition "Modern Bahraini Art," where the two exhibitions embody a beautiful cultural strategy that promotes the human and historical sides, and revives the history of Bahrain in diving, pearls, and the life of the sailors which was practiced throughout long decades.
The exhibition also highlights the support attained by the modern decorative and artistic movement in the Kingdom. The exhibition also displays the history of the life of diving and pearls, and the works and creativity of the pioneers of the decorative art of Bahrain including: Balqees Fakhroo, Abdul Riheem Sherif, Khalil Al-Hashimi and Dr. Ahmed Baqer. The exhibition displays the vertical cross section of artistic production in Bahrain and brings together recent contemporary pieces and historical work – in painting, drawing, and sculpture. The collection is a glimpse into how these individual artists see and interpret the world with their personal vocabulary of cross-pollinated styles.
The five artists in the exhibition come from one generation of Bahrainis who left the kingdom in the late sixties and early seventies to study in different art schools in Europe and the USA. Upon their return to Bahrain, they commenced their careers and have inhabited different positions, enjoying varying degrees of renown.
As to the Pearls Exhibition, which will last till October 16th, it will embody the beauty of the sea, in addition to the stories of the divers and sailors through several beautiful and civilized models which highlight the Bahraini history with its various eras such as Delmon, Tylos till the Islamic period.
Meanwhile, the exhibition displays various pearls and coral jewelry belonged to the time of past long journeys, as well as fishing tackles, small manufactures and archaeological and historical manuscripts. The exhibition shows a history which extended for more than five thousand years, highlighting Bahrain with its strategic location as a gathering place, including Delmon Civilization, and Sumerians, where Bahrain was famous for its sweet water, and was also considered the paradise for its fast gardens.
