2020 has been a year with many difficulties, so that keeping hope alive is something artists need to work for and artists play a fundamental role in it, being like torch bearers of hope and beauty.
On November 17th, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Oman, a new Art Gallery Art & Soul, a minimalist Gallery opened its doors aiming at becoming the most important cross-roads for local and international artists who want to showcase their artworks in the Gulf. It also targets to become a point of attraction for cultural activities of all kinds. Its huge spaces and the unique location of its venue (Water-Front mall), overlooking the beautiful beach of Qurum, are definitely unique characteristics that will help its management to reach its goals.
“HOPE AND MEMORIES” was the homage by the international Italian artist Lucia Oliva to this country, which she deeply loves as her second home. She was honoured to have been chosen to open the new Gallery on such important moments for the country and the event ran under the Auspices of Sayyida Basma Al Said and the Italian Embassy in Oman.
The core of Lucia Oliva’s solo exhibition were two peculiar celebrative artworks, based on a unique new concept consisting of sculptural solid canvases rich in movement as a support for the portrait of the late HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said and HM Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said: it was quite a long and challenging job for both of them and Oliva never exhibited them to keep the surprise for the special occasion of the Golden Jubilee. The exhibition also offered other recent and previous artworks that represent the influence of the Omani environment on the soul of the artist.
“The inspiration for the surprising artwork dedicated to the late HM Sultan Qaboos ‘FRIENDS OF ALL ENEMY TO NONE’ was to evoke the idea of the Omani flag, in which He appears in the act of encouraging his people to march on the track of the Renaissance he started almost 50 years ago. A message of hope and a link between past and future with an invitation to keep going with hope and faith.
Then ‘HOPE’ came as a natural cross out of the of same concept, a twin artwork but with its unique characteristics” Lucia adds. His Majesty Sultan Haitham’s portrait is the focus of a sort of contemporary style draped tapestry that emphasises the importance of the Royal Subject. This style plunges its roots into classical art and reaches its apex in the Baroque era, which boasts many pictorial and sculptural examples with high and low-reliefs.
A bas-relief quote from the Holy Quran, part of verse 59, Surat An Nisaa’, completes the artwork and also a few symbols and suggestions find place in it, both for the texture of the background as well as for its colours. The artist freely took inspiration from some engraved motifs on the wall behind the throne in Al Alam Palace and other royal halls, in shades of light blue and turquoise together with burgundy and purple, which recall the colours of the royal mussar.
“Being created in the difficult period of the pandemic, it was not easy to remain focused on them without losing the concentration when all around you was and looked so difficult. I experimented this new concept a few months earlier with the artwork “IN FRONT OF THE OPEN WINDOW”, which represents the gaze of the artist on the outside world during the lockdown. I had to face and overcome a few technical difficulties, but in the end the result was exactly as I saw them in my inspiration and this was a great satisfaction. I am happy that so many people were asking and waiting to admire them live. This was my humble contribution in terms of beauty to enthusiastically celebrate the Golden Jubilee.
The exhibition was attended by more than 100 visitors daily, especially young ones, getting in the end to the astonishing number of more than 2000 people in the whole, something really unusual for an art event normally target to a niche of public. The exhibition, which was supposed to run until December 4th, was extended by 5 days due to the incredible response of visitors and it ended last Wednesday. Tens and tens among them wrote the experience of their visit in the Guests book with words of sincere and enthusiastic appreciation for the work of Lucia.
Here is a video of the Opening night. https://youtu.be/F94IqwU6va8
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