Artist David Bond: “I don’t invent, I find” [Archives:2006/930/Culture]
March 20 2006
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A gallery showing entitled, “Yemen in the eyes of a British artist,” was organized last Wednesday at the Henri De Monfried Center (French Cultural Center) featuring the paintings of visiting British artist David Bond.
This being his first visit to Yemen, Bond spent a week in Aden and a few days in Sana'a, arriving at the end of February. “I had quite an intense experience here in Yemen. I have done all my works out in the streets in both Sana'a and Aden,” he said.
“I suppose I am particularly interested in Aden because of its historical connection to Great Britain and because of the variety of architectural styles. I have been most welcome in Sana'a and Aden,” he added.
Bond painted his works in areas such as Hadda zone in Sana'a and Al-Tuwahi and Crater in Aden where he said people were “very encouraging and curious. I was always surrounded by helpful passersby,” many of whom could speak English and tell him about the different layers of the city's history.
He noted a contrast between Aden and Sana'a, the two Yemeni cities he visited: “Aden is marked by the presence of many different styles of architecture: Indian, British, and of course, Yemeni. In the Old City of Sana'a, I discovered the traditional Yemeni architecture, which is stimulating for me.”
He expressed wonder that “although old, the Old City of Sana'a is still very much a living city of work and daily life.”
He described his art as “travel narrative, travel notes, observation of the terrain,” trying to bring together images and the written word.
Having studied Arabic at Oxford University, Bond also studied at Tunis Faculty of Literature, publishing a few books there about the city's architectural heritage.
Besides Tunisia and Yemen, Bond has visited other Arab countries, spending some time in Algeria, studying Arabic at Al-Ain University in the United Arab Emirates and visiting Cairo for two months.
He admires Yemeni artists whose paintings most often depict the architecture, attributing it perhaps to the significance of Sana'a as a protected UNESCO world heritage center. “I think local artists are conscious of this and are trying to encourage people to look at it in a new and unfamiliar way,” Bond added.
His opinion of art is that it should help us view our surroundings as though we are seeing them for the first time, letting us be “surprised by things that surround us. I think the representations of the city of Sana'a and also Hadramout do let people look at their environment in a new and refreshing way.”
Going about capturing scenes, Bond takes time and does not rush straight to depiction. “I let the world reveal itself to me. I try to be patient and let things come. Let the world reveal itself to you.” Quoting Picasso, he said, “I don't invent. I find.”
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