Traditionally, art forms in the Arabian Gulf were limited to handicrafts such as jewellery, pottery, embroidery, weaving, and the decoration of private and public buildings. But with the discovery of oil and the consequent livelihood and lifestyle changes that followed, an interest and a taste for easel painting has developed.

Bahrain (1919) and Kuwait (1936) were the first Gulf countries to introduce state aided modern education. They were also the first to include art in the school curriculum. When national education systems were created in the other Gulf countries they followed suit. It is important to stress that without this governmental support via the educational system the easel painting tradition would not be where it is today.

Third level education in the Gulf only began in the 1960s and as yet there is no dedicated fine arts school in the Gulf region. Governments tried to fill this gap by offering scholarships to study abroad. Mojab Al Dossary (1921-1956) from Kuwait became the first Gulf Arab to be sent to study art in Cairo. He was followed by Ahmed Sunni (1933-1956) from Bahrain who went to England in 1952. Their example was followed in the 1960s by Abdul Halim Radwi of Saudi Arabia and Jassim Al Zaini of Qatar. However, it was not until the 1970s that the real impact of fine art studies abroad was felt when the dramatic oil price increases made the sending of greater numbers of students from all the Gulf countries a reality.

Another factor in the development of art was the establishment of art societies. In the mid 1950s, Bahrain had its first art club and began exhibiting the work of local artists on a regular basis. This was replaced in 1970 by the founding of the Contemporary Art Association. A rival group of mainly younger Bahrainis, who had been trained abroad, set up the Bahraini Arts Society in 1983. To date, both groups offer solo and joint exhibitions on a regular basis. Kuwaiti artists and Saudi artists founded their respective associations in 1967 and the Qatari and the Emirates fine arts societies were founded in 1980. The first fine arts society in Oman was founded in the early 1980s. These groups were, according to Wijdan Ali, the Jordanian painter and art critic, “a mixture of art fraternity, art institute, artists union, and government cultural department.”

Painting competitions, prizes and exhibitions whether sponsored by business or governmental organisations have also played an important role in the promotion of the plastic arts. The Dana and the Dilmun prizes are now well established.

Gulf Air, in the 1970s, not alone organized competitions it also became a major purchaser of art work by Gulf artists. Sharjah, often considered to be the most conservative of the Emirates, is now well on the way to being one of the leading art centres of the Emirates. Last April, it held the very successful 6th Sharjah Biennial. Art critic, Antonia Carver, noted that “it was without doubt the most ambitious contemporary art event ever staged in the Gulf, possibly the Arab world.”

Generally speaking, there is great variety in the work of Gulf artists. Initially, local themes dominated and this is perfectly natural given that most Gulf countries gained their independence in the 60s and early 70s. This direction was actively encouraged by the governments as they were keen to strengthen their emerging identities. The artists who received their training in Cairo and Baghdad were also encouraged by their teachers to dig into their own environment in search of meaningful subject matter. The paintings were often rendered in impressionist, surrealist, expressionist or abstract styles. “The Gulf artist,” according to Wijdan Ali, “has preserved, on canvas, his cultural traditions, recording for posterity those practices that may vanish or change with time.”

As is to be expected, calligraphy offers the Gulf artist a direct link with his past and many painters find in it a source of constant inspiration. It is often referred to as the Calligraphic School. The latest trend –and not just in the Gulf- is towards what might be called abstract internationalism. Shaikh Rashid Al Khalifa, one of the leading artists in Bahrain, has noted that “some years ago, abstract art was not considered something that local families would want in their homes but now abstracts are appearing on more and more walls in Bahrain.”

The last 40 years or so has seen unprecedented growth in the Gulf. In Arabic, it is referred to as izdihar, a combination of the words “flourishing’ and ‘prosperity.’ The development of easel painting has mirrored that development and Gulf artists are now poised to go from strength to strength. Given time and given the unique features of its birth, it will develop distinctive features of its own.

© Denis O’Dwyer

Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce Magazine, 2004