Last Page - Issue 35 - Yemen Times

35 - August 28th thru September 3rd 2000, Vol X

Artists Face Problems in Creative Works

Plastic art is a genre of fine arts which through time demonstrates the culture of a nation as well as her customs and traditions. The aesthetic heritage of industry and antiquities souvenirs remain in circulation for generations depicting different images of history. Through art our forefathers’ creative works remained engraved in our memories.
We Yemenis possess a large collection of heritage from successive civilizations and bygone dynasties. History has preserved these facts through those artists who lived those events.
In our country creative works face a lot of problems and uncountable difficulties in form of complicated routine measures and non-encouragement of artists in different fields of art. This makes many artists avoid coming up with their creative works. Out of all arts let us take the plastic art which is surviving only through personal efforts of our plastic artists.
At the Culture House an exhibition has been opened to last until December 5. A large number of male and female artists, representing creative capabilities, are represented at this exhibition. Sixty-eight works speak of the past and present different aspects of cultural, social, economic, political life and other mode of life. These works do reflect the harmony of man’s creative abilities.
It was an opportunity to meet and talk individually with a number of participant artists on their works.
Abdulwasa Mohammed Al-Olofi, a Faculty of Information student, said: “ It all started just like a hobby. Gradually I became an amateur artist and then developed myself what you see me today. I participated with my works at local level including the 1st Immigrants Conference held in Sana’a last year, the 50th anniversary of Human Rights and once at University level where I won the second position.”
Olofi added: “The future of plastic art in our country is ambiguous. We have a lot of artists but the problem is how to bring them to the level and encourage them. We never wish to see such talents buried.”
He went on to say: “At least 70% of the present day artists have developed themselves all by themselves. There ought to have been awareness and artistic and cultural programs; which unfortunately are absent. The Artists Union, too, is facing a lot of differences. And, finally, an artist has to suffer everything alone.”
Olofi complained saying: “ Just imagine an artist spending his money in buying his requirements and doing all arrangements to prepare his painting; but at last he is shocked to learn that there is no means of displaying or exhibiting his work: no gallery, no publicity. The Ministry of Culture & Tourism offers very limited assistance; but it is occasional. ‘’
“ To give care and show interest in artists’ works in our society should mean reflection of civilization and culture,” he said.
Then Olofi explained details of his two works. The first was “Al-Maftoon” ( the name of an old Sana’a area) and another “The Other Land” depicting a citizen’s departure with the purpose of immigration.
Another artist was Aadel Saleh Abdullah Al-Mawri whose mere hobby took him out of Yemen to become a student of Publicity & Advertisements in Algiers. There, talented Mawri’s capabilities were honed to become a perfect plastic artist. “Awareness, in my view, is the way to create plastic art,” he said pointing to his work “Al-Baradouni”. Explaining his work he said let us think how we look at “Baradouni” and how he looks at us. Talking about his grievances he complained: “ We constitute the base of art in Yemen; but alas! our link with the officials is occasional.”
Leading us to his another work: “Symbols of Yemen” — with a hoopoe in the background — Mawri expressed his desire to organize an exhibition of his own.
After going through different works and the arrangements undertaken to organize this exhibition, the dim interest of the Ministry of Culture & Tourism was obvious. Before leaving the exhibition hall we wished the Ministry showed genuine interest and cared for an art which really plays an important role in our life.