Name Place Animal Thing, a game most of us grew up playing has now been transformed by 30 artists into their renditions of what this game means to them. Currently showcasing at Fikra Tourism & Culture in Muscat, Name Place Animal Thing is a unique exhibition celebrating artists’ sketchbooks.
30 artists were given a small-sized sketchbook and requested to fill its pages with people, places, animals and things, using their own tools and chosen mediums. The artists were asked to channel their sketchbooks as a way of thinking, as a critical tool, as a means of observation, communication or representation. The exploration of ideas and preparatory study in sketchbooks is central to most artists’ studio practice. This exhibition celebrates the fundamental practice of sketch booking.
While some of the artists have based their sketchbooks on observational drawings or photographs, others have mined non-existent, imagined landscapes. Other’s have something linear to narrate, several others have used their sketchbooks as a method to document and observe what is hidden within the cervices of their subconscious minds.
REEM AL SHAIKH,
POSTCARDS FROM MUSCAT
MEDIUM: Digital Photographic Prints on Fine Art Paper
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Born in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, Reem al Shaikh is an abstract fine art photographer whose work discusses identity, societal traditions and the varying human condition.
IG: @reemalshaikhphotography
MAYS AL MOOSAWI,
JUST ANOTHER SKETCHBOOK
MEDIUM: Collage, Acrylic Paints, Inks
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Mays al Moosawi is a 27-year-old visual artist from Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman. Her focus on the female figure as her signature subject matter stems from Mays’ view of the society she was raised in.
IG:@maysalmoosawi
DR SHALINI GUPTA KUMAR, HOME QUARANTINE — My Story
MEDIUM: Pen & Ink, Watercolours
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Shalini completed her doctorate in Economics from Agra University. She is a versatile, self-taught artist based in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman.
IG: @shalart_61
ANJALI BABU, KERALA
MEDIUM: Oil paints on canvas paper
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Anjali babu is a versatile artist and painter hailing from India. Her work includes highly realistic portraits of men, women, landscapes, figurative themes and abstracts that radiate positive energy in any setting.
IG: @anjali _babu_
ELIZABETH DAVIS,
KIKI GOES TO CORNICHE
MEDIUM: Pen & Ink, Watercolours, Papercut
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Painting has been a childhood passion nurtured by a wonderful art teacher in school. As a self-taught artist in the acrylic medium, I have now ventured into Impressionism and Semi Abstract art.
IG:@elizabeth.davis.1986
AMJAD AL SIYABI,
SAILING ONBOARD COLOURS
MEDIUM: Watercolours
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Amjad al Siyabi is an Omani self-taught artist. His artworks aim to inspire and explore the beauty of the Sultanate of Oman.
IG: @amjedalsiyabi
MOHAMMED AL ATTAR (MIMOON), A JOURNEY OF BEARDED SOULS
MEDIUM: Mixed Media
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Mohammed draws in different styles, pencil sketches are a form of joy to him. While watercolours are the favourite medium of his soul, he has found a universe in digital art that he inhabits and drawing with a pen is where his emotions speak.
IG: @mimoon_art
AHAD AL KINDI, I AM NAME
MEDIUM: Digital photography printed on zinc photo paper
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Fahad al Kindi was born in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman. In the last three years, Fahad’s interest extended to semiotics, visual language, metaphor and the autobiographic nature of art which is reflected in some of his more recent works.
IG: @f_kindi
BHAVNA MAINI, GAME OF BONES
MEDIUM: pen & ink, collage, colour pencils, papercut, oil pastels
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Bhavna’s style is simple, aesthetic, contemporary and the focus is on sketching, drawing, collage work etc. Her style has been continuously evolving as she feels that experimentation is an integral part of experiencing art and exploring its endless possibilities.
IG: @bhavnamani1
ANEESHA BS,
AMSTERDAM
MEDIUM: Graphite, Charcoal, Watercolours, Acrylic paints
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Aneesha BS is an artist who is constantly experimenting and exploring new techniques and mediums.
IG:@anishadilip
HANEEN AL MOOSAWI,
MINIMALISM-ISH
MEDIUM: pen & ink, collage, colour pencils, papercut, oil pastels
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Her work has a combination of geometric shapes and lines, which goes back to being raised in a diverse artistic environment since her father works as an urban planner and her mother is an artist.
IG:@haneenalmoosawi
SARA THOMPSON,
AL SARROJ
MEDIUM: Acrylic paints, watercolours, pen, pencils, crayons and pastels
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Sarah Thompson grew up in the North East of Scotland into an artistic & musical family, that nurtured her talent from a young age. She sees the beauty in many things that may go unnoticed and loves to highlight intricate details.
IG:@sarah_thompson_artist
DAVINA DE BEER,
ENCANTADA
MEDIUM: Acrylic paints, coloured pens, ink, glue, pamphlets
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Davina is a visual artist from South Africa, but has lived and worked in Oman in the Middle East for thirteen years before relocating to Spain in August 2021. Her work deals with memory, identity, and the relationship between identity and place/space.
IG: @davina_artist
MONA RATHOD,
WONDERS OF THE WORLD
MEDIUM: papercut outs, watercolours
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Mona Rathod teaches art to underprivileged children. She loves to transfer her knowledge to her students and always dreams of establishing an art studio that would be beneficial to upcoming youth and disabled artists.
IG@rmonarathod4
KAWTHAR AL HARTHI,
DEEP EXCAVATION
MEDIUM: paper collage, pen and ink, graphite pencil
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Kawthar al Harthi, is a visual artist who graduated from Sultan Qaboos University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education. She is currently employed as an art teacher for secondary school students.
IG@kawther_alharthy
TARINI AGARWAL,
MEMORIES OF THE SEA
MEDIUM: paper collage, printing, image transferring, papercut, acrylic paints
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: She likes to explore abstract relationships between objects, people and landscape. She is drawn to the emotional responses within any given situation. Her work hovers between abstraction and expressionism.
IG@tariniagarwal
IMAN BALUSHI,
PECULIAR REALMS
MEDIUM: watercolours and coloured pencils
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Iman al balushi is an aspiring Omani artist, Through her art, she would like to achieve a true representation of where she comes from & what she feels. She believes that it is crucial to shine a light on the creation of imaginative, mind-bending art, rather than merely focusing on conventional art forms.
FARAH ASQUL,
TIME AND SPACE
MEDIUM: watercolours, inks, paper collage
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Farah Asqul is an Omani mixed media artist whose work is reminiscent of expressionism and ranges between painting, collage and installation.
IG@ farah_asqul_art
MARJAN HABIBIAN,
DAYDREAMS
MEDIUM: Monoprint and ink drawings
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Marjan Habibian was born in Tehran, Iran. Her experience developed from using abstract expressionism to include figurative elements in her work.
IG@habibianmarjan
HARINI REDDY,
ALL THINGS RECTANGLE
MEDIUM: Mixed Media
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Harini Kumar started her career as an illustrator and graphic designer. She works with a variety of mediums such as Oils, Acrylics & Charcoal and is a contemporary artist with a semi-abstract expressionistic style, with the use of vivid colours and dynamic brushstrokes.
IG@ harini.kumar
ANETTA SZABO,
LIFE-LIKE VAPOR
MEDIUM: Graphite pencil, tracing paper
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Anetta is a Hungarian designer and artist. She gained experience in graphic design, interior design, jewellery design, sculpting, typography and teaching arts and creative thinking.
IG@ anetta_szabo
PRAGYA BHATNAGAR,
A TALE OF LOVE AND HATRED
MEDIUM: watercolours, pen and ink, paper cutouts
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
From creating realistic work with a lot of design elements in the beginning, Pragya is currently treading on the path of impressionism, as part of her ongoing journey of artistic exploration.
IG@ pragyabhatnagar
RAWAN AL MAHROUQI,
UNTITLED STORIES
MEDIUM: charcoal, ink
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Rawan al Mahrouqi is a multidisciplinary contemporary artist from the Sultanate of Oman whose work focuses on the female experience in the Arabian Gulf. The artist is the founder of Makan Studios a first of its kind local art school that offers a community for the arts in Muscat.
IG @rawan757
KHURSHEED RAJA, TRAVEL
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Khursheed is a visual artist and a graphic designer. Her mixed media works and assemblages are known for the unconventional use of materials and are layered with texture, symbolism and references to the Sultanate of Oman’s culture and heritage.
IG@art.khursheed
ABDULRAHIM AL KENDI, 2021
MEDIUM: Ink pen, marker pen, graphite pencils
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Abdulrahim al kendi is a self-taught experimental/conceptual artist who uses satirical art to express his non-conformist perspectives.
IG@aboodeen
BASHAIR AL BALUSHI,
LAND OF WORDS
MEDIUM: black & white ink, watercolour, coffee, gouache colours, gold leaf & cardboard.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Bashair al Balushi is an interior designer, furniture designer, photographer & visual artist. Bashair is the owner & the manager of the department of innovation & design in Design Skills Studio.
IG@bashair_albalushi
BASHAYER AL NAAIMI,
EXERPTS FROM LIFE
MEDIUM: Ink and graphite
Artist Biography:
Bashayer al Naaimi is a multimedia artist, illustrator and graphic designer. She graduated as an architectural engineer from Sultan Qaboos University.
IG: @otulbbluto
DEBJANI BHARDWAJ,
LATE-NIGHT THOUGHTS
MEDIUM: pen & ink, watercolours
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Debjani is a papercut and ceramic artist. Her work deals with narratives and storytelling inspired by myths, legends and personal histories. She is the co-founder of Rock Paper Scissors for art mentorship, art education and product design.
IG:@debjanibhardwaj
RADHIKA HAMLAI,
WHAT ARE DREAMS MADE OF
MEDIUM: pen, inks, watercolours, charcoal on kozo paper
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Radhika has participated in 10 solo exhibitions and over 50 group exhibitions in a career spanning 20 years. She launched the highly successful annual event, Oman Affordable Art Fair in 2018, to provide a platform for local and international artists to showcase interesting, budget-friendly artworks.
IG@radhikah
LAITH KHALIFA, #LAITH’S_EYE: DISSECTING THE SCENE
MEDIUM: Ink, graphite pencil, watercolours, and paper collage
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Laith bin Khalifa al Shiyadi is navigating his way into the arts scene in Oman as an emerging artist. He is currently pursuing a degree in Urban Planning and Architecture at the German University of Technology, Muscat.
IG: @laith.khalifa
“A sketchbook is akin to a personal diary and I am grateful to each of the participating artists in this exhibition for allowing us to take a look at what they have been thinking.” — Debjani Bhardwaj
For more information about the exhibition and future events, follow @fikra_muscat and the artists to know more about their work. The prints from the sketchbooks of all the artists are priced at RO 30. The sketchbooks are not for sale unless mentioned otherwise.
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