Reflections

Reflections an exhibition of paintings by artists Antje Manser and Dr Fakhriya Yahyaiyah was inaugurated at the Bait Al Baranda Museum here on Saturday.

The exhibition was inaugurated by HE Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Busaidi, the Chairman of the State Audit Institution in the presence of VIPs, distinguished guests, other artists and art lovers.

Talking to the media, the chief guest said it was how artists have the ability to reflect upon everyday and commonplace incidents and make the image stand out as something extraordinary by giving it an altogether new perspective and meaning.

Dr Fakhriya in this particular project she had made an attempt to express the meaning of ‘Reflection’ through reflection of ideas, meanings and life’s emotions.

Elaborating further the artist said: “We reflect ourselves through our thoughts, our ideologies and hopes through the steps we decide to take. Our steps reflect our ideas … our ideas reflect our dreams… our dreams reflect our hopes …our hopes reflect our future”.

Talking about how she creates her paintings, Dr Fakhriya, an Assisstant Professor of Drawing and Painting at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), says her creations are based on video images. “I first made a video film of people walking … the focus is on their feet.. footsteps. I then took these video images and manipulated them digitally and then I applied colour at some places and then covered this image with a plastic cover that gives an effect of frosted glass, which in turn heightens the perception of reflections and of footsteps in motion in the rain.

In all her compositions which seem to posses a kind of kinetic energy and movement, Dr Fakhriya shows a predisposition for different shades of blue, though at times her canvas also has touches of white, black and flesh pink. But ever and always, the predominant colour is blue, which makes her images look cool and soothing. At the same time blue captures admirably the sensation of reflection.

German artist Antje Manser’s reflections on the other hand different. Through her reflections she captures the magic of Nature - flowers, trees, landscape, still waters, birds in flight, silent mountains and whispering winds. All her paintings that are minimalist, and the silence, stillness and tranquillity that emanates from her creations gives them a meditative quality.