Bayan Al Hadhrami
Mohammed Al-Attar, an Omani Artist, who through his latest art performance, ‘Empty Room’, had captivated his audience in an emulsion of emotions ranging from fear, loneliness and struggle to comfort and relief. Al-Attar’s ‘Empty Room’ was performed in Muttrah Fort December 9th, where Al-Attar was seen confined within walls of white, transparent sheets. Al-Attar’s hands, covered in black paint, traced the sheets in loss then in desperation as he attempted to find a way out. The strokes of black gradually grew with the artist’s desperation, however, he finally found comfort when a hand from the audience reached out and placed itself on the sheets separating it from the struggling artist. Al-Attar then, finding the support and comfort he had waited for, ripped the sheets open. This performance had been beautifully captured by Fahad Al-Kindi’s lens, sharing with us glances of Al-Attar’s ‘Empty Room’.
Al-Attar’s artistic journey began from a young age; as a child Mohammed possessed a wild imagination and attempted to deliver that wildness and freedom of imagination to the physical reality we live in as a form of art. He states that he has maintained a strong relationship with his inner child and now at the age of thirty-one, alongside his wild imagination, he adds a layer of maturity in his artwork by leaving his comfort zone and expanding his forms of expression. Al-Attar had recently decided to challenge himself as an artist and explore the art of performance. He believes that artists should always explore different mediums of expression and should not encircle their talent within a limited scope.
His latest performance is an expansion of his first, ‘The Chaos of the Mind’, which was released on Sep10th. Both performances tackle themes of the inner conflicts and struggles many experience and the feelings of loss and loneliness that accompany this struggle. Al-Attar said that his art “is a safe space for every emotion and thought” and he attempts through his work to not only reflect his own personal inner struggles but other’s as well. As an artist, he draws inspiration from all that is around him, including people, as he attempts to represent their thoughts and emotions through art. He aspires to, someday, perform worldwide and represent the Sultanate of Oman as an artist. Al-Attar believes there are many exceptional Omani artists who have great potential and he hopes the art milieu in Oman gains the recognition it deserves.
You can reach al Attar @mimoon_art
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