Jamal Al-Hada to the Yemen Times:”Every artist should convey his message honestly” [Archives:2003/630/Culture]

Bassam Jamil
Jamal al-Hada is one of the talented and renowned Yemenis who did not receive any attention and the media have not shed light on. He could with his talent and his personal efforts to firmly establish his own brush in the creativity ground having his own marks and his distinguished plastic art.
His brush adores the warm colors and he does not follow any special school. So he sometimes nonrepresentational and sometimes surrealist and classic in other time.
He sees that art is a language that is understood by all people and races. Bassam Jameel al-Saqqaf, Yemen Times Staff, interviewed one of Yemen's talented artists, Mr. Jamal al-Hada, who talks to us about his experience as a Yemeni artist
Q: How do you see the plastic art movement and the criticism it faces in Yemen?
A: The plastic art movement in our society is still characterized by a tendency to remain private. It is just starting to shyly appear and show its unique features through the distinguished works of plastic portraits of artists, who are able to simulate the Yemeni reality in a wonderful way.
C- Criticism is very important, as it can stimulate the artist to go ahead or it can depress him. So the more constructive is the criticism, the better are the results.
Q: Are you a professional artist or an amateur?
A: Artists, in general, and the plastic artist, in particular, if they tend to go towards being professional, they will definitely cease being creative. . So, we just say that we are amateurs and want to continue to be creative.

Q: What's Jamal Al-Hada's philosophy and what point of view does he wish to deliver?
A: Every one has his own philosophy to adapt through, which he can manifest in his works. My philosophy is to start from the Yemeni environment, which was the fertile ground from which my talent burst. We live in a country that has a deep-rooted culture and roots that emanate from an ancient civilization, which is beautifully distinctive from other world cultures.
On the other hand, my country is rich with its old distinctive architecture, which reflects on the realism spirit of the Yemeni artist.
What I would like to convey is that art is a message, through which people can communicate. I would like to be able to make contact with them with a language that does not need words to reach them. Art can transcendentally express what is in the human spirit.

Q: What colors does the artist's brush adore?
A: Color emerges from the spirit and my brush often adores the warm colors that harmonize with the portrait to give an expression and to deliver beauty, in whatever form.

Q: What are the most significant local and international exhibitions, in which you have participated?
A: I have taken part in many activities abroad, especially while studying, in Saudi Arabia and in Egypt.
Locally, I have contributed to local art exhibits, where there were also selected works from all the foreign nationalities.
I have also set up two of my own personal exhibitions:
1-The first exhibition was titled “Sana'ni Illustrations”
2- The second exhibition was called “Songs That Emanate from the heart”

Q: To what extent does the weakness of art culture and the lack of awareness for the true principles of art affect the Yemeni artist?
A: Lack of understanding for the true principles of art does not come up from nothing, but it rather from accumulated sediments from the early life of the artist.
With respect to the Yemeni artists. First of all, we lack any kind of encouragement for developing talent, starting with the-family, then the educational institutions and the government. However, there are interferences that are beginning to reflect an interest in showing up talent gradually and desperately.
We can say that the artist and the receiver both walk on the same track; when there is work and creativity for the artist, the receiver becomes a part of this work, since there is continuous contact.

Q: The Plastic Art Syndicate and the Ministry of Culture: what are they providing for you?
A: With regards to the Syndicate, the Syndicate has been established with its own bylaws and then it suddenly disappears. It cannot stand up to any difficulty, which it is confronted with. Thus, art in our reality is in a pitiful situation, as it has really not obtained any real support to develop and grow.
As for the Ministry of Culture, that is about to the only hope that shows up in this field. So, we hope more tangible support and encouragement will be provided to the development and enhancement of plastic art

Q: Yemeni professional artists have all the capabilities of creativity but they are greatly suffering and hindered because of lack of real support. What are your comments?
A: As I have said the professional and talented Yemeni artists are depressed for the successive relapses that they face.
In my opinion, whatever the capabilities and talent that the artist has are worthless, unless there is support to enhance art and make it sustainable. Therefore, the artists are missing many opportunities to hold exhibitions or to participate abroad in international exhibitions.

Q: What art schools does Jamal adore?
A: In the beginning I was affected by a number of international schools. Now I try continuously to find my own school and have my own personality, which does not submit to imitation and mocking. Thus, I will manifest a plastic reality, by which I can express beautiful art and deliver my message to the world as well.

Q: What is your final word?
A: Art is a message and every artist should convey his message honestly.
——
[archive-e:630-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-04-07-p:culture]