29 January 2025
Between Painting, Photography, and Installation, The 51st Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition Unveils Winning Works
The 51st edition of the Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition has opened its doors, unveiling a vibrant mosaic of visions, ideas, and dreams through the language of colour and form. This year, 68 artists presented over 150 works, ranging from paintings, installations, and photography to sculpture and other artistic expressions.
On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa inaugurated the exhibition at the Bahrain National Museum.
The opening ceremony also celebrated the winning artists, with prestigious awards presented for outstanding works. Al Dana prize was awarded jointly to Sayed Hasan Al Sari and Ali Karimi, while Ebrahim Al Ghanim received the RAK Art Foundation prize, and Zainab Al Sabba won Al Riwaq Art Space Prize.
Al Dana prize-winning work, Traditional Café, was created by Sayed Hasan Al Sari. The judging panel praised the collection for its profound portrayal of “human interactions and psychological nuances within a shared space.” Al Sari expressed his delight at the win, revealing that the work was inspired by his artistic journey to Kuwait, where he spent time in the traditional cafés of Souq Al Mubarakiya, a cultural element shared across the Gulf region.
Elsewhere in the exhibition, visitors are drawn to Ali Karimi’s Fireplaces of Al Ula, the joint prize-winning work featuring ceramic pieces and photography. His collection captures gathering spaces and traditional fireplaces in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Karimi, both surprised and thrilled by his win, stated, “This is something I am truly proud of.” The judging panel praised his work for highlighting a unique cultural feature of the region and for “reflecting Al Ula’s hospitality and generosity.”
Through his collection Buried Beauty, Ebrahim Al Ghanim captivated the judges, winning the RAK Art Foundation Prize. His three watercolour paintings intricately depict the beauty of nature and the concept of decay, with the jury describing his work as “meticulously executed and rich in expression.” Expressing his gratitude, Al Ghanim commented, “This is what every artist strives for.”
Among the exhibition’s most striking installations is Dreams Beneath the Rubble, by Zainab Al Sabba. The work features concrete sculptures intertwined with delicate white balloons, symbolising children’s dreams lost to war and destruction. Al Sabba stated, "My message is to express how dreams can perish before they are born due to devastation and conflict, and how children's happiness can be stifled beneath the rubble." Understanding the message behind the work dispels some of the ambiguity, as she further explained, “The juxtaposition of harsh cement and soft balloons highlights the contrast between brutality and innocence, reinforcing the themes of loss and resilience.”
The Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition is open daily to visitors at the Bahrain National Museum until 27 April, during official museum hours, except on Tuesdays.
Recognised as a vital institution showcasing the evolution of visual arts in Bahrain, the exhibition attracts artists, audiences, and critics from across the Kingdom and beyond. Over the years, it has attracted leading figures of Bahrain’s fine arts movement, seamlessly reflecting the depth and diversity of the Kingdom’s artistic experience, an essential pillar of its cultural landscape.
