04 June 2023
Curtain Fell on the “Approaching Design” Symposium held at Al-Riwaq Gallery, The importance of close cooperation between all parties concerned with the design industry in Bahrain highlighted
Curtain fell on “Approaching Design Approaches" symposium sessions, which were held over two days at the headquarters of Al-Riwaq Art Space on 3 June, 2023. Indeed, the symposium was organized by Al-Riwaq gallery in cooperation with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities
Indeed, a large audience was present during the second day of the symposium, varying between specialists and participants who interacted with the themes discussed on various sectors of art and design. The symposium also hosted panel discussions that touched on the planning and production process, the importance of materials and sustainability, and reviewed international experiences of designers from Bahrain, represented in the experience of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s pavilion at (Dubai Expo 2020), a transfer of cultural knowledge and identity in design, and the importance of collaboration and creative partnerships.
Moreover, the symposium concluded its program with a session that brought together Ms. Farah Matar, Director of the Culture and Arts at the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Mr. Faisal Al-Areedh, Head of Creative Sectors in the Labor Fund (Tamkeen), and Mr. Nawaf Al-Kooheji, CEO of “Tenmou” Company, with Ms. Bayan Al-Barrak Kanoo, Director and Founder of Al-Riwaq Space for arts.
The closing session shed light on the future of design in Bahrain, and the importance of cooperation between the various movers in the sector, from official, civil and investment parties to advance design practices. It also stressed the importance of drawing a road map for collaborative and institutional work to create more opportunities and spaces, which will provide an encouraging adequate working environment for designers and artists.
At the end of this session, participants, specialists, artists and attendees praised the symposium during the past two days, expressing their admiration for the topics that touched their creative and professional reality. The attendees, especially young people, expressed the importance of this opportunity to create a space through which artists and practitioners can communicate with each other, learn and gain experiences through mutual dialogue, which contributes to the development of the sector.
Worth to mention that "Approaching Design " symposium aims to bring together various interested, specialists, workers and officials in the design and arts sector in Bahrain in order to discuss critically and constructively about the practice of art and design, and to shed light on current tools, resources and practices in design and production lines. Representatives of prestigious institutions such as the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the University of Bahrain and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities also participated in the symposium.
