Despite its unique angles and lines, the minimalist artwork remains to be simple in its overall form but these artworks always have profound meaning and message. An outright controlled showcase of colours and aesthetic details, coming together of these simple elements make minimalist art a truly enjoyable if not a profound experience.
The exhibition “Omission” is organised by artist Matti Sirvio, who curated the works on display. It features 30 pieces of Minimalist art, including paintings, sculpture, papercut and installation.
“Minimalism is a way to express life in its original, simple form, omitting distracting elements. It is a quest for the essential. After removing all the unnecessary decorations you are left with a minimalistic shape, composition and colour in order to communicate something valuable. In a way it is an attempt to find the truth, plain purity, clean idea and meaning,” Matti Sirvio said.
Matti Sirvio pointed out that he enjoyed exploring minimalism in his works and find great pleasure in doing it.
“My latest works were going to the direction of minimalism and as I started looking around I understood that I am not alone. I got to know a lot of artists, both Omani and expats who are searching the means of minimalism as a part of their artistic journey,” he said.
“Omission” has been chosen for the exhibition because it is minimalistic and meaningful title for the artworks shown.
“Most of the works have the element of spirituality and the presence of invisibility, as strange as it might sound, in them. You have to take time, quiet down and contemplate in order to enjoy this exhibition, it’s not a quick, noisy nor superficial product,” Sirvio said.
The exhibition involved 12 artists, six of them are Omani artists and six expat artists.
Artist Haneen al Moosawi participated with “Hilal” moonlight painting. “In the month of Ramadhan, I liked to create artwork that represents the month. And since the crescent is a symbol of Ramadhan, I shaped the crescent in a simple and abstract way,” Haneen said.
Artist Kawthar al Harthi on the other hand took the shape of wreckage as a place where you can find beauty.
“The message beyond my artwork, it is an invitation to contemplate in the distribution of masses that is inside the things surrounding us, some of them have their beauty in being arranged, and some retain their beauty lies in their disintegration and scattering,” she said.
Sirvio shared his opinion about the artistic movement of minimalism art in Oman. “I am fascinated by the minimalism in Oman through buildings, dress-code, kumma, dishdashah, henna, desert, palm trees, sand, stones and dates. The eloquent character of the Omani people has clearly been developed in this environment. The Egyptian, Iraqi, Iranian, Indian art schools have all had their influence on the Omani art scene, but I think that they have often missed the appreciation of minimalism in the Omani soul,” he shared.
The ‘Omission exhibition’ will run until June 30 in the Fikra Gallery in Old Muscat City.
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