Sharjah: “The Gulf”
Sheikh Salem bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi inaugurated the 12th edition of the Milestones Exhibition series: Ismail Khayat, one of the most prominent founders of the Kurdish art scene; The event was held at the Sharjah Art Museum, in the presence of Amad Abdul Hamid Muhammad, Consul General of the Republic of Iraq, Manal Ataya, Director General of the Sharjah Museums Authority, Kiziz Omar, wife of the artist Ismail Khayat, and his son, Hayas Khayat.
The exhibition, which opens on Wednesday and will continue until November 27, aims to raise public awareness of the role of art in supporting cultural development and upgrading societies by hosting the works of Arab artists who have contributed greatly to the development of regional art history and left a lasting impact on the scene. technician in the area.
Manal Ataya said: “Organizing the artist’s exhibition Khayat is a fulfillment of a promise by the Emirate of Sharjah and the Museums Authority to allow the public to learn about the works of distinguished Arab artists, and to enhance the educational role of museums, which contributes to spreading knowledge and stimulating creativity by providing experiences quality.”
Ataya spoke about Khayat’s unique and diverse style, which enabled him to analyze the reality of his society and express it through artworks that documented the social and political conditions and affected the public’s awareness of the role and importance of artistic practices in the political and social reality of countries, noting that the artist’s works enhance the role of participation in dialogue. Raising awareness, and informing the public of the importance of art in enabling individuals to express their opinion, search for solutions to their issues, and work on the development and prosperity of their societies.
130 artworks
The exhibition includes more than 130 artworks, including a “sad face” painted in ink and watercolors on paper, a painting representing birds and women from the artist’s point of view with charcoal and pen on paper, and “person’s thoughts” in which a tailor employed oil colors creatively on canvas and wood. In addition to the painting “The Kurdish People”, which he painted with different media and techniques, using colored lead.
Born in Khanaqin – Kurdistan in 1944, the artist was inspired by his paintings from his community surroundings, the struggles of his people, and Kurdish folklore, expressing his unique style and creativity in the Kurdish art scene, during an artistic career that spanned more than six decades, a lover of art and passionate about learning and teaching arts.
stone man
Khayat, who was known by several titles, including “The Grandfather of Kurdish Art”, “The Man of Stones” and “Picasso of Iraq”, is one of the most prominent modern artists in Iraqi Kurdistan and the most prolific through an artistic career during which he completed about 7,000 artworks that founded the Iraqi-Kurdish art movement and worked as a teacher. For more than 24 years, he was a supervisor of art schools in Sulaymaniyah, a lecturer at the American University in Iraq, and served as the former director of plastic arts in the Ministry of Culture in Kurdistan.
accompanying events
As part of its relentless endeavor to enhance the knowledge and cultural aspects of visitors from different segments of society and to invest in cultural events and exhibitions organized by the authority, a number of events and activities are being held on the sidelines of the exhibition, all of which require prior reservation, including the “Inscriptions and Colors” program offered to school students, which continues throughout the days of the exhibition. To provide students with the opportunity to enjoy a tour of the exhibition corridors to get acquainted closely with the artist’s works that contain different patterns and colors, and then create creativity by practicing engraving on bags.
The authority is holding a dialogue session moderated by the artist’s son Khayat, targeting ages 18 and over, and reviewing the most prominent stations in Khayat’s life and artistic career on the 8th of October, from 5:00 until 6:00 pm.
portrait art
Driven by its interest in people with disabilities and their right to enjoy different arts, the authority is organizing a monotype program on Wednesday, October 12 between 10 and 11 am (for people with intellectual disabilities, autism, and hearing disabilities from 7-14 years old) with the aim of introducing participants to this Technology. The authority also presents the “Portrait Art” program on Saturday, November 12, from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon, targeting persons with hearing disabilities aged 15 years and over, and persons with intellectual disabilities, autism and hearing impairment from the age group between 7 to 14 years. The exhibition dedicates the program “Design your home” and will be launched on Monday, November 14 from 10 to 11 am, giving the opportunity to tour the exhibition to get acquainted with the artist’s paintings in which he depicted the details of Iraqi homes.
As part of its sponsorship of creativity and talent development among young people, the Authority’s Youth Programs Department presents the “Wood Burning Program,” targeting individuals from 13 to 17 years old; And that will be on November 13 from 11 am to 12 pm, with the aim of teaching participants how to make an impressive work of art using wood burning technique.