The Omani cap or Kuma is a necessary part that completes the Omani traditional outfit for men. It gives the wearer a distinguished look and Omani men have taken great pride in owning different colours with intricate details.
Kumas, depending on quality, come at different prices. There are kumas that can be bought for less than RO20 while good, well-made ones can be as expensive RO100.
In the hands of artist Ali al Mamari however, kumas are given life beyond their traditional usage.
In a personal exhibition held at the Muscat Grand Mall, Ali, in an inspired attempt to come up with something different, let the kumas tell a different story.
Going through the items in the exhibit, Al Mamari let the cap to stand as a cultural witness, a novelist and social historian.
In each painting in the exhibition, the cap was added to tell a story from the past or put the spotlight on traditional places that have withstood the test of time.
By emphasising the significance of the kuma, Ali was also elevating its significance in the society and point out how Omanis are very keen on protecting their traditions.
“Through the years, a Kuma has never left the head of an Omani man. It is an essential part of an Omani getup and for me personally, it is the best cultural storyteller,” Al Mamari said.
He added, “If we really think hard about it, a kuma has been there for as long as many of us can remember. If given a mouth, it can definitely tell us a lot about our history, architecture, and the traditions of the Omani people.”
Because inanimate objects have no way to tell what it has witnessed over the years, it is the reason why Ali used them as the centre of his exhibit.
“I used it as a container full of tales and dialogues. If you check every one of these paintings, they reveal in them certain truths — the kind of things they witness at a certain moment,” he said.
He also shared, “I employed the Islamic decorations in most of the paintings. I tried to combine abstract art with components of the Omani heritage through these decorations.”
“The Islamic art is deep. It’s also abstract and covers wide areas of interest. It usually requires concentration and smartness to understand,” he said.
Al Mamari designed his paintings to be conversation starters — something that can pique people’s interest and let them talk about ideas.
‘I want them to let their minds and creativity run free,” he said. He also expects them to create imaginary characters and give life to the things on canvas.
“I hope they’d create dialogues for these characters,” he said, thus beginning the process of fully understanding the past, gaining insight the present and get empowered about the potential of the future.
Al Mamari’s art shared the same space as the artwork of autistic children who are members of the Omani Autism Association.
Wafaa al Ameri, the manager of the Association, said that the Autism Club was set to showcase the creativity of these children who have their own view about the world.
“They proved through their paintings that they are smart enough to transfer their feelings and thoughts and their love for Oman into images,” she said.
She added, “Some of the children painted some scenes from the trips they had with their families to some places in Oman and most of them were influenced by the cartoon characters they watch.”
The collaboration between Al Mamari and the association was forged to also help reveal the potential of children with autism and make people understand how they see the world.
“All the photos are for sale. The prices of children’s pieces range between RO 25 to 45. The money goes back directly to the child,” Al Mamari said.
As for his artwork, Al Mamari shared that a portion of the money is donated to the association to help fund their operations.
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